Rail and Rail Systems Engineering (Apprenticeship)

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Overview

Railway systems in the UK and internationally are aging with the need for the introduction of new infrastructure, technologies, and practices, to ensure that they are sustainable. Thus providing local, national, and international socio-economic benefits for the future. The combination of these factors requires you, as 21st century railway engineers, to have a systems approach to the construction, operation, and management of the railway, as highlighted by the Williams-Shapps plan for Rail (DfT, 2021) and the Network Rail Asset Management Policy (Network Rail, 2018).

Why Rail Systems Engineering at LSBU?

• From AI machine learning boot camp to silent film processing, there is a range of extracurricular activities for Engineering students to get involved in.

Course Accreditations

• APM

Location

• Southwark Campus

Entry Level Requirements

• UK Qualifications:
  • Completion of a Level 3 Network Rail or equivalent Rail Engineering Apprenticeship;
  • A Level: BBB including Mathematics and/or Physical Sciences (120 UCAS points), or;
  • BTEC National Diploma: DDM including Level 3 Maths and Physical Sciences (128 UCAS points), or;
  • EAL Technical Extended Diploma in Engineering Technologies: D, including Further Engineering Maths and relevant technical subjects, or;
  • Access to HE with 24 Distinctions and 21 Merits (122 UCAS points), with at least half in Mathematics and Physical Sciences, or;
  • Equivalent Level 3 qualifications worth 120 UCAS points including Maths and Physical Sciences;
  • 5 GCSEs A-C including Maths and English (or equivalent, e.g. reformed GCSE grade 4+).
• International Qualifications:
  • Equivalent to the above (UK NARIC benchmarked) with IELTS 6.5 or equivalent.

Funding

• The cost of the apprenticeship is paid fully by the employer (sometimes part funded by the government) through apprenticeship levy.
• The apprentice does not contribute toward the cost of study.

Cost

• You can find out the funding band for an Apprenticeship Standard on the Government website.
• To find out how much we are charging, please get in touch with us at <insert contact email>

Field Trips

• Some modules include field trips and site visits.
• These are organised by the division and you are required to contribute towards the cost.

Application

• Mode: Part-time
• Duration: Up to 60 Months Practical Period & 6 Months EPA (66 months)
• Start date: September
• Application code: 5850
• Application method: Direct to LSBU

Course Content

Year 1 - Understanding the Railway

• (Shared) Railway Industry Professional Practice
• (Shared) Engineering Maths
• (Shared) Project & Asset Management
• (Shared) Introduction to Traction & Rolling Stock

Year 2 - Building knowledge of the Railway

• (Shared) Programming
• (Shared) Plotting & Mapping the Railway
• (Shared) Railway Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability (RAMs)
• (Shared) Adv. Engineering Maths

Year 3 - Fundamentals of Railway Engineering

• (Pathway Specific) Mechanical Engineering Principles
• (Pathway Specific) Principles of Electrical Engineering
• (Pathway Specific) Track & Civils Structures
• (Pathway Specific) Principles of Control
• (Shared) Applied Railway Dynamics
• (Shared) Team Railway Engineering Project

Year 4 - Engineering Principles

• (Shared) Asset Data Management
• (Pathway Specific) Structural Mechanics
• (Pathway Specific) Electronics
• (Pathway Specific) Railway Geotechnics
• (Pathway Specific) Power Engineering
• (Pathway Specific) Adv. Track & Civils Structures
• (Pathway Specific) Rail Electrical Systems & Operation
• (Pathway Specific) Railway Signalling & Telecoms
• Block 4 + 6mths: EPA and BEng Rail Engineering Project

Careers

• By completing the apprenticeship route, you will have the advantage of having real-world work experience, working in a role related to your area of study, as well as gaining an appropriate Degree.
• Indicative job titles at L6 can include:
  • Senior Track Engineer
  • Senior Rail Civil Engineer
  • Senior Signalling & Control Engineer
  • Signalling & Control Systems Engineer
  • Senior Telecoms Engineer
  • Senior Traction & Rolling Stock Engineer
  • Senior Electrification Engineer

Teaching and Assessment

• Teaching of the course includes:
  • Multi-pathway in class teaching
  • Disciplinary in class teaching
  • Laboratory sessions
  • Use of specialist software
  • Projects
• To encourage you to understand the application of learning to your day-to-day roles, teaching includes:
  • Reviews of railway-based case studies
  • Consideration of general engineering applications to the railway
  • Technical, mathematical, and background engineering theory
  • Discussion of the engineering theory, technical, mathematical, and background concepts
  • Qualitative reasoning as to why topics are applicable to the railway industry

Anything else?

• Undertaking a degree can be challenging, but it is worthwhile for your career and personal esteem.
• To help you undertake the apprenticeship, you must have discussed with your line manager how the off-the-job 6 hours a week training commitment will be met.
• This is not an optional commitment and will be tracked throughout the programme, so you should be clear as to how you and your employer will be able to accommodate this requirement.