A skills shortage in the UK rail sector has led Transport Secretary Lord Andrew Adonis to launch the National Skills Academy for Railway Engineering (NSARE).
NSARE, announced on 30 March, will train young people in railway engineering, said Lord Adonis.
The academy, part of the National Skills Academy Network, is expected to develop UK railway industry expertise by raising the rail engineering standards.
The initiative is expected to meet the needs of railway engineering skills, in the UK and abroad, and benefit the UK economy for years to come.
NSARE received UK government approval on 17 March 2010.
The academy, scheduled to commence operations in 2011, will now move into a detailed business planning stage.
The UK's Railway Industry Association is the lead promoter of the NSARE project.
