Railway signaller

You could take a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge needed to get a trainee position.

Courses include:

• rail engineering
• engineering operations
• mechanical or electrical engineering

Some colleges may be able to organise work placements with rail engineering companies as part of a course, so speak with them to get more information.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

You could apply to do an apprenticeship with a rail engineering company, such as:

• Rail Engineering Operative Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
• Rail Infrastructure Operator Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
• Rail Engineering Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
• Network Rail apprenticeships|https://www.networkrail.co.uk/careers/apprenticeships/
• guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide

You can apply directly to become a railway signaller with Network Rail , who operate the rail system. You'll need a good general standard of education, including English and maths GCSEs.

You do not need any specific experience to become a railway signaller. However, it might be useful to have worked in a role:

• that is safety critical
• where you need to concentrate
• that involves communicating well with others

Assessment and interview

You'll go through initial checks before being invited to an assessment day and interview.

Non-technical skills are important in railway signalling jobs. During the assessment day, you'll be tested on safety awareness, staying calm under pressure and working with large amounts of information.

You can find out more about the Network Rail recruitment process to become a signaller.

Professional and Industry Bodies

You can join the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers for professional development opportunities.

Further Information

You can find out more about working in the rail industry from Network Rail and Routes into Rail .

As a railway signaller, you could:

• check incident reports at shift handovers
• monitor train movements on computer systems
• operate controls in a trackside signal box or electronic control centre
• communicate with drivers for live updates
• contact maintenance teams about signal problems and other track disruptions
• log incidents and prepare reports
• keep up to date with track regulations and new technology

You could work in a control room.