The Co-op Group is supporting the first rail engineering apprenticeships to be offered in a prison, using cash from its levy share scheme.
The training will be offered by the City & Guilds Foundation at the Centre of Excellence skills hub at HMP Highpoint, in a bid to tackle the UK’s rail engineering skills shortages while significantly reducing reoffending rates, a problem currently costing the UK economy over £21bn a year.
From August, the programme – created in response to Co-op members’ requests at its AGM to focus on reducing re-offending and supporting rehabilitation – will allow prisoners to complete full apprenticeships and their end-point assessments before release.
This gives them the chance to earn a Level 2 qualification in Rail Engineering Operatives and move straight into employment and directly into track engineering roles on release.
The Co-op Levy Share scheme brings together funds from the Group and other employers to support apprenticeships for underrepresented groups – and now employers can help support prisoner rehabilitation by transferring their unspent apprenticeship levy funds.
Through the levy share scheme, businesses can pledge up to 50% of annual unspent apprenticeship levy funds and share them in a targeted way to support the provision of apprenticeships in underrepresented groups.
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Currently, around 80% of crime comes through reoffending, which, say campaigners, puts pressure on frontline services and traps thousands in cycles of custody, with the average annual cost per prisoner exceeding £51,000 and over 87,000 people in custody across England and Wales.
Recent data shows that if someone leaving prison is employed within six weeks of release, their likelihood of reoffending is cut by half. Recognising the untapped potential within the prison system, this programme aims to support skills development and improve employment outcomes for those preparing to re-enter society.
“At Co-op, we believe that everyone deserves the chance to build a brighter future—for themselves and for their communities,” said Claire Costello, chief people and inclusion ogficer at the Group “. Our partnership with City & Guilds Foundation demonstrates the transformative power of targeted training, employment, and genuine opportunity.
“It is great that through our levy initiative we can invest in people and equip them with skills that are in high demand, not just reducing reoffending but also helping to tackle critical skills shortages in the UK rail sector, strengthening the fabric of society.
“We’re inviting other businesses to join us in pledging their unspent levy – helping to create more second chances and build a more inclusive workforce across the UK, whilst delivering lasting benefit to communities nationwide.”
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City & Guilds CEO Kirstie Donnelly added: “At City & Guilds we have a deep understanding of the power of skills to change lives. Apprenticeships have long been one of the most effective ways to gain quality skills and sustained employment, and I am delighted with some of the outcomes already achieved through quality training in the prison estate.
“Current programmes delivered through the Centre of Excellence skills hub model are achieving employment outcomes 2.5 times higher than the national average, with significantly more prisoners securing work within six months of release. When people in custody can access training that leads to meaningful work, they are far less likely to reoffend and instead can contribute to their community – rather than costing it – on release.
“By using the apprenticeship levy flexibly, we can support innovative apprenticeships and reach a whole talented but untapped workforce – one we will need if we’re going to deliver on the ambitions of the Government’s Industrial Strategy and opportunity missions – and meet the growing skills gaps in key industries.
“We hope this is just the start of realising the transformative impact of apprenticeships on the prison system, and our society as a whole will be a safer and more productive place as a result.”
The Governor of HMP Highpoint, Nigel Smith, said:“This is a truly exciting and positive initiative, and we’re proud that HMP Highpoint is the first site to host the new rail engineering apprenticeship scheme. This programme not only equips prisoners with hands-on, industry-recognised skills – it also gives them a real, tangible opportunity to build a better future on release.
“By linking training directly to employment in a critical sector like rail, this scheme helps break the cycle of reoffending and supports safer communities.”
Each apprenticeship represents a £12,000 investment, underscoring a strong commitment to high-quality training and ongoing support. Since its conception in 2021 Co-op Levy share has seen £38.2m in pledges and has funded over 3,500 apprentices from diverse backgrounds. Including partnerships with The Royal Foundation’s Business Taskforce for Early Childhood to create over 600 apprenticeships in the early years sector.
