photo: Steve Bright / Alstom/CrossCountry Voyager refurbishment programme underway at Alstom's Derby Litchurch Lane Works
Alstom is opening the rail industry to a new group of future talent. Its new ASPIRE programme is designed to give students with special educational needs real workplace experience and a route into employment.
Alstom has launched its first supported internship programme, ASPIRE, aimed at students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The initiative is based at the historic Derby Litchurch Lane Works, where participants gain hands-on experience in a real rail production environment.
Research shows that only 4.8% of individuals with a learning disability or autism in England are in permanent paid employment, which shows the scale of the challenge the programme is trying to address. ASPIRE is designed to bridge that gap by combining workplace learning with structured support. The programme is delivered in partnership with Derby College, which provides job coaches and classroom-based learning alongside the internship. At the same time, Alstom’s Training Academy offers tailored technical instruction to complement on-site experience.
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Real Work on Live Rail Projects
Interns are directly involved in the CrossCountry Voyager refurbishment project, working alongside Alstom teams on mechanical and electrical elements. The £60 million programme covers 312 train cars, including upgrades such as new seating, improved lighting, and updated passenger systems.
The fleet, owned by Beacon Rail and operated by CrossCountry, runs across the UK network from Aberdeen to Penzance. Alstom says the programme is not only about technical skills, but also about building confidence, independence, and long-term employability.
"We’ve been genuinely impressed by the interns’ knowledge of both historic and modern rolling stock – it’s clear they’re passionate about what they’re doing, and it’s a joy to have them on board. Working with Derby College has already shown how powerful collaboration can be, especially when it comes to creating meaningful opportunities for underrepresented groups. I’m excited to watch our first group of interns grow at Alstom – not just gaining valuable work experience, but also building life skills, confidence, and self-belief that will help them thrive and move into paid employment," said Nina Atwal, Head of Social Value UK and Ireland at Alstom.
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First Interns and Future Expansion
The first participants, Aaron Donaldson and Harry Hedges, began their internships in 2026 after introductory visits and preparatory sessions. Their placements will last up to one year, with plans to bring in additional interns aged 16 to 24 later this year.
Alstom aims to expand the ASPIRE programme across more of its 37 sites in the UK and Ireland over time, reinforcing its position as a Disability Confident Leader employer. The Derby site itself plays a central role in the initiative. As the UK’s only facility that designs, builds, and tests trains domestically and for export, it provides a full-cycle learning environment for new entrants to the industry.
Source: Alstom