Multinational rolling stock manufacturer, Alstom was delighted to host an insight day for students from Ealing Special Educational Needs and Disability Hub at its Old Oak Common Depot in London on Monday the 26th of February.

The visit was organised through an ongoing partnership with HS2 Ltd and the Eailing SEND Hub which has previously seen other contractors building the high-speed railway showcase an array of jobs and skills needed to create the line alongside signposting career pathways for students.

The visit to Alstom’s Old Oak Common depot aimed to provide a meaningful workplace experience for the students and included:

• Engagement with Alstom employees via a selection of activities specially tailored to the needs and abilities of the students
• A visit to the site operations room which overlooks the depot’s main storage yard
• Experience of a call coming to request a train arrival
• A visit to the train simulation area where students enjoyed having a go at driving a Class 345 on the virtual Elizabeth line using the same controls as in real life. Students waiting for their turn could also watch how their peers were doing on the screen.

Ahead of the visit, an Alstom ambassador for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) held an in-school session with HS2. Following the visit, the students will design their own trains based on an outline given by Alstom who will display the drawings in the depot in the future.

Alstom is committed to inclusivity across the rail industry and the visit also provided a fantastic opportunity to learn from the students in a bid to support rail passengers of the future.

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, Alstom is also focused on supporting underrepresented groups alongside providing meaningful experiences which strengthen life skills.

Further insight sessions for SEND students are set to be held by Alstom in the future as part of its aim to provide valuable employer experiences whilst supporting local communities.

The Old Oak Common depot is home to Transport for London’s Elizabeth line trains which are made up of nine cars with a 70-strong fleet!

The Class 345 Aventra trains were built by Alstom in Derby and are maintained 24 hours a day at the West London site.

The future will see the trains call at HS2 Old Oak Common Railway station which is located next to the depot and will mark the largest newly built railway station in the UK.

At present, Alstom are preparing to manufacture the new high-speed trains for HS2 along with Hitachi Rail. The impressive fleet of 54 trains will be a British built bullet train and will sit amongst the fastest in the world and built at sites in Newton Aycliffe, Derby and Crewe.

The students brought such excitement to our Old Oak Common depot, filling our corridors and meeting rooms full of joy. Overall, working with HS2 and Ealing SEND Hub has had such a positive impact on students and our colleagues alike, and will now pave the way for future programmes. This proves how collaboration with industry and community partners really does help change young people’s lives by enhancing their confidence and offering clear pathways to success as they consider their own careers,”

Nina Atwal, Skills, Employment, Education and Diversity Lead for HS2 Project at Alstom

“This is the third project that we’ve run with Ealing SEND Hub and it only gets more rewarding. That is in large part down to partners, such as Alstom, who are able help to give the young people such wonderful experiences.

Ambrose Quashie, Legacy Manager, Skill and Employment at HS2 Ltd