Great British Railways confirms Derby HQ and up to 600 apprenticeships
Great British Railways will be headquartered at Becketwell in Derby, with up to 600 rail foundation apprenticeship places for 16 to 21 year olds over the next four years.
Railway Competence Group
Ofqual-regulated awarding organisation (RN6118) and Rail assessment specialist
The government has confirmed that Great British Railways (GBR) will have its headquarters in Derby. Up to 600 young people will also be able to join the railway through new apprenticeship places over the next four years.
A new home for GBR in Derby
The headquarters will be built at Becketwell, a brownfield site in Derby city centre. Construction is expected to begin in early 2027 and finish by spring 2029.
- The site will house up to 450 GBR staff.
- The development is expected to bring an estimated £151 million boost to the region.
- Better public transport links and walking routes will be delivered with the Department for Transport, Derby City Council and the East Midlands Combined Authority.
The announcement follows the recent £1 billion investment in new trains for the north, to be built at Alstom's Derby site.
Up to 600 rail foundation apprenticeships
Up to 600 apprentices aged 16 to 21 will enrol on the rail foundation apprenticeship over the next four years. The first starters will be based in Derby.
Foundation apprenticeships combine on-the-job experience with a qualification. They form part of the government's Youth Guarantee, which aims to make sure every young person has the chance to earn or learn.
The scheme comes at an important time. Fewer than 7% of the railway's workforce is under 25.
"With 600 apprenticeships opening up, we're investing not just in the railway of tomorrow, but in the people who will build it." Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander
What this means for the rail sector
GBR is bringing the railway back together under public ownership. Alongside the new headquarters, the apprenticeship places are a clear signal that skills and young talent are central to that plan.
At Railway Competence Group, we support employers and training providers through apprenticeship assessment for key rail standards. A growing pipeline of apprentices means more people working towards nationally recognised standards and a fair, consistent assessment at the end of their journey.
If you are planning apprenticeship programmes and want to talk about assessment, get in touch with our team.
