UKTram is shining a spotlight on the experiences of young people who stepped behind the scenes of light rail during Work Experience Week, held from July 6th to July 10th, 2026.
Across the UK and the Isle of Man, placements gave students an opportunity to explore the people, skills and processes that keep tramways moving. Their experiences included maintaining vehicles, inspecting tracks, visiting construction sites, working with operational teams and trying driver simulators. Along the way, they discovered a sector offering far more career possibilities than many had previously realised.
At Isle of Man Railways, Ruby Hammett, daughter of UKTram Managing Director James Hammett, was expected to spend much of her placement observing. Instead, she was encouraged to get involved in maintaining and servicing the railway and tramway fleet.
“I thought I would be watching and observing the maintenance and operations, and I was actually able to get really hands-on, which was great fun and I learnt a lot,” Ruby said.
“It was quite dirty work at times, but I was happy getting stuck in and I had my overalls and protective clothing, so it was fine and rewarding.”
Ruby, an Axe Valley Academy student, observed routine vehicle inspections before helping with safety checks, cleaning, fault reporting and preventative maintenance. This included preparing the horse trams ahead of the King’s visit.
Reflecting on what she had learned, Ruby said: “I learnt how the trams work and what’s required to maintain them. I was shown how you drive them!”
Ruby would also encourage other young people to consider a placement in the sector.
“It was so great having this experience and so much variety each day. I would be happy to go back and do more work experience.”
At Seaton Tramway, Ruby Furse also enjoyed a varied placement that took her across different parts of the attraction. Ruby, who also attends Axe Valley Academy, checked track points with the engineering team, fixed bonding wires, and changed sleepers, while also learning more about Seaton’s visitor experience.
“During the week I helped Lee check the points on the track, I fixed bonding wires and changed sleepers,” Ruby explained. “I also helped in the kitchen at Jurassic Discovery and learnt to make milkshakes. I also did some painting with Claire for the Moomins show.”
Describing the week, she said: “It was more fun than I was expecting, I learnt how the trams work and run. I would tell other young people to do their work experience there because it’s fun and interesting. Everyone was really nice.”
For Lee Taylor, Engineering and Operations Manager at Seaton Tramway, supporting placements has personal significance.
“Having started my Tramway journey via the work experience channel 26 years ago, I can vouch first-hand on the fantastic opportunities workplace placements can provide,” Lee said.
“As a Tramway operator, it is also a perfect means of really selling the industry to the future generation, which is vitally important to ensure the continued success of heritage railways and tramways in the UK.
“By getting involved in this fantastic industry, there is so much to gain from both a personal and professional development perspective and I applaud and encourage any youngster who wishes to be involved.”
West Midlands Metro welcomed students Jacob Walker (of Burton Borough School) and Taahlia Allison (St Paul's School for Girls, Birmingham) for a placement spanning Operational Control, Rolling Stock, Infrastructure, Learning and Development, Commercial and Permits.
Through track inspections, tram simulators and engineering activities, they saw how different teams contribute to the safe and reliable operation of the network.
“I wasn’t expecting the number of different teams that work hard behind the scenes to keep operations moving,” Jacob said. “I was also really surprised by the amount of practical work I got involved in.”
He spent time learning how disruption is managed, how trams are maintained and how the network’s rails and overhead lines are constructed, inspected and managed.
“The most interesting thing I learnt is that everyone has to have an element of teamwork skills, otherwise miscommunication can lead to disruptions to the public (there is a lot of responsibility),” he said.
For Taahlia, the placement revealed the importance of the community behind the network.
“Metro heavily revolves around a community. Everybody at Metro is so cheerful and eager to work,” she said.
She was also struck by the concentration required to operate a tram.
“One thing that surprised me about tram driving is how much multitasking is involved and this made me aware of the focus required to be a successful driver.”
After a particularly hot week, Taahlia also made two important observations: install air conditioning in every room and employ more women!
