Rail Engineering Operative Apprentice

Cleshar

London (NW10 7NN)

Closes on Friday 10 April 2026

Posted on 16 February 2026

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Summary

Cleshar is a well-established and respected provider of track, civil engineering, construction and maintenance services to the rail industry providing works on London Overground, London Underground and Network Rail sites with 1,400 people associated with the organisation. 

Wage

£15,704 to £25,396.80, depending on your age

National Minimum Wage

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

We pay national minimum wage salary which will then increase to London Living Wage upon completion of the apprenticeship.

Training course
Rail engineering operative (level 2)
Hours
Shift based work which will include working evenings Monday to Friday and require working weekends depending on what rail line you are assigned to work on. Your training will be delivered from 10am to 5pm for an entire week every month.

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 3 August 2026

Duration

1 year 1 month

Positions available

15

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

  • Adjusting, replacing and installing conductor rails
  • Maintaining, removing, replacing and installing joints
  • Track re-aligning
  • Lifting and replacing points and crossings
  • Shovel and kango packing
  • Digging out and reballasting
  • Spot sleepering
  • Refurbishing or plugging holes in wooden sleepers
  • Replacing keys and clips

Where you'll work

Heather Park House
North Circular Road
Stonebridge
London
NW10 7NN

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

CLESHAR CONTRACT SERVICES LIMITED

Training course

Rail engineering operative (level 2)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

Training schedule

This course combines practical training with theory sessions, demonstrations and lectures. 

Subjects you'll study include routine manual maintenance, routine inspection, and replacement of railway tracks, prepare small plant, measuring and tools for railway track maintenance and ensure that the rail track is fit for operational purposes following engineering activity. 

You will attend our I.T.S training centre each month for a week throughout the year to study the underpinning knowledge and technical qualifications embedded within the apprenticeship programme. 

You may need to pay for specialist materials associated with this course. 
 

More training information

Level 2 Rail Engineering Operative Apprenticeship Standard has 2 mandatory qualifications built into the programme which is EAL Level 2 Certificate in Rail Engineering Underpinning Knowledge (QCF) and EAL Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Rail Engineering Track Maintenance (QCF).

Outside of the programme, you will have the opportunity to acquire industry related qualifications/credentials like a Sentinel Card with Industry Common Induction London Underground.

Requirements

Essential 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
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Logical
  • Team working
  • Creative
  • Patience
  • Physical fitness

Other requirements

  • Being prepared to travel to different London Underground and Overground sites
  • Working at nights for 5x shifts per week as that is when the train lines are shut off.
  • Acquiring your Sentinel card and other basic qualifications which means you can attend a rail worksite.

About this employer

Cleshar is a well-established and respected provider of track, civil engineering, construction and maintenance services to the rail industry.

We have been helping people move acroos the UK's rail netwrok for over 30 years and today we are a major supplier of a wide range of multi-disciplinary service to rail owners, operators and maintainers.


As the UK's rail infrastructure continues to grow, we work around the clock for our clients and customers to deliver an uninterrupted, safe and high-quality rail service.

At Cleshar, we employ over 1,400 people across multiple projects and disciplines, delivering the following rail services to provide a sustainable future for the rail industry and enhance the lives of people and their communities:

  • Rail
  • Capital works and infrastructure
  • Support services
  • Infrastructure maintenance
  • Welding
  • Safety critical resources
  • Power systems
  • M&E
  • Signals and telecoms
  • Safety training

https://www.cleshar.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

  • Employee Assistance Programme
  • Access to additional track qualifications within the apprenticeship programme for free
  • Company pension

After this apprenticeship

You could go on to further study in Rail Engineering Track Maintenance or gain employment as a skilled track operative, with the opportunity to become team leader and supervisor and you could eventually move into management positions. 
 

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

CLESHAR CONTRACT SERVICES LIMITED

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000015691.

Apply now

Closes on Friday 10 April 2026

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.