Programme support, fully funded
Recruitment, capability assessment, matching and business-specific financial modelling are provided free. No recruitment fee or commission.
Funded by Innovate UK · TechLocal
Digital
talent.
Built for rail.
Assessed people. Real business needs. A four-week paid trial. We connect rail supply chain SMEs with entry-level AI, cybersecurity and connectivity talent.
No recruitment fee. No commission.
Programme services are funded. Employers pay trial wages.
Bright minds.
A stronger rail supply chain.
London · Yorkshire and Humber · West Midlands
Explore the programmeA practical pathway into rail
The future of rail.
Built from within.
Rail is going digital faster than its supply chain can hire for it. The Entry-Level Digital Talent Pathway for Rail SMEs brings assessed candidates and businesses with live needs together — with a paid trial before anyone commits.
Recruitment, assessment, matching and SME financial modelling are funded by Innovate UK’s TechLocal competition. Three specialist partners deliver the programme across London, Yorkshire and Humber, and the West Midlands.
Meet the delivery partnersFind your way forward
A pathway that works for you.
For rail supply chain SMEs
The skills you need.
A clearer way to hire.
Bring AI, cybersecurity and connectivity skills into your business. Meet assessed candidates, understand the financial case and see the fit through real work.
For SMEs in London, Yorkshire and Humber, and the West Midlands.
The numbers, before the decision
CloudFO models the financial case for a hire around your business and rail contracts, so you can make an informed decision.
Four weeks to see the fit
A four-week paid trial gives you and the candidate time to work together. Your business pays the candidate’s wages; there is no obligation to hire afterwards.
What you pay, made clear.
The programme services are free. You pay the candidate’s trial wages. If you hire, the role must offer at least 25 hours a week for at least six months, at or above the Living Wage.
From first conversation to a real decision
Five steps. A practical next move.
- 01
Register interest
Tell us about your business and the digital skills you need.
- 02
See the numbers
Explore a financial model specific to your business.
- 03
Meet your match
Meet a candidate assessed for capability and readiness.
- 04
Try working together
Begin a supported, four-week paid trial. You pay wages.
- 05
Make your decision
Hire into a qualifying role, or finish the trial with no obligation to hire.
The questions that matter.
What does this cost my business?
Recruitment, assessment, matching and financial modelling are funded, with no recruitment fee or commission. You pay trial wages and, if you offer a job, the ongoing wages and employment costs.
Am I committing to hire?
No. The four-week paid trial comes first. If you decide to hire afterwards, the job must offer at least 25 hours per week for at least six months, at or above the Living Wage.
Which skills and locations does this cover?
The programme focuses on entry-level AI, cybersecurity and connectivity talent for rail supply chain SMEs in London, Yorkshire and Humber, and the West Midlands.
For people with potential
Show what you can do.
Find where you belong.
Taken a non-traditional route? Your capability matters. Put your AI, cybersecurity or connectivity skills in front of a rail business with a real need.
Free to take part across London, Yorkshire and Humber, and the West Midlands.
Ability over assumptions
Apply with a short form and your CV. Your CV helps with matching; the assessment focuses on how you think and what you can do.
Real work. A paid trial.
If matched, you can take part in a supported, four-week paid trial with a real employer. Get the chance to demonstrate your skills in practice.
A route to meaningful employment
A trial may lead to a job with at least 25 hours a week, for at least six months, at or above the Living Wage. A match or job offer is not guaranteed.
Different routes in. The same chance to show your potential.
Non-traditional career routes are welcome. The programme aims for at least 40% of roles to go to women, with progress tracked throughout. This is a programme target, not an eligibility restriction or guarantee.
Your pathway
A chance to prove yourself through real work.
- 01
Apply
Share your details, CV, skills and interests.
- 02
Show your capability
Complete Data Story’s assessment and readiness process.
- 03
Explore a match
Be considered for a rail SME or a live project with a relevant need.
- 04
Take a paid trial
If matched, try four weeks of real, supported work.
- 05
Consider the next step
If the employer offers a role, decide whether it is right for you.
A little more clarity.
Am I guaranteed a job?
No. Taking part does not guarantee a match, trial placement or job. Candidates are assessed and matched against live employer needs, and any offer depends on the employer’s decision and the fit after a trial.
Do I have to pay to take part?
No. Candidate participation, assessment and matching are free. If you are matched to a trial, it is paid work.
Will taking part affect my benefits?
The implications for welfare benefits are awaiting confirmation with DWP. We cannot promise that benefits will be unaffected. Before starting paid work, check your individual circumstances with DWP or an appropriate benefits adviser.
For rail companies and the wider industry
A stronger supply chain.
A model to build on.
Digital capability starts with the businesses delivering the work. This programme brings assessed talent into rail supply chain SMEs and tests a practical pathway into sustainable employment.
Learn about the delivery partnershipCapability where it is needed
AI, cybersecurity and connectivity skills are increasingly important for rail contracts. The programme focuses on SMEs with live business needs.
Practical evidence from real work
Assessed candidates, business-specific financial modelling and paid trials bring employer demand and candidate capability into the same process.
A model the industry can reuse
The programme plans to publish a replicable model and share learning with bodies including the Railway Industry Association, NSAR and Rail Forum.
What the programme brings together
Live demand. A business case. Assessed talent.
- 01
Identify demand
Scobic connects the programme to rail SMEs and employer needs.
- 02
Model the opportunity
CloudFO examines the financial case for each SME hire.
- 03
Assess capability
Data Story leads assessment, readiness and candidate matching.
- 04
Learn through work
A four-week paid trial tests the match in a real business.
- 05
Share the model
The planned published model will capture learning for the wider industry.
For the wider rail industry.
Are you asking rail companies to recruit?
This route is primarily for understanding the programme and receiving updates. The recruitment pathway focuses on rail supply chain SMEs. If you have a relevant employer need or want to discuss the programme, register your interest.
Can we see the published model now?
The model is planned for publication. Register for an update and we can notify you when it is available; there is no published model linked here yet.
Who is delivering the programme?
Data Story Ltd leads the partnership and candidate assessment. Alchemy Box Ltd, trading as CloudFO, provides SME financial modelling. Scobic Ltd brings rail relationships and employer demand. The programme is funded by Innovate UK’s TechLocal competition.
Three specialists. One shared purpose.
The right experience.
Working together.
Scobic understands rail and its employers. CloudFO builds the financial case for an SME hire. Data Story assesses, prepares and matches the talent.
Together, they connect people with opportunity and help rail SMEs make a considered investment in digital capability.
Who’s behind the programmeThe next step starts here