Sixteen of the eighteen former Railcare apprentices have been employed by Knorr-Bremse RailServices at its Wolverton facility near Milton Keynes and the facility in Springburn near Glasgow.

The former Railcare apprentices were all offered employment by Knorr-Bremse RailServices and all but two, who are now in other employment, have decided to resume their apprenticeships with the new company.

In an awards ceremony on 5 September, organised by the National Apprenticeship Service, Knorr-Bremse RailServices was presented with an award for its ‘commitment and support as an employer to the training and skill development of their staff by offering apprenticeships’.

The award was accepted on behalf of Knorr-Bremse RailServices by David Hilliard who had contributed so much to the apprenticeship scheme in the Railcare days and is now the Training and Development Manager of Knorr-Bremse RailServices. David will now be at the centre of the good work he started and be able to see the current apprenticeships through to completion as well as be involved in any new intake.

Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on learning the news commented: "I am pleased that the apprentices who were working at Railcare are able to continue their training. I hope they will play an important part in the future of Knorr-Bremse. This is just the type of vocational training we need if we’re to boost manufacturing jobs in the UK."

Mark Cooper, Managing Director of Knorr-Bremse RailServices added, said: "My colleagues and I here at Knorr-Bremse RailServices are delighted that sixteen apprentices have chosen to join us in the new company and to complete their training here. I have always believed in apprenticeships and that we should be encouraging young people into the company and into the rail industry.

"We have one of the finest schemes in the rail industry here as has been recently recognised with an award, thanks to the efforts of David Hilliard and his team. We will now be able to invest in the highest levels of training for our apprentices and employees going forward which benefits us and brings skills into the UK rail industry.

"I am sure that the apprentices both here and at Springburn can look forward to a great future with Knorr-Bremse RailServices and as part of the global Knorr-Bremse Rail Group."