National Infrastructure Solutions

Engaging Adults in Learning Award

National Infrastructure Solutions (NIS) supports people from across the community and offers training for sustainable careers in the rapidly expanding West Midlands rail industry. Working with multiple partners, they effectively engage a diverse range of adults, including people who are unemployed and looking for work, looking to retrain or return to employment after parental leave.

Based at their Wolverhampton and Dudley sites, NIS’s three-week, full-time courses offer hands-on training. Course designers work with local and national employers to identify skills gaps within the workforce and tailor the provision accordingly. Learners gain the skills needed to progress into high-demand roles, such as the construction and maintenance of train lines, tram routes and stations, as well as signalling.

NIS works with a range of organisations to engage adults in training. This includes the Department for Work and Pensions, Maximus and local charities to promote training opportunities and employment in the sector. They also run campaigns to champion over-50s into employment, encourage women to consider a career in a traditionally male-dominated industry, and develop a training programme for ex-military personnel.

Michelle Goss, a learner on the course, said: "I've been a full-time mum to my children for the last 17 years so I wanted a career change. I worked in care before so I thought I’d give rail a go. It's an amazing course. I'm enjoying my time here and it's definitely something I would urge more women to do."