Network Rail has announced that it is increasing the number of engineering places on its 2016 graduate scheme by 40%. Chief executive Mark Carne has welcomed the recruitment boost, but he has warned that the company needs a more-diverse workforce.

In a message to his 35,000-strong workforce, the chief executive said: “I am proud that we have increased the number of women joining our graduate programme to 29% in the last year and the number from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds to 28%, but we have to accelerate that growth so that it better reflects the society in which we live.

We need the very best talent on offer to help deliver our Railway Upgrade Plan and transform our railway to carry the ever-increasing number of people who choose to travel by rail.”

Graduates can apply for around 150 places on the 2016 graduate programme. There are 80 places across the three disciplines of mechanical, electrical and civil engineering — a 40% increase on the 2015 intake. The other places are split between general management, finance, property, project management, business technology, supply chain and human resources.

Network Rail has a number of on-going activities aimed at increasing the future talent pool of women engineers. For example, by 2018 some 3,000 teenage girls at five schools in Milton Keynes (the home of Network Rail’s national centre, with 3,000 employees) will receive careers advice on working on the railways; this will run in parallel with school programmes at a local level across the country.

The company will also continue to find and appoint role models among its staff to serve as ambassadors for women working on the railways — and it will be running a series of open evenings targeted at women.

These will highlight the variety of opportunities, introduce applicants to staff and build confidence to apply for engineering roles.

urthermore, Network Rail has introduced a work experience scheme — supported by Barclays — that began in the new school year. The company will also be working with the campaign group Women in Science, Technology and Engineering (WISE) to increase the understanding of why girls often reject careers in these fields.

Successful applicants on the Network Rail graduate programme will enjoy a starting salary of £26,500, 28 days’ holiday (plus public holidays), travel discount and a pension.

The programme closes for applications on 13 December. More information can be found at the Web site (www.networkrail.co.uk/graduates).