This morning The Mount School York was honoured to have the Network Rail Inspire association come in to talk to the Y10 and College I girls.

They introduced apprenticeship opportunities within the railway industry, providing useful information on what type of jobs there were, and what subjects were required for this career.

The Network Rail company is continuously in search of young minds that wish to take up the challenge of managing entire railways, this experience opened up The Mount girls to a whole new career option.

The Mount pupils were assigned jobs and were instructed to ‘Bridge the Gap’, in other words, work together as groups to build a bridge. Budgeting and task assignment were challenges faced along with rapidly changing situations such as ‘an invasion of Great Crested Newts that stopped constructions’. 

The girls built upon their critical thinking skills, and different groups came up with very different strategies to overcome their problems, which also boosted teamwork skills. 

The activities showed the girls that jobs in any industry were open to them, that although the railway industry still predominately attracts men, women only making up 23% of Network Railway’s workforce, women can still do it, that there are no limitations to it other than our own, and that it can be exciting and entertaining for all.

Pupil Soraja said,

‘I liked that it was very organised and they gave clear instructions, by setting up groups they also encouraged us to work with a variety of people. Additionally, their engagement with the pupils, guiding them, and being curious about their ideas, really made the experience extra special. It also gave us a chance to experience something we hadn’t done before, posing a positive challenge, in the sense that although it was challenging, it wasn’t at all about competition but just about enriching our skills and having fun.’