Continuous Improvement Manager Apprentice

SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY LIMITED

Basingstoke (RG21 4FS)

Closes in 30 days (Friday 31 October 2025)

Posted on 29 September 2025

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Summary

The purpose of this role is to facilitate continuous improvement within the Service Delivery (Control) function to facilitate and drive meaningful improvements within the Control space in order to achieve an aim of being able to provide a service our customers can rely on, particularly during disruptive events.

Wage

Competitive

Competitive wage offered

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Increase in year 2 on successful completion of year one

Training course
Data analyst (level 4)
Hours
Monday - Friday, with some flexibility. Times to be confirmed.

37 hours a week

Start date

Monday 14 September 2026

Duration

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

  • Direct, develop and foster a culture of structured continuous improvement across the control.

  • Facilitate structured continuous improvement utilising the agreed tools to solve problems and implement the solution.

  • Engagement with stakeholders to deliver the organisation's structured continuous improvement strategy.

  • Support a sustained culture of structured continuous improvement challenging existing processes, exploring new ways of working, benchmarking, observations, best practice, feedback and analysis presenting business cases for change and supporting proposals.

  • Work with teams to identify and improve areas of poor performance.

  • To identify and lead on the delivery of Control performance improvement workstreams within their area of expertise, including the identification and adoption of industry good practice.

  • To undertake incident learning reviews to identify both areas of good practice and areas for improvement.

Where you'll work

Basingstoke Campus
Gresley Road
Basingstoke
RG21 4FS

Training

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

Training provider

BABINGTON BUSINESS COLLEGE LIMITED

Training course

Data analyst (level 4)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Use data systems securely to meet requirements and in line with organisational procedures and legislation including principles of Privacy by Design
  • implement the stages of the data analysis lifecycle
  • apply principles of data classification within data analysis activity
  • analyse data sets taking account of different data structures and database designs
  • assess the impact on user experience and domain context on data analysis activity
  • identify and escalate quality risks in data analysis with suggested mitigation or resolutions as appropriate
  • undertake customer requirements analysis and implement findings in data analytics planning and outputs
  • identify data sources and the risks and challenges to combination within data analysis activity
  • apply organizational architecture requirements to data analysis activities
  • apply statistical methodologies to data analysis tasks
  • apply predictive analytics in the collation and use of data
  • collaborate and communicate with a range of internal and external stakeholders using appropriate styles and behaviours to suit the audience
  • use a range of analytical techniques such as data mining, time series forecasting and modelling techniques to identify and predict trends and patterns in data
  • collate and interpret qualitative and quantitative data and convert into infographics, reports, tables, dashboards and graphs
  • select and apply the most appropriate data tools to achieve the optimum outcome
  • Use data systems securely to meet requirements and in line with organisational procedures and legislation including principles of Privacy by Design
  • implement the stages of the data analysis lifecycle
  • apply principles of data classification within data analysis activity
  • analyse data sets taking account of different data structures and database designs
  • assess the impact on user experience and domain context on data analysis activity
  • identify and escalate quality risks in data analysis with suggested mitigation or resolutions as appropriate
  • undertake customer requirements analysis and implement findings in data analytics planning and outputs
  • identify data sources and the risks and challenges to combination within data analysis activity
  • apply organizational architecture requirements to data analysis activities
  • apply statistical methodologies to data analysis tasks
  • apply predictive analytics in the collation and use of data
  • collaborate and communicate with a range of internal and external stakeholders using appropriate styles and behaviours to suit the audience
  • use a range of analytical techniques such as data mining, time series forecasting and modelling techniques to identify and predict trends and patterns in data
  • collate and interpret qualitative and quantitative data and convert into infographics, reports, tables, dashboards and graphs
  • select and apply the most appropriate data tools to achieve the optimum outcome

Training schedule

In addition to an excellent Apprentice Development Programme, the post holder will also be provided with role specific training and development.

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
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Customer care skills
  • Analytical skills
  • Team working
  • Flexibility

Other requirements

Desirable: A desire to pursue a career in the railway industry. An appreciation of Lean/Continuous Improvement tools, techniques and methodologies. Effective leadership qualities and excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Committed to continued Continuous Improvement professional development. Strong operational focus and commercially astute. The ability to work independently or as part of a team and successfully adapt to changing priorities.

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

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 opportunities for progression on completion of the apprenticeship.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

BABINGTON BUSINESS COLLEGE LIMITED

swrapprenticeships@swrailway.com

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000343792.

Apply now

Closes in 30 days (Friday 31 October 2025)

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