The first apprentices to complete their training at a Gwynedd heritage railway have completed their courses.

Back in January 2018, The Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways was successful in securing a significant National Lottery Heritage Fund grant of £454,500 to support an ambitious training programme to introduce heritage skills to a more diverse audience. Part of the ‘Skills for the Future’ scheme, this programme has successfully recruited 20 trainees over a two-year period.

The aim is to attract trainees and to share the heritage skills of the railway’s talented workforce. Ultimately the aim is to encourage people to take up careers in the heritage sector, in order to build a more sustainable workforce for the future.

The first intake of apprentices back in September 2018 have now completed their traineeships in one of five different skills areas, including mechanical engineering and heritage joinery.

A railway spokesman said: “The individual presentations were superb, and we feel certain that the majority of the audience had little comprehension of the incredible achievements that had been accomplished in such a short time.

“The trainees have also completed a nationally recognised NVQ qualification whilst training with us and worked alongside staff at other heritage organisations during their one week placements.”

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