Few industries have played a bigger role in the development of modern Britain as rail. The sector was one of the driving forces in the Industrial Revolution and still remains a vital part of the country's economy today. 

It's no surprise then that rail is one of the most rewarding industries to work in. According to the StageCoach Group, there are 190,000 people employed in the sector and they are responsible for maintaining the nation's 20,000 miles of track and ensuring the 1.3 billion passenger journeys that occur each year go as smoothly as possible.

But what sort of jobs are available in rail and what do they tend to involve? Read on to find out. 

Driver
The obvious position that springs to mind when you think of rail jobs is the train driver. These individuals are responsible for getting people from A to B safely and the day-to-day lives of millions of people depend on their ability to do so. Driving a train can be a more varied position than you may have imagined, with typical duties ranging from carrying out engine checks to making passenger announcements.

Engineering
If you're looking to pursue a career in engineering, the rail industry provides a number of interesting opportunities. Rail engineering technicians carry out a wide variety of important duties, ranging from building new train carriages to testing electrical and pneumatic systems. There's plenty of scope to progress and move up to more senior positions, such as maintenance team leader or engineering workshop manager too.

Customer service
The rail industry offers a wide range of customer-facing positions. Whether it's the conductor checking tickets on board or an assistant providing advice inside the station, these individuals are needed to ensure the millions of passengers who travel on trains across the country get to their destination safely and on time as often as possible. These are some of the most varied rail jobs out there, with potential duties ranging from helping a passenger who falls ill to dealing with people who try to avoid paying for a ticket, and no day is likely to be the same.

Operations
Another area of the rail sector that contains some rewarding career opportunities is operations. Examples of some of the positions available in this space include train dispatchers or controllers, who are responsible for managing the movement of trains, and signallers, who play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of rail transport.

Who is hiring?
There are 190,000 people employed in the UK rail industry, but who do they actually work for? National Rail looks after the nation's railways as a whole and has a large workforce, while the train services themselves are run by a number of organisations including the likes of Virgin, Cross Country, London Midland, First Great Western and Arriva. With some exciting developments - such as the high-speed service between London, Birmingham and the north in the pipeline - now could be a good time to get into the industry.

Want to find out more about rail jobs and potential opportunities to work in the industry? Contact us here at Unity Recruitment and we'll be happy to help.