Communications Apprentice
SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY LIMITED
London (SE1 9LQ)
Closes in 29 days (Friday 31 October 2025)
Posted on 29 September 2025
Contents
Summary
The apprenticeship develops HR knowledge and skills while supporting Community Rail. The apprentice will work with the Community Rail Manager to grow engagement across SWR, including producing clear, concise content for case studies and social media to promote roles and partnerships.
- Wage
-
Competitive
Competitive wage offered
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Salary increase on successful completion of first year
- Training course
- Content creator (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday - with some flexibility.
37 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 14 September 2026
- Duration
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2 years
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
- Producing clear and concise content for case studies and social media channels.
- Supporting the Community Rail Manager in collating evidence for key stakeholder reports and sharing best practice across the network.
- Staying informed of the latest key trends in the communications arena and share best practice.
- Analysing and collating data on the usage of social media across the community groups and identifying ways to support and encourage participation.
- Developing and coordinating an annual activity plan to tie into the wider communications team to optimise PR opportunities working with the Community Rail Officers and station adopters.
- To actively work with all the station adopter groups and CRPS to develop a more effective process and assist in embedding it across the community groups.
- Developing and assisting in delivering some specific community campaigns across the network, working with the SWR Marketing team.
- Supporting the roll-out and collection of community data around the network for the annual Social Value report.
- Work in collaboration with internal stakeholders with the wider external communications team, to access a wider exposure to all sorts of media channels, including stakeholder media.
Where you'll work
30 Stamford Street
London
SE1 9LQ
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
APPRENTIFY LIMITED
Training course
Content creator (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Interpret the aims of the brief.
- Research ideas and concepts to meet the brief.
- Evaluate brand requirements and brand guidelines.
- Prepare a mood board or other visual aid for the content to be created.
- Present ideas, pitches and proposals for creative content to be further developed.
- Storyboard and outline script their ideas for content to be developed.
- Interpret data, consider its integrity and use it to inform content.
- Develop accessible written content for different platforms and devices.
- Apply best practice and inclusive language when creating content.
- Write and edit copy or scripts for use on different channels and platforms.
- Create or capture visuals and audio using standard packages and equipment.
- Source, obtain and prepare media assets for use; using industry standard packages to adapt and edit content.
- Use industry standard tools and content management systems to organise, structure and label content effectively, methodically and securely enabling efficient search and retrieval.
- Identify and recommend the platform/s or channel/s to use for the media campaign.
- Develop and maintain effective working relationships with clients, colleagues and suppliers, establishing and using professional contacts.
- Engage and respond with audiences through social media, adapting content to respond to evolving circumstances.
- Monitor user experience to ensure content is focused on maximising engagement.
- Analyse the differences between audiences using audience segmentation techniques and data.
- Use lessons learned to evaluate the success of the content and identify areas for improvement for future campaigns.
- Use continuing professional development planning to support own current and future training and development needs.
- Operate effectively within the production workflow to meet production timelines.
- Interpret the aims of the brief.
- Research ideas and concepts to meet the brief.
- Evaluate brand requirements and brand guidelines.
- Prepare a mood board or other visual aid for the content to be created.
- Present ideas, pitches and proposals for creative content to be further developed.
- Storyboard and outline script their ideas for content to be developed.
- Interpret data, consider its integrity and use it to inform content.
- Develop accessible written content for different platforms and devices.
- Apply best practice and inclusive language when creating content.
- Write and edit copy or scripts for use on different channels and platforms.
- Create or capture visuals and audio using standard packages and equipment.
- Source, obtain and prepare media assets for use; using industry standard packages to adapt and edit content.
- Use industry standard tools and content management systems to organise, structure and label content effectively, methodically and securely enabling efficient search and retrieval.
- Identify and recommend the platform/s or channel/s to use for the media campaign.
- Develop and maintain effective working relationships with clients, colleagues and suppliers, establishing and using professional contacts.
- Engage and respond with audiences through social media, adapting content to respond to evolving circumstances.
- Monitor user experience to ensure content is focused on maximising engagement.
- Analyse the differences between audiences using audience segmentation techniques and data.
- Use lessons learned to evaluate the success of the content and identify areas for improvement for future campaigns.
- Use continuing professional development planning to support own current and future training and development needs.
- Operate effectively within the production workflow to meet production timelines.
Training schedule
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 4)
- Maths (grade 4)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
- Flexibility
About this employer
South Western Railway (SWR) operates over 1,500 services each weekday across the network and employs more than 5,000 people. We provide easy and convenient mobility, connecting people and communities in South West London, southern counties of England, and the Isle of Wight.
https://careers.southwesternrailway.com/jobs/search (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
Free duty and leisure travel on SWR services for employees. Free leisure travel for spouse/partner and dependants (criteria dependent). 75% discount on many other train operating companies. Excellent pension scheme.
Disability Confident
A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.
You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.
After this apprenticeship
Multiple career development opportunities upon successful completion of this apprenticeship.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
APPRENTIFY LIMITED
swrapprenticeships@swrailway.com
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000344252.
Apply now
Closes in 29 days (Friday 31 October 2025)
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