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At Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), the apprenticeship programme aims to “seek out the leaders of tomorrow”. With a wide range of choices on offer – including business administration, engineering, customer services and train driving – it seems as though the train operating company has something for everyone. As well as being accessible to people of all ages, backgrounds and interests, one of the things that Govia prides itself on is that it delivers “high-quality apprenticeships that give colleagues the time to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours that will enhance their careers.”

In this podcast – which coincided with National Apprenticeship Week in the UK (8 February to 14 February 2021) – Zoey Hudson, Head of Talent, Diversity and Inclusion at Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), discusses the importance of apprentices to ensuring the future of the rail industry in the face of a drastic skills shortage; how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted GTR’s apprenticeship programme in a positive way; and why the train operating company is focusing on improving the diversity of its apprentices and workforce.