At Velocity Academy, we’re proud to partner with leading organisations that invest in the future of their workforce through apprenticeships. One of those partners is Hitachi Rail, a global leader in integrated rail solutions.
Over the past few years, Velocity Academy has supported Hitachi Rail through multiple apprentice cohorts in Information Communication Technician (Level 3) and Network Engineering (Level 4) standards. These apprentices gain hands-on experience in live projects, work alongside seasoned professionals, and progressively build their skills in ICT and networking under structured training. Hitachi Rail embeds Early Careers programmes deeply into its organisational strategy—they offer apprenticeship pathways that combine on-the-job learning, formal study, assessments, mentorship, and team rotations. The benefit they see from investing in apprenticeships includes nurturing new talent, ensuring innovation and fresh thinking enter the business, building a sustainable skills pipeline, and promoting long-term employee engagement and loyalty.
The further expansion of our partnership with Hitachi Rail also highlights how Velocity Academy is strengthening its position as a leading IT and Digital Training Provider in the UK. By delivering high-quality apprenticeship programmes that align with industry needs, we continue to demonstrate our ability to support some of the country’s most innovative employers. Partnerships like this reflect the trust major organisations place in Velocity Academy to deliver future-ready talent, and reinforce our role in shaping the UK’s digital workforce.
We recently caught up with Michael Joy, Apprentice and Training Manager at Hitachi Rail, to hear his thoughts on the impact apprenticeships are having across the business and why Hitachi Rail continues to strengthen its partnership with Velocity Academy.
Michael Joy:
“Apprentices bring a fresh perspective and willingness to challenge the status quo. They are vital to driving change, through innovative new ideas, within our industry. By working alongside experienced teams, apprentices are able to contribute to real-world projects and get ‘hands-on’ exposure that underpins not only their own development but keeps the business moving forward. They bridge the gap between the traditional engineering practices and the digital future of the rail industry.”
Michael Joy:
“We have chosen to continue, and expand, our partnership with Velocity Academy due to the outstanding working relationship we’ve built together. From the very beginning, Velocity have shown exceptional flexibility in accommodating our evolving requirements, often going above and beyond to tailor their delivery to our operational needs, always putting the wellbeing of the learners first. Velocity Academy have delivered consistent quality in both teaching and customer service (namely Lee and Emma), making them a trusted partner in delivering apprenticeships to our employees.”
Michael Joy:
“We’ve seen exceptional value from our previous cohorts of apprentices. Not only have they brought fresh thinking and enthusiasm to the business, but they’ve also consistently delivered high-quality work across a range of technical and operational areas. They have all responded brilliantly to the challenges we have set them, often exceeding expectations, and through working closely with them we have built strong relationships that have helped shape the way we support the continuing pipeline of new talent that’s already making a real impact across Hitachi Rail.”
At Velocity Academy, we’re proud to support Hitachi Rail in developing the next generation of IT and engineering talent. Apprenticeships are not only shaping careers but also driving real innovation within the rail industry.
Learn more about our apprenticeship programmes here: IT & Digital Apprenticeships – Velocity Academy
I have loved every part of my Marketing apprenticeship with Velocity Academy. Paired with hands on experience at JCB, a leading construction and agricultural equipment manufacture and the outmatched guidance from the Velocity team, I achieved a distinction for this course.
We have chosen to continue, and expand, our partnership with Velocity Academy due to outstanding working relationship we’ve built together. From the very beginning, Velocity have shown exceptional flexibility in accommodating our evolving requirements, often going above and beyond to tailor their delivery to our operational needs, always putting the wellbeing of the learners first. Velocity Academy have delivered consistent quality in both teaching and customer services (namely Lee and Emma) making them a trusted partner in delivering apprenticeships to our employees.
My experience with Graham at Velocity Academy has been nothing short of exceptional. His professionalism, expertise, and commitment to finding the right apprentices have been very impressive.
Once the candidates were selected, the transition to getting them on board was remarkably quick and seamless. Graham efficiently handled all the necessary paperwork and administrative tasks, making the onboarding process hassle-free.
I would recommend their services to anyone in search of apprentices who will make a positive impact on their business. Our apprentices are excelling in their roles and continuously developing their skills.
Velocity Academy sourced a fantastic Apprentice Developer on our behalf and we couldn’t have been happier with the service. Regular check-ins, guidance and support from the start and genuine care were put into the recruitment process from Velocity, which meant they came up trumps with a cracking candidate. They have been outstanding. Thanks Velocity!
