The Co-op has claimed a UK first in launching a prison apprenticeship programme focused on rail skill shortages, in collaboration with the City & Guilds Foundation.
It is being supported by Co-op’s Levy Share service, which brings together funds from Co-op and other employers to support training programmes for underrepresented groups and those in need of rehabilitation using unspent apprenticeship levies.
The Level 2 Rail Engineering operative apprenticeships will be based at Centre of Excellence skills hub in HMP Highpoint Prison, Suffolk, delivering “vital hands-on training” for the UK rail sector, with guaranteed employment pathways upon release, according to the convenience retailer.
It also means to reduce the number of repeat offenders, who account for 80% of crime, by providing “meaningful work” for those preparing to re-enter society, the Co-op said. It added that reoffending was placing ”immense pressure” on frontline services and trapped thousands in cycles of custody, with the average annual cost per prisoner exceeding £51,000 and over 87,000 people in custody across England and Wales, according to Prison Unit Cost statistics for 2022-23.
“At Co-op, we believe that everyone deserves the chance to build a brighter future – for themselves and for their communities,” said Co-op chief people and inclusion officer Claire Costello. “Our partnership with City & Guilds Foundation demonstrates the transformative power of targeted training, employment, and genuine opportunity.
“It is great that through our levy initiative we can invest in people and equip them with skills that are in high demand, not just reducing reoffending but also helping to tackle critical skills shortages in the UK rail sector, strengthening the fabric of society.”
City & Guilds CEO Kirstie Donnelly said: “At City & Guilds we have a deep understanding of the power of skills to change lives. Apprenticeships have long been one of the most effective ways to gain quality skills and sustained employment, and I am delighted with some of the outcomes already achieved through quality training in the prison estate.”
The governor of HMP Highpoint, Nigel Smith, added: “This is a truly exciting and positive initiative, and we’re proud that HMP Highpoint is the first site to host the new rail engineering apprenticeship scheme. This programme not only equips prisoners with hands-on, industry-recognised skills – it also gives them a real, tangible opportunity to build a better future on release.
“By linking training directly to employment in a critical sector like rail, this scheme helps break the cycle of reoffending and supports safer communities.”
Each apprenticeship represents a £12,000 investment. Since its conception in 2021, Co-op Levy share has seen £38.2m in pledges and has funded over 3,500 apprentices from diverse backgrounds. It has partnered with The Royal Foundation’s Business Taskforce for Early Childhood to create over 600 apprenticeships in the early years sector.
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