Great Western Railway and Exeter College are celebrating ten years of their apprenticeship partnership, with the programme on track to enrol its 1,000th apprentice by the end of the year. The partnership began in 2016.

Since then, 920 people across the South and South West have enrolled on an Exeter College and GWR apprenticeship, with many progressing into railway careers in customer service, train driving, engineering and head office roles. Exeter College has become GWR's sole apprenticeship provider, and the programme has achieved a success rate of 73%, above the national average.

1,500 applicants a year

Around 1,500 people apply for GWR apprenticeship roles each year, supporting travel for millions of passengers across the company's 2,000-mile network. GWR was named one of the UK's Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers in 2026, with Exeter College supporting the accreditation process.

This is a milestone story, not a new vacancy round: no new application window is announced in the reports. Apprenticeship opportunities are listed on GWR's careers pages at gwr.com. Mike Blakeley, Exeter and North Devon Colleges Group's executive director of partnerships and apprenticeships, said it had been a privilege to see close to 1,000 apprentices take the journey with the two organisations.

Sources: Exeter College, Exeter College and GWR on track to enrol 1,000 apprentices, 22 October 2026; Rail Business Daily, Exeter College and GWR celebrate 10-year anniversary of apprentice training programme, 3 November 2026.