The first cohort of Artificial Intelligence Engineering Apprentices has joined Britain’s railway, in a programme intended to build specialist capability across the sector.
The apprentices are based in York and London and will combine formal learning with practical experience. Their placements will be distributed across the railway industry and coordinated through the AI Incubator Accelerator (AIIA).
Building capability for AI adoption
The programme has been launched by GBRX, the strategic technology and innovation body for Great British Railways. It follows GBRX’s Artificial Intelligence in Rail: The Industry Action Plan, which identified a shortage of capability as a key constraint on the adoption of AI.
GBRX has also set priorities for where AI could have the greatest impact across rail and established the AIIA to connect expertise and support delivery of the action plan.
AI apprentice Kirsty Duenas said: “I’m so excited that the AI scheme has given me the opportunity to learn about and see how AI is used in ways I didn’t even think of. I enjoy seeing it in action in the industry and it’s great to become involved with using it in that way.”
Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said the apprenticeships were part of investment in the railway’s future talent and expertise.
“These AI apprenticeships, alongside the new GBR rail foundation apprenticeships, mark the start of a new era for the sector as we work to set up Great British Railways, one where cutting-edge technology and skilled people work hand in hand to transform how our railway runs,” he said.
“This is about investing in the railway of tomorrow and I’m proud to welcome this talented first cohort on board.”
Part of wider rail skills plans
The Department for Transport has separately announced that up to 600 people aged between 16 and 21 will join a new Great British Railways rail foundation apprenticeship over the next four years. The first cohort of that scheme is based in Derby.
Toufic Machnouk, managing director of GBRX, said: “A plan on paper will not deliver our ambition, capability is the constraint and the action we are taking responds to that. We launched the AI apprenticeship programme to create sustainable skills for the future bringing together a unique blend of expertise in both AI and rail. Now, just five months later, I am proud to say that the first cohort of AI apprentices has joined Britain’s railway.”