Why were you interested in the Network Rail graduate scheme?
I ended up in Network Rail purely by accident. The graduate scheme was recommended to me by one of my university friends, who thought I would be a great fit. So, I applied. Best decision I ever made.
What qualifications did you need to be able to apply?
An Engineering Degree. I graduated with a first-class Electrical and Electronic Bachelor of Engineering degree. Although I only needed a 2:2 grade to apply for NR.
What was the interview process like?
It was slow at the beginning. However, the final stages were quite close to one another. I was pleasantly surprised to play a video game instead of the traditional psychometric tests. I thought the process was fair and not as complex as some other interview processes I encountered
What sort of things do you do on the scheme? Is everyday the same? Or does your work differ each day?
The things you do on the scheme are very dependent on your own aspirations. There is a clear structure for every scheme, however there is enough flexibility within the schemes to allow the graduates to drive their own development in the direction they want.
What advice would you give to candidates applying for the grad scheme?
Graduating from university with a degree is only an entry point into work. What you need to bring is yourself, with a positive attitude and pro-activeness. Be willing to learn and support others, and always ask yourself what you can do about challenges and attempt to solve them.