Siemens Mobility has hosted a roundtable discussion at its Derby office, bringing together East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward, Rt Hon Alistair Burt, Vice President of the Enterprise Forum, and 20 local businesses to explore how the region can better support young people into careers in rail and engineering.
The discussion centred on a critical challenge facing young people in the East Midlands, with participants exploring how businesses can collaborate to raise the profile of apprenticeships, improve transport connectivity to help young people access jobs across the region, and work with government to support long-term skills development.
Matt Kent, Director of Operations and Manufacturing, Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility UK&I, said:
“I started out as an apprentice with Siemens 35 years ago, and I’ve seen first-hand how the right opportunities can transform a career. That’s why our commitment to entry-level talent and skills development is so fundamental to our vision for the future of rail. Derby has been at the heart of rail innovation for 175 years, and we’re determined to ensure it remains a centre of excellence. With 230 people currently enrolled on our Entry Level Talent programmes across our UK sites, we’re building the engineering talent that will transform rail travel and transport for generations to come.”
Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, added:
“I want the East Midlands to be one of the UK’s fastest-growing and most inclusive economies — a place where people are proud to live and build their futures. This roundtable shows what’s possible when businesses like Siemens work with local partners to open up high-quality apprenticeships and careers. By investing in skills and improving connectivity, we can ensure more young people across our region access these opportunities and drive our future growth.”
Three local apprentices and degree apprentices based at the Derby office also participated in the discussion, sharing their personal journeys into roles in digital signalling and control systems, and highlighting both the challenges young people face when starting their careers and the opportunities available within the sector.
The Siemens Derby office, which employs 150 people, is at the forefront of integrating and developing Digital Conflict Resolution (DCR), an advanced traffic management system that monitors the rail network in real time to proactively predict and resolve potential conflicts.