City & Guilds Group acquires Intertrain, the largest UK railway training provider

Established in 1997, Intertrain is the UK’s largest commercial railway infrastructure training provider, with training centres in Enfield, Crayford, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Derby, Warrington, Doncaster, Gateshead, Glasgow and Portsmouth. Intertrain is an NSAR ‘Gold’ Railway Training and Assessment provider, delivering a wide range of training, including Level 2 and 3 apprenticeships in engineering.

The acquisition strengthens City & Guilds Group’s technical training, assessment and certification offer to the engineering, rail and construction industries, following the acquisition of Gen2 in May 2017. Intertrain trains over 22,000 learners and more than 40 apprentices nationwide, every year. It delivers over 300 different training courses and assessments, training new entrants into the sector as well as re-skilling, upskilling and recertifying existing rail personnel.

With a number of significant infrastructure projects planned for the next decade, including maintenance, upgrades and HS2 and Crossrail 2, there will be a substantial increase in learners and learning. The UK rail infrastructure training and assessment market in the UK will need to grow over the next 10 years and play an active role in closing the skills gap in STEM markets.

Chris Jones, Chief Executive of the City & Guilds Group said: “We are delighted to expand our offer by welcoming Intertrain into City & Guilds Group. In this, our 140th year, we have reflected on our purpose – to help people into jobs, develop on the job and progress into the next job – and how it underpins everything we do, now and in the future.

We continue to adapt and evolve with our markets to deliver on that purpose at a dynamic time for individuals, businesses and economies. Our heritage is built on a shared commitment within the Group to changing people’s lives through skills development. The acquisition of Intertrain will help ensure the continued delivery of high-quality training to the railway industry.”

 Martin Hottass, Group Director, Technical Training, at City & Guilds Group also commented: “With the Government making ambitious plans to overhaul the rail sector that will increase the use of digital technology, boost productivity and improve customer experience, it’s critical the workforce is skilled to drive these changes forward. In addition to increasing our service offer to our existing customers who have a presence in the rail industry, this acquisition will build on the Group’s best in class technical training offer to prime the UK economy for growth in this key sector.”

Alex Pond, Director at Intertrain commented: “As the UK’s largest railway training provider, we are excited to become part of the City & Guilds Group, a 140-year international institution in teaching, learning and qualification development. The acquisition provides Intertrain, its employees, customers and learners with significant investment and opportunities in digital learner platforms and blended learning that will meet with the demands of the STEM markets, particularly within rail. This technology will see Intertrain develop innovative strategies that will enhance and encourage safety, ultimately providing a safer and more productive railway.”