The intake will include 700 apprentice bus drivers for Go-Ahead London. Some 220 apprentice engineers and train drivers will be recruited by Govia Thameslink Railway, which operates Thameslink, Southern, Great Northern and Gatwick Express rail. A further 100 apprentices will work at Go-Ahead's regional bus companies and in head office roles in London and Newcastle.
In the bus industry, Go-Ahead London’s Camberwell academy uses virtual reality technology to teach driving skills, and trainees alternate over the course of a year between periods driving buses and time in the classroom.
Since the training programme was introduced in 2018, the bus company has been able to deliver all aspects of training to their apprentices including offering numeracy and literacy training equivalent to Maths and English GCSEs, and additional support to those with a range of neurodiverse conditions.
A further 466 apprentices are in training at Govia Thameslink Railway, working across engineering, driving and customer service roles.
