Introduction
Due to promotion, DB Cargo UK has an opportunity to join our Service Design Team on our Rail Logistics Apprenticeship Programme at our Headquarters in Doncaster.
The Service Design Department is at the heart of DB Cargo UK’s train planning operations, with a national responsibility to ensure the effective train planning and diagramming of all DB Cargo UK trains. The various teams are responsible right from the inception of a service, through the various design stages, up until the running on the day.
The apprenticeship takes 2 years to complete, and you will work through 6 monthly rotations within the four key teams, which are; Long-Term Planning, Short-Term Planning, Concepts and Rail Infrastructure Services (RIS).
The four teams work closely together to turn customer orders into an efficient and effective train plan.
The apprenticeships offer the chance to gain qualifications, key skills and practical experience in a work environment. As an apprentice, you will be given time to complete any apprenticeship course work during working hours.
The salary for this position is up to £20,000 per annum depending on entry qualifications.
Our Assessment Day will be held week commencing the 21st July 2025 – If you are shortlisted, you will need to be available to attend a full day assessment centre at our Head Office in Lakeside, Doncaster.
The Assessment Centre will comprise of a mix of activities throughout the day, including, group and individual tasks and an interview.
What will you be doing?
During your Rail Logistics Apprenticeship, you will be gaining experience in the following areas:
Long-Term Planning
Our Long-Term Planning team are responsible for taking the Sales forecast and creating a base plan for DB Cargo UK, to ensure we have the correct assets and resources to run our customer requirements.
You will gain an understanding of the overall Network Rail Timetable and learn about the negotiations that take place to ensure DB Cargo UK are getting the correct ‘paths’ (track access at the right time in the right place) needed to carry out our customers’ orders.
The Timetable Manager will show you how we successfully bid for ‘paths’ and help you understand the importance in checking we have the correct access rights.
You will learn how to plan a train and the relevant IT systems used in DB Cargo UK to efficiently plan.
You will be shown how to create ‘diagrams’ (the full breakdown of all the movements needed to plan a train) that will be used in by other departments in the execution of fulfilling the train plan.
You will also get to understand our ‘Informed Traveller’ team and liaise with Network Rail on a regular basis regarding any maintenance work that is being carried out up and down the UK as well as how we negotiate these ‘possessions’
Short-Term Planning
Our Short-Term Planning team are responsible for taking customer orders and planning the locomotive fleet movements. They are also responsible for enacting any change to the base plan whether that be through; engineering diversions, customer changes or other factors, to ensure we provide a successful train plan for the wider business.
You will work with our Rail Logistics Planners and will understand how we take customer orders and work with the wider teams to ensure a plan is created to run the requested train.
Learn how to conduct checks for engineering work, allocated train crew, and Network Rail paths to be able to execute a successful plan.
Reviewing customer plans and gaining an understanding of what they can order to ensure this works for both the customers an DB Cargo UK’s best interests.
You will also work with our Locomotive Planners in helping them plan our fleet to ensure we have the correct assets in the right places.
Concepts Team
Our Concepts Team are responsible for creating solutions to new and existing customer traffic. They work closely with the Long-Term team, utilising specialist software to time trains on the network.
This is where you will gain understanding of how our timing specialists ‘time’ our trains to ensure we are getting the products to their destinations within the timeframe the customer has demanded.
Reviewing our services, you will learn to ensure we are continuously making improvements to the plans and ‘diagrams’ to be able to offer the best service to our customers.
You gain exposure not only with the teams within Service Design, but also the wider business to develop new concept work.
Rail Infrastructure Services (RIS)
The RIS team are responsible for the planning and diagramming of all Network Rail engineering and maintenance trains DB Cargo UK operates.
You will be gaining insight into how the team deliver the customer order to ensure we are effectively fulfilling their requirements.
Understanding how ‘unallocated’ work is reviewed and fulfilled.
You’ll see our seasonal work and gain an understanding of our busier times of the year and how we plan and prepare for this.
You will also work with Network Rail in both a customer and supplier capacity and build skills in developing a strong working relationship with our partners.
Who are we looking for?
It’s important to understand this is an Apprenticeship programme and we will be supporting your development into your new career. We don’t expect you to come to us with all the experience, but we do look for some key qualities including:
Being self-motivated in your way of working as well as with your studies.
An understanding that you can work to deadlines both set internally and externally, and able to work efficiently and effectively to meet these deadlines.
You will be able to demonstrate good verbal and written communication skills which will translate well to a working environment.
Able to work closely with a variety of different teams and colleagues to work towards planning an efficient and effective train plan, which is both in the customer’s and DB Cargo UK's best interest.
In preparation for your interview, we would expect you to have completed some research on DB Cargo UK and due to this type of role, we would like someone to have a basic grasp of UK Geography and this may be something we explore in the assessment day.
In order to qualify for the technical apprenticeship – Level 3 in Business Administration – we would require you to have 3 GCSE passes min level 4.
What matters to you?
Here at DB Cargo we offer range of benefits as part of your employment. These will include:
The salary for this position is up to £20,000 per annum depending on entry qualifications.
37 hours per week.
25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
Hybrid working between our locations and your home (this is mutually agreeable between the business and employees and is role dependent.)
Defined Contribution pension scheme with generous employer contribution (up to 10% employer contribution.)
Free on-site parking.
EV charging points at selected sites.
Cycle to work Scheme.
Manager led recognition programme for employees who live our values.
Annual pay reviews.
We are dedicated to your continuous professional development. Depending on your role we have specialist training programs, apprenticeships, development plans, course and qualifications we can support you through.
Access to our employee benefits portal where you can take advantage of discounts for a variety of shops and services as well as accessing our wellbeing content.
We take the health and wellbeing of all employees seriously and provide access to an Employee Assistance Programme.
