Launching a ‘Rail School of Excellence’ Training Facility at Highpoint Prison

21^st November 2024: Keltbray Infrastructure Services Limited (KISL), a leading provider of specialist engineering and infrastructure services, is proud to announce the completion of works at HMP Highpoint Prison. This marks the beginning of a pioneering initiative designed to empower and rehabilitate offenders.

This initiative focuses on providing offenders with technical skills training to improve their employability and reduce recidivism, specifically through the Network Rail-recognised OLEC 2 qualification. Named the Rail School of Excellence, KISL’s Rail Division, in partnership with City & Guilds and Intertrain, began the construction of a two-span overhead line training facility in July, significantly enhancing the facilities currently there.

The centre is located at Highpoint; however, the HMP rehabilitation service will be transferring prisoners from around the country to have the opportunity for multi-discipline railway training. This is a first within the prison service. Rail Safe Group have contributed approximately 330 hours of free labour, alongside Fullmen Steel, delivering the facility’s steel fabrication, steel plate supply, and haulage services.

Recognising the challenges posed by skills gaps in the rail industry, KISL is focused on developing, recruiting, and retaining a diverse workforce. KISL demonstrates a strong commitment to addressing these challenges by offering a range of entry-level opportunities within the industry, engaging in school workshops, and developing targeted programs that support individuals from various backgrounds, including ex-offenders, military veterans, and those who are not currently in education, employment, or training (NEETs).

The initiative has also been nominated for a Rail Staff Award in the ‘Learning, Development & Investing in People’ category.

Commenting on the works, Alex Pond, Executive Director of City & Guilds Training said “As a registered charity with the purpose to help people into the job, on the job, and onto the next job, skills and employment run through our core. Providing skills, education and employment opportunities is key to rehabilitation. To achieve this, City & Guilds and HMP Highpoint have a mission to partner with employers and key stakeholders.

We are very proud to announce our partnership with Keltbray Infrastructure Services and the incredible work they have done to fund and provide overhead line equipment in HMP Highpoint. Through our collaborative working, we have created a Rail Centre of Excellence, with Highpoint being the first prison to have an OLE Training Span.

Together, we can provide ample rail opportunities to serving prisoners across the UK who can transfer to Highpoint for pure skills training and back to their local prison for release into their local employment opportunity. Thank you to the Keltbray Team, your commitment has been exceptional.”

Steve Phillips, Head of Education Skills and Work within Highpoint commented “For just over two years HMP Highpoint has been working with City & Guilds to develop a Rail Training Centre of excellence for the prison service here in rural Suffolk. We started by installing 40m of rail allowing us to introduce Personal Track Safety into our curriculum.

We followed this with a set of Signalling and Telecommunications with the final piece of the jigsaw being Overhead Lines. And the latter is where Keltbray Infrastructures came in.

At a significant capital and resource cost to themselves and their partner organisations we have had a set of lines installed which have been described as one of the best if not the best training span in the country. This opens doors for our prisoners as the Skills Bootcamp funding that supports this comes with guaranteed employment on release.

Keltbray Infrastructures have been very easy to work as they quickly understood our environment and trust me when I say that having work like this completed in a prison is not for the faint-hearted, but we did it!

On behalf of the Governor and all of the prisoners in the future that will benefit by this we thank you for your contribution to reducing re-offending and genuinely changing people lives.”

Neil Lindley, Rail Director at KISL said “We (KISL) are deeply committed to transforming lives through the power of learning and employment. We believe that by creating this Overhead Line Training Facility at Highpoint Prison, we are not only setting a new benchmark in vocational training within the prison system but also providing a beacon of hope for many individuals looking for a second chance.

Our goal is to bridge the skills gap in the rail industry, while simultaneously making a positive impact on society and individuals’ lives. This initiative represents a significant step forward in our ongoing efforts to contribute meaningful social value and support the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders into the workforce

I would also like to take this opportunity to say thank you to our dedicated staff and our supply chain partners, Fullman Steel and Sunbelt Rental, for your continued support and collaboration. Your partnership is vital to our success, and we appreciate the dedication and quality you bring.”

ENDS