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<p>Government is investing £48bn in Network Rail over 2019-2024, alongside significant
projects like HS2. This significant investment in the rail network gives companies
across the entire rail supply chain sector, including in the North West of England,
the certainty to invest in people and skills.</p><p> </p><p>In 2016 DfT set ambitions
through the Transport Infrastructure Skills Strategy to increase apprenticeships in
road and rail bodies to help address skills shortages in the transport sector and
ensure that the transport sector has the capacity and capability to deliver planned
investment.</p><p> </p><p>DfT works in collaboration with employers across the sector
to create quality apprenticeships through an industry body, the Strategic Transport
Apprenticeship Taskforce (STAT) to deliver these ambitions. Network Rail, HS2, the
Rail Delivery Group, the National Skills Academy for Rail and TfL are members of STAT.
So far, over 5000 apprenticeships have been created in road and rail bodies.</p><p>
</p><p>Since 2017, the Department for Transport has used its procurement to drive
apprenticeship numbers through contracts, including those within the rail industry.</p><p>
</p><p>Manchester's Growth Strategy is looking to maximise skills to make the most
of the opportunities that HS2 will bring to the area and sets out aspirations to develop
a skilled workforce through close work ‘with the four Universities within Greater
Manchester to provide STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) skills
through higher apprenticeship, graduate and post-graduate qualifications in close
partnership with industry.</p><p> </p><p>Rail, like many other industries, have set
out their interest in developing a Sector Deal and have been working across the industry
and with government to develop their proposal. We expect a focus on skills and apprenticeships
to form a key part of a Rail Sector Deal.</p><p> </p><p>We have also this year been
running the Year of Engineering to increase the number and diversity of engineers
across the UK and to address the engineering skills gap.</p>
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