The Department for Transport (DfT) is encouraging eighteen-year-olds leaving school to consider a career as a train driver amid a shortage of people taking the job.
New rules reducing the minimum age limit for someone to become a train driver from 20 to 18 were introduced in June.
The DfT is encouraging school leavers to apply to work in rail to help tackle driver shortages, with no degree or years of waiting required to start training.
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Currently, less than 4% of train drivers are under 30, fewer than 12% are women, and a quarter of the current workforce will hit retirement age by 2030.
The move has been welcomed by train driving union Aslef, which said allowing younger candidates to apply as soon as they leave education will “open the door to new talent”.
Rail minister Lord Peter Hendy said: “Lowering the minimum age for train drivers is a significant step forward for young people across Britain.
“It opens doors for those wanting to move straight into the workplace, giving a younger generation the chance to build lasting careers in the railway.
“This is a move that will help secure the future of the passenger and freight sectors as we work to set up Great British Railways, and ensure the workforce reflects the energy, talent and ambition of the next generation.”
Daniel Mann, co-chief executive officer at Rail Delivery Group, said: “The railway plays a key role in connecting communities and supporting the economy. Attracting the next generation of talent is essential to its future.
“Lowering the minimum age for train drivers is opening up a rewarding career in rail to more young people while helping the industry build the strong and skilled workforce it needs for the years ahead.
“By bringing in people with a broader range of skills, experiences and perspectives, we can support the long-term resilience of the railway and make sure it continues to deliver for passengers.”
Lowering the age brings the UK in line with countries like Switzerland, Germany and Australia. It also matches training for pilots, tram drivers and the underground.
Dave Calfe, general secretary of the train drivers union Aslef, said: “It’s fantastic to see the legislation now in place for the reduction in the minimum train driver age to 18.
“This will enable the rail industry to recruit the large number of drivers it needs as well as ensuring that the people in the drivers’ cab better reflect the communities we serve.
“By widening the goal posts to allow younger candidates to apply as soon as they leave school or college, we open the door to new talent which may otherwise have been lost – helping to make sure our railway is fit for the 21st century.”
