Level 3 Finance Apprenticeship
Network Rail
London, Milton Keynes, York
Closes in 27 days (Thursday 10 December 2026)
Posted on 13 November 2026
Contents
Summary
This five year apprenticeship offers an alternative route to university. Through on-the-job experience, professional qualifications and structured development, you’ll learn how finance supports a complex national business while receiving support from experienced colleagues, former graduates and senior finance leaders
- Wage
-
£24,000 a year
- Training course
- Professional accounting technician (level 4)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday. Shifts TBC.
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Wednesday 1 September 2027
- Duration
-
5 years
- Positions available
-
10
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
- Rotate across different finance teams and departments during the first three years to gain broad business exposure.
- Support key finance activities, including forecasting, budgeting, financial analysis, reporting, and live projects.
- Apply professional training in real-world finance environments.
- Develop confidence, accuracy, and commercial awareness by working with colleagues across the finance function.
- Collaborate with fellow apprentices and attend structured development days.
- Take part in volunteering activities to broaden your experience and network.
- Build an understanding of how different finance teams contribute to decision-making within a complex national organisation.
Where you'll work
You can select which locations you want to apply for in your application on Find an apprenticeship.
This apprenticeship is available in these locations:
- London, W2 6JX
- The Quadrant, Elder Gate, Milton Keynes, MK9 1EN
- George Stephenson House, Toft Green, York, YO1 6JT
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED
Training course
Professional accounting technician (level 4)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Collate and analyse financial information, and show how that information can be used most effectively to support value creation within an organisation.
- Apply accounting principles and adhere to legislation to ensure records are accurate and compliant with law or company policy when delivering accounting activities, such as the financial accounting of single entities, limited companies or partnerships or management accounting activities for an organisation.
- Apply professional scepticism when undertaking accounting activities to inform and evaluate decision making on the content of true and fair accounts, being alert to conditions that may indicate possible misstatement of financial information due to error or fraud, establishing the facts sensitively and being aware of unconscious bias.
- Interpret financial information for accounting purposes, such as using judgement to determine the correct way to report or account for transaction or undertaking ratio analysis.
- Participate in or support others with quality improvement activities, for example the improvement of personal working practices.
- Use software packages to assist with accounting tasks in line with cyber and data security requirements, using data securely and safely, including backing up data.
- Deliver accounting tasks with a critical eye to transactions and trends, demonstrating a ‘right first time approach’.
- Use workload management principles to plan, organise and prioritise own tasks, and manage time effectively.
- Use accounting information to add value to the organisation through use of data visualisations, analysis and interpretation, and communicate financial information in a way that facilitates understanding for non-finance stakeholders.
- Communicate accounting information through a variety of media to enable key stakeholders to understand what is required, considering the risks and benefits to the organisation of social media and other digital applications.
- Build and maintain collaborative, professional relationships with internal and external stakeholders to deliver accounting tasks, recognising the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion.
- Collate and analyse financial information, and show how that information can be used most effectively to support value creation within an organisation.
- Apply accounting principles and adhere to legislation to ensure records are accurate and compliant with law or company policy when delivering accounting activities, such as the financial accounting of single entities, limited companies or partnerships or management accounting activities for an organisation.
- Apply professional scepticism when undertaking accounting activities to inform and evaluate decision making on the content of true and fair accounts, being alert to conditions that may indicate possible misstatement of financial information due to error or fraud, establishing the facts sensitively and being aware of unconscious bias.
- Interpret financial information for accounting purposes, such as using judgement to determine the correct way to report or account for transaction or undertaking ratio analysis.
- Participate in or support others with quality improvement activities, for example the improvement of personal working practices.
- Use software packages to assist with accounting tasks in line with cyber and data security requirements, using data securely and safely, including backing up data.
- Deliver accounting tasks with a critical eye to transactions and trends, demonstrating a ‘right first time approach’.
- Use workload management principles to plan, organise and prioritise own tasks, and manage time effectively.
- Use accounting information to add value to the organisation through use of data visualisations, analysis and interpretation, and communicate financial information in a way that facilitates understanding for non-finance stakeholders.
- Communicate accounting information through a variety of media to enable key stakeholders to understand what is required, considering the risks and benefits to the organisation of social media and other digital applications.
- Build and maintain collaborative, professional relationships with internal and external stakeholders to deliver accounting tasks, recognising the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion.
Training schedule
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- Any other subject (grade 9-5)
- Any other subject (grade 9-5)
- Any other subject (grade 9-5)
- English (grade 9-5)
- Maths (grade 9-5)
A Level in:
- Any subject (grade C)
- Any subject (grade C)
- Any subject (grade C)
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
- Problem solving skills
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Team working
Other requirements
You are not eligible if you are already a graduate or hold a Level 3, Level 4 or Level 7 finance qualification such as AAT.
About this employer
We own, operate, maintain and develop the railway infrastructure in England, Scotland and Wales. Our team all play a role in keeping 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts, and thousands of signals, level crossings and stations safe and reliable for passengers and businesses.
But what we do goes beyond infrastructure. We connect people and goods with where they need to be and contribute to economic growth. It's why the day-to-day work of every one of us matters to millions.
Together we're shaping a simpler, better, greener railway that welcomes more passengers, carries more freight, and leads the way in sustainability and efficiency.
https://www.earlycareers.networkrail.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- 28 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays.
- A choice of pension schemes.
- 75% discount on rail season tickets and leisure travel benefits for you and your family.
- Private healthcare plans for you and your family.
- Wellness Employee Assistance Programmes.
- Wide range of employee discounts, including gym memberships, shopping and more
- 5 paid volunteering days per year to support a charity or cause of your choice
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
You will be supported towards permanent finance roles such as Finance Business Partner or Assistant Management Accountant.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000064080.
Apply now
Closes in 27 days (Thursday 10 December 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.