You'll start with 24 days of paid annual leave a year, plus the standard 8 bank holidays.
Be a part of the London Northwestern Railway family and join us on a journey to help transform the railway for the better.
We are looking for freshly qualified graduates who would like to make a genuine impact delivering benefits to customers travelling by rail. Graduates will receive a balanced exposure to a mixture of both frontline and head office functions through 4 different placements throughout the first year and we will ensure you receive the training, guidance and development to support you throughout the programme and your future career with us.
Life at London Northwestern Railway
Programme overview
- 2 year long programme spread across four 3-months long core placements throughout the first year, and a further 12 months in a specialised role within a department.
- Based in the head office in Birmingham for HQ roles, or across the London Northwestern and West Midlands Railway network for frontline positions depending on the placement.
- Opportunities for short mini secondments with other departments or even with other industry partners could be arranged.
- We offer a truly flexible graduate scheme whereby after the first 6 months of the programme, graduates will be able to select which departments they want to venture into for their 3rd and 4th placements.
- Extensive graduate support network including placement line manager, a graduate buddy, a senior manager as a mentor, and the graduate programme manager will ensure you are fully supported throughout.
What to expect from our Graduate Programme
- Lead and oversee projects on the railway network that truly impact passengers and the community. Take charge and manage operations at several of our 150+ stations.
- Developing core professional skillset - from dealing with customers to managing projects and interacting with internal and external stakeholders. With the right balance of courses and training, we will ensure that you develop professional skills relevant to your placement role.
- Get a comprehensive understanding of the business. During your 24 months on the scheme, we will ensure a well-rounded experience with a blend of frontline exposure, including customer interactions and core operations involving trains and stations, as well as placements within our head office functions. With over 30 distinct departments, we are confident that you will find the perfect role for yourself.
- Become future managers and leaders. We love to invest in our graduates and help you shape and progress your career within the company. Further professional opportunities following the programme could be within one of our many departments.
- Young Ambassadors for the business. In addition to all the above we have numerous young talent initiatives and workstreams with local schools and universities that you will get involved in. This includes participating in careers fairs / events, railway project mentoring, STEM events and activities and so much more.
Who are we looking for?
- Passionate, ambitious, driven individuals with a large appetite for learning and not afraid to ask questions or challenge the status quo. We are looking for a fresh perspective and inquisitive nature from our graduates and there will be ample opportunity for the individuals to be involved in shaping the future of our railway and making a real difference.
- Those interested in a railway career will find the graduate scheme very rewarding and beneficial as it offers you first-hand experience of working within a train operating company and will provide you with a solid foundation on how UK railways operate.
- We want you to be visionaries and play a key part in setting the vision for the railway of the future.
Benefits
As well as a starting salary of £32,851, we offer an excellent benefits package:
24 days holiday (+ 8 bank holidays)
Free rail travel
Enjoy travel perks including free rail travel and 75% discount off other operators in the UK. FIP (European Travel Discount) card after 1 year.
Employee discounts
Save money while you shop! You’ll get access to ‘Extra Mile,’ our employee discount platform.
Railway pension scheme
We offer a final salary pension from day one of you joining through the Railway Pension Scheme (RPS).
Entry requirements
- 2:1 in any degree subject.
- Must have graduated with a Bachelor’s degree within the last 3 years.
Application process
We are here to help! If you have any queries related to the programme, please contact us using our Graduate Programme enquiry form.
Hear from our current graduates
Our current graduates (Charlie, Grace, Rebecca and Jess) spoke about their experiences since September 2025. Watch the video below!
Find out more from our 2024 grads
Alexandra Smith
Georgia Haslam
Melissa Green
My name is Alexandra Smith and I graduated from the University of Nottingham with a BA (Hons) degree in Modern Languages.
The beauty of the LN&WMR Graduate Programme is that having a fresh perspective and creativity is encouraged. Alongside the transferable skills I have developed, I have had the chance to get involved with a range of projects and make a real difference for customers who use our stations and travel on our trains.
As graduates, you also have the unique opportunity to interface with different departments to give you a flavour of what a career in the rail industry involves. All my colleagues have encouraged me to make the most of my graduate experience and we have a fantastic support network around us to help us navigate the business and offer pastoral care when required.
All in all, the opportunities here as a graduate are endless and I have been able to take onboard valuable advice and knowledge which I will never forget as I continue to progress in my railway career!
Post Graduate Programme Role:
Senior Conductor Manager (Projects) - Over the next 12 months I will be developing my professional skills and understanding of the operational railway, learning how to provide operational leadership by supporting our Senior Conductors. I will also be continuing to work on meaningful projects in the On Train department which will benefit both our customers and staff.
I’ve completed the Graduate Scheme at London Northwestern and West Midlands Railways, and what an incredible 12 months it’s been!
From placements in Property, Stations, Customer Experience, Marketing, Control, and Driver teams, I’ve led projects, shadowed brilliant people, and explored a range of management styles.
I’ve gained insights into rail operations that I never imagined, with experiences even seasoned professionals envy, from tram simulators and station construction visits to managing major disruption in control rooms and on our station platforms.
One of the most rewarding parts has been giving back: mentoring interns, speaking at schools and universities, and supporting early careers activities. The scheme helped me grow professionally, discover what I find fulfilling, and shape my future roles and career direction.
What made this journey special was the scheme’s flexibility and the genuine support from colleagues. I was encouraged to get involved in everything and given the freedom to pursue areas I was curious about, from strategic projects to event support on the network. That trust empowered me to take ownership and make the most of every opportunity.
To anyone considering applying, DO IT!! You’ll be amazed at how much you’ll learn and enjoy!
Post Graduate Programme Role:
Assistant Customer Experience Insights Strategy Project Manager – Don’t be intimidated by the job title! My main job is to work across the business areas to gather internal and external customer data, to identify targeted interventions and help drive customer satisfaction.
I have loved my graduate journey at LN&WMR. From day one, I have felt supported and encouraged to grow both professionally and personally. The programme has given me the opportunity to explore the rail industry in depth, and I’ve genuinely enjoyed every part of it.
There is so much variety offered by this graduate programme and, throughout the year I have had placements across our network, from our stations to our depots to our head office in Birmingham. Each placement has introduced me to a new aspect of the rail industry (of which there are more than I ever realised!) and I have taken ownership of real-life projects whilst working with amazing people every day. I’ve also had the chance to collaborate with external stakeholders such as Network Rail, WMRE, and other train operating companies, all of which has helped me understand how we contribute to the wider industry and guided me towards a career path that I am genuinely passionate about.
The combination of insight and hands-on experience offered by this graduate programme has helped me grow in confidence and learn more than I ever thought possible. I feel lucky to be part of this journey and would recommend this graduate programme to anyone looking for a varied and rewarding opportunity in which you can grow every day!
Post Graduate Programme Role:
Assistant Business Planning Manager – My new role involves bringing together exciting ideas from across the business to shape long-term plans and turn big-picture goals into clear, deliverable outputs aligning with our wider business strategy and objectives.