As part of the Construction Youth Trust’s Budding Brunels programme, 18 students aged 16 to 18 took part in workshops at Crossrail’s Acton Main Line site earlier this month, supported by Network Rail and contractors on the project.

The students are all studying STEM subjects at two nearby schools.

Supported by Carillion, Network Rail set up the three-day series of workshops to demonstrate the complexity of the design and construction projects that it undertakes.

The students were split into groups, each with a different role, to plan a railway line between two stations. They followed this up with a presentation to the Network Rail and Carillion staff, explaining how they decided upon the route and the costs of their chosen route.

The students were later able to walk out on track, escorted by Network Rail and Carillion staff, along the new rail underpass at the Acton Main Line site, which is being built by BAM Nuttall.

They then learned about presentation and interview skills, after which five of them were offered work experience at the Acton Main Line site.