UK: A employer-led training initiative designed to create a direct pathway from custody into skilled employment in the rail industry has been launched at HM Prison The Mount in Hertfordshire.
A railway training track in the prison grounds has been developed by project management consultancy Project Leaders Ltd, Balfour Beatty, Network Rail, the Central Rail Systems Alliance, Griggs Homes, workforce provider Morson Vital which contributed funding and installed the track, and Elite Civil Projects which provided funding and organised installation.
The track was officially opened on January 15 by Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy and Lord Timpson, Minister of State for Prisons, Probation & Reducing Reoffending.
The rail programme is one of several dedicated training schemes on offer at HMP The Mount. It includes first aid, PTS, manual handling, small tools, health & safety, the Construction Skills Certification Scheme and fire safety.
Richard Schofield, Managing Director at Project Leaders, said ‘by providing practical, accredited training and clear pathways into employment, we’re helping to build a stronger rail workforce and supporting people to successfully re-enter the community’.
Lisa Mcateer, Regional Social Impact Manager at Balfour Beatty, said ‘we are proud to have worked with Project Leaders and HMP The Mount to turn a great idea into a practical talent pipeline that addresses skills shortages and offers people a fair second chance’.
Since the track was installed in November, 24 men have completed and passed the course, with all having successfully been interviewed and offered a job on release.
The track ‘is already transforming lives — delivering punishment that cuts crime by giving prisoners skills ready for work on release’, said Timpson, who is a long-standing advocate for the employment of former prisoners. ‘Schemes like this are key part of our plan to reduce reoffending through rehabilitation, getting offenders back on track to create safer streets.’
Alison Bell, People & Communications Director at Project Leaders and Chair of the Employment Advisory Board at HMP The Mount, said ‘if we are serious about reducing reoffending and addressing skills shortages, we need to move beyond good intentions and create real routes into work. The Railway Training Track initiative was designed to provide a structured pathway from custody into skilled employment by combining accredited training with employer engagement and available job opportunities.’