Her observation came after noticing how few women she encountered while working with the engineering teams, highlighting the importance of continuing to improve the visibility and representation of women in technical roles.
“Infrastructure has inspired me to research the science of engineering in more depth,” Taahlia added.
Coventry City Council welcomed Kameron Lal from North Leamington Sixth Form and Adrian Gars from Nicholas Chamberlain Sixth Form to explore Coventry Very Light Rail.
Their placement combined research and design work with a visit to Mile Lane, where construction of the next section of demonstrator track was underway. Kameron researched UK tram policy, contributed articles ahead of the Time for Trams conference, reviewed track designs with Arup and explored the engineering challenges posed by utilities and other infrastructure beneath the road.
“I was expecting to gain a clear picture of what the CVLR plan looks like in practice, and to understand what each member of the team does to contribute to the wider programme,” he said.
“What genuinely surprised me was the level of detail involved in a project of this scale - from decisions around road crossings and the specific type of crossing used, to learning that buses face significant emissions problems not just from exhaust fumes, but from the wheels themselves.”
The experience also showed Kameron that infrastructure careers are not limited to a single discipline or route.
“There is also a huge amount of opportunity within the sector, with many different roles open to people from a wide range of backgrounds and career paths, allowing more people to find a way in,” he said.
Adrian was similarly fascinated by the challenges involved in turning plans into working infrastructure.
“The part I found most fascinating was the unpredictable problems that can emerge from a seemingly ‘simple’ task, with the project clashing constantly with previous road designs, including the placement of certain pipelines that lurk underneath, which need adjusting,” he said.
After speaking with people working across the programme, Adrian reflected: “I have been shown the basis of what is currently being worked on, identifying the issues that may occur, and truly opened my eyes into the world of construction.”
At KeolisAmey Docklands, London Design and Engineering UTC student Zaahra Mohammed undertook a T-level placement in engineering.
Zaahra worked alongside teams covering civil engineering, structures, health, safety, quality and environment, projects and track. She also visited construction sites and shadowed colleagues monitoring the railway during hot weather to help keep passengers safe.
“I enjoyed learning about the geometry of the tracks along the DLR,” she said. “The calculations and considerations that are needed to ensure the trains don’t derail are fascinating.”
The placement gave Zaahra a new appreciation of the expertise involved in operating the network.
“I would recommend work experience in the light rail to other young people because there are so many interesting departments all over the company,” she said.
“I never realised the amount of work that goes into keeping the DLR safe and running.”
KeolisAmey Metrolink also welcomed eight students from King David High School. Throughout the week, they explored how the organisation operates, tried its driver simulators and witnessed a charity bus pull in Manchester city centre.
The experience introduced the students to the variety of work taking place across the organisation and helped some identify new career interests and aspirations.
Collectively, these placements demonstrate how valuable first-hand experience can be in helping young people understand the sector and the many routes into it.
Chelsea Branch, Marketing and Communications Manager at UKTram, said: “The sector needs a skilled and diverse workforce to support its future, but young people cannot aspire to opportunities they don’t know exist.
“A big thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences in their own words. We hope other young people will recognise that there could be a place for them in this sector too.”
UKTram Managing Director James Hammett began his own journey in light rail through work experience and volunteering at Seaton Tramway.
James said: “My own career began with work experience as a volunteer at Seaton Tramway, where I later became an apprentice. That first opportunity opened my eyes to an industry I may otherwise never have considered and started a journey that has shaped my working life.
“Placements give young people the freedom to ask questions and learn more about where their interests and abilities might take them. As a sector, we have a shared responsibility to create more of those opportunities and inspire the workforce that will take light rail forward.”
As the collective voice of light rail in the UK and Ireland, UKTram is committed to showcasing the breadth of careers in the sector and supporting initiatives that encourage the next generation to take their first step into transport.
For schools and young people, these placements offer the chance to discover an industry built around people, communities and constant learning. For organisations across the sector, they provide an opportunity to share expertise and help secure the sector's future.