How to Start Your Rail Career

What you need to do to get started.

You can begin your career in Rail industry once you have a Personal Track Safety (PTS) certificate, a Sentinel card and an ICI assessment.

WHAT IS PERSONAL TRACK SAFETY (PTS)
For Network Rail to know you are safe to work on the Network Rail Managed Infrastructure (NRMI) you must first have successfully completed a Personal Track Safety (PTS) qualification. A PTS ensures that rail workers are aware of their surroundings so that they do not enter situations where the aforementioned accidents are likely to occur, are able to move around the line-side safely and are able to react appropriately to circumstances (e.g. the approach of a train). Anyone wishing to gain their PTS certificate needs to be sponsored by a Network Rail approved company and have an in date Network Rail standard medical/drugs & alcohol test. On achieving a PTS qualification your sponsor will issue you with a Sentinel Card (PTS Card).

WHAT IS SENTINEL CARD
A Sentinel card, more commonly known as a PTS Card, is an identity card that is issued and controlled through the Sentinel Scheme and which can be read electronically to provide information on an Individual’s fitness and competence, including safety critical information. The card will display a photograph of the Individual and a unique Sentinel Scheme reference number for identification purposes. All other information will be verified through access to the online Sentinel Scheme Database including a record of all rail training completed.

WHAT IS ICI ASSESSMENT
The Industry Common Induction (ICI) provides staff with a health and safety induction for working in construction sites, rail depots and station maintenance. It is an online assessment that covers the safety procedures and risks that are common across the rail industry, whatever the role and type of site.