Communications Apprentice

*Please note you will need to be aged 16–18 on 1 September 2026 to be considered for this opportunity.

Who are we?

South Western Railway (SWR) operates over 1,500 services each weekday across the network and employs more than 5,000 people. We provide easy and convenient mobility, connecting people and communities in South West London, southern counties of England, and the Isle of Wight.

Join our team and help us continue to bring people together to get the most out of life.

About the job

The purposes of the Apprenticeship programme is to allow the apprentice to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills in a range of HR activities and specialisms.

You will collaborate closely with the Community Rail Manager to optimise the Community Rail potential within the SWR network. This involves coordinating activities and boosting the output of our Community Rail Partnerships and station groups through various communication channels.

Your main responsibilities will be:

• Producing clear and concise content for case studies and social media channels.
• Supporting the Community Rail Manager in collating evidence for key stakeholder reports and sharing best practice across the network.
• Staying informed of the latest key trends in the communications arena and share best practice.
• Analysing and collating data on the usage of social media across the community groups and identify ways to support and encourage participation.
• Developing and coordinating an annual activity plan to tie into the wider communications team to optimise PR opportunities working with the Community Rail Officers and station adopters.
• To actively work with all the station adopter groups and CRPS to develop a more effective process and assist in embedding it across the community groups.
• Developing and assisting in delivering some specific community campaigns across the network working with SWR Marketing team.
• Supporting the roll out and collection of community data around the network for the annual Social Value report.
• Work in collaboration with internal stakeholders with the wider external communications team, to access a wider exposure to all sorts of media channels including stakeholder media.

You'll need to have:

• An interest in Communications
• Excellent administrative skills.
• Good working knowledge of a range of IT systems and packages especially with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook
• A positive team player who has a ‘can-do' attitude and shows initiative
• Attention to detail and accuracy
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality
• Ability to work collaboratively within a diverse team and treat all colleagues with dignity and respect.
• The capacity to ensure a high degree of accuracy and quality, whilst adhering to procedure.
• Demonstrates flexibility in approach to the job to ensure that duties are properly performed and to meet the operational demands of the business

Desirable

• Predicted or achieved Grade C/4 or above in English and Maths, or Level 2 Functional Skills.

• A desire to pursue a career in the railway industry.
• Flexibility – this apprenticeship may involve early or late shifts and travel to other areas on our network.
• Excellent communication, with the ability to motivate and inspire a team.
• Proactive and adaptable approach to problem-solving, with a keen eye for detail.
• Willingness to undergo training and development to enhance skills and knowledge in the role.
• A dedication to upholding the company's values and delivering exceptional service.

About the location

South Western Railways HQ is based on the 4th Floor at South Bank Central, a stone's throw from the River Thames and a 10 minute walk from our busiest station, Waterloo. It is local to many well-known attractions, restaurants and retail facilities and is easily accessible by public transport.

Working pattern

Working an average of 37 hours per week over 5 days

The Reward

In return we offer a competitive salary and a variety of valuable benefits, including:

• Free duty and leisure travel on SWR services for employees
• Free leisure travel for spouse/partner and dependants (criteria dependent)
• 75% discount on many other train operating companies
• Full training and support with development
• Excellent pension scheme

We all belong at SWR. Our vision is to provide an inclusive environment for all colleagues, ensuring all candidates have an equal opportunity to access meaningful employment.

We value our differences such as age, gender, LGBTQIA+, ethnicity, religion, and disability. We maintain a zero tolerance towards any form of prejudice towards our colleagues, customers, and future talent.

We celebrate and encourage diversity of thought, progressive ways of working and seeing all our colleagues grow and thrive.

If you require additional support to complete your application due to a disability or neurodivergent condition, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or autism, please follow the links below.  We encourage you to share any additional needs you may require so we can provide a fair and equal process for all who apply.

https://exceptionalindividuals.com/neurodiversity/

https://www.healthassured.org/blog/neurodiversity/