Internship Programme Firmly on Track

The UK and Ireland’s leading supplier of new trains and train services has launched a supported internship programme.

Alstom is supporting students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) through real workplace experience with structured support through its new ASPIRE scheme.

ASPIRE provides the opportunity to achieve sustained, paid employment by equipping individuals with the skills they need through hands-on learning at the company’s historic Derby Litchurch Lane Works. 

In collaboration with Derby College, which provides a job coach and classroom-based learning in parallel to the internship, the students are working alongside colleagues from Alstom’s Training Academy, with the latter delivering bespoke teaching that will enhance their work experience.

Specifically, the interns are working on Alstom’s CrossCountry Voyager refurbishment project which is seeing the operator’s Class 220 and Class 221 trains receiving an interior refresh and their exteriors repainted in a new livery.

“We’ve been genuinely impressed by the interns’ knowledge of both historic and modern rolling stock – it’s clear they’re passionate about what they’re doing, and it’s a joy to have them on board,” said Nina Atwal, Head of Social Value UK and Ireland at Alstom.

“Working with Derby College has already shown how powerful collaboration can be, especially when it comes to creating meaningful opportunities for underrepresented groups.

“I’m excited to watch our first group of interns grow at Alstom – not just gaining valuable work experience, but also building life skills, confidence, and self-belief that will help them thrive and move into paid employment.”

Alstom is a Disability Confident Leader employer, and the ASPIRE programme further endorses the company’s commitment to attract and create a diverse workforce with tailored support to succeed. It is hoped the scheme will be rolled out to several others among Alstom’s 37 UK and Ireland sites over time.

“We are incredibly proud to be partnering with Alstom on their supported internship programme,” said Amy Bacon, Supported Internship and Work Experience Lead at Derby College

“This collaboration is opening doors to truly life-changing opportunities for our interns, giving them a unique chance to gain real-world experience in a supportive and inclusive environment.

“Alstom have gone above and beyond to welcome our interns, working closely with them ahead of their placements to ensure a smooth and confident transition into the workplace. Their commitment to our interns and inclusion has made a real difference, and the interns are excited and eager to begin this next chapter.”

For more information, please visit www.alstom.com.

Pictured: Left to right, Tom Eisenberg, Inclusion Job Coach at Derby College and Harry Hedges, Production Intern at Alstom.