Our Rail and Civil Engineering Academy is renowned for delivering some of the UK's most in-depth training in the rail and civil engineering sectors.
Whether you have a keen interest in the rail and civil industries or have a technical problem-solving mind, a degree from Newcastle College University Centre will provide you with an excellent foundation for a rewarding career in these vital sectors.
As a degree student you will learn from industry-experienced tutors in our simulated Rail and Civil Engineering Academy. Our facilities feature an indoor and outdoor track, overhead lines, level crossings and signalling infrastructure as well as being equipped with a soils laboratory, surveying structure and electronics lab.
Our employer partnerships will help you to thrive. Our Rail and Civil degrees have been created alongside some of the biggest names in industry and provide you with the opportunity to experience and problem-solve real-life scenarios.
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What can I study?
FdEng Rail Engineering
This degree will equip you with multi-disciplinary rail engineering and management skills to help you enter the industry.
Length: 2 years
Study: Full-Time
Start date: 8th September 2025
Location: Rail Academy, Gateshead
HNC Civil Engineering
The qualification aims to widen access to higher education and enhance the career prospects of those who undertake it.
Length: 1 year
Study: Full-Time
Start date: 8th September 2025
Location: Rail Academy, Gateshead
HNC Civil Engineering (Part-Time)
The qualification aims to widen access to higher education and enhance the career prospects of those who undertake it.
Length: 2 years
Study: Part-Time
Start Date: Various
Location: Rail Academy, Gateshead
Get In Touch
Meet our staff and students
Tia Jones
BSc (Hons) Engineering Management (Top-Up)"My current degree course gives me skills and experience far more tailored to a future in Rail Engineering than many other courses in the area offered. Even though it's quite specialised, the content itself is actually very versatile, which appeals because it keeps my professional horizons open moving forwards. The practical slant of the course has also meant I've gained really useful skills and experience in preparation for industry, which is far better than what I would have received elsewhere."
What can I do with a qualification in Rail and Civil?
Daily tasks:
- Organises and establishes control systems to monitor operational efficiency and performance of materials and systems.
- Ensures that equipment, operation and maintenance comply with design specifications and safety standards.
- Designs mechanical equipment, such as steam, internal combustion and other non-electrical motors for railway locomotives, road vehicles, aeroplanes and other machinery.
- Determines materials, equipment, piping, capacities, layout of plant or system and specification for manufacture.
- Undertakes research and advises on energy use, materials handling, thermodynamic processes, fluid mechanics, vehicles and environmental controls.
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Daily tasks:
- Organises and establishes control systems to monitor the performance and safety of electrical assemblies and systems.
- Ensures that manufacture, operation and maintenance comply with design specifications and contractual arrangements.
- Determines and specifies manufacturing methods of electrical systems.
- Supervises, controls and monitors the operation of electrical generation, transmission and distribution systems.
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Daily tasks:
- Prepares specifications for materials and other components.
- Produces final design information for use in preparation of layouts, parts lists, etc..
- Arranges construction and testing of model or prototype and modifies design if necessary.
- Prepares working designs for steam, aero, turbine, marine and electrical engines, mechanical instruments, aircraft and missile structures, vehicle and ship structures, plant and machinery equipment, domestic electrical appliances, building systems and services, and electronic computing and telecommunications equipment.
- Assesses product requirements, including costs, manufacturing feasibility and market requirements.
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Daily tasks:
- Provides technical consultancy services.
- Examines and advises on patent applications.
- Prepare sketches, drawings and specifications showing materials to be used, construction and finishing methods and other details.
- Devises and implements control systems to monitor operational efficiency and performance of system and materials.
- Designs new systems and equipment with regard to cost, market requirements and feasibility of manufacture.
- Establishes principles and techniques to improve the quality, durability and performance of materials such as textiles, glass, rubber, plastics, ceramics, metals and alloys.
- Researches into problem areas to advance basic knowledge, evaluate new theories and techniques and to solve specific problems.
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Daily tasks:
- Inspects and issues tickets on trains, deals with passenger enquiries, and takes charge of goods being transported on train.
- Checks control panel operation before start of journey, operates train door controls and signals to driver to start or stop train.
- Attends to the safety, welfare and comfort of passengers on trains and manages train crew.
- Assists passengers with special needs to board and leave trains.
- Loads and unloads mail, goods and luggage, operates lifts and hoists and drives small trucks.
- Helps with passenger enquiries and makes announcements over a public address system at stations.
- Examines and collects tickets at the ticket barrier of a railway station.
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Daily tasks:
- Monitors the standards of scientific and technical research undertaken by the research team.
- Plans work schedules, assigns tasks and delegates responsibilities to the research and development team.
- Develops research methodology, implements and reports upon research investigations undertaken.
- Liaises with production departments to investigate and resolve manufacturing problems.
- Establishes product design and performance objectives in consultation with other business functions.
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Daily tasks:
- Fastens together sections of rail by bolting fishplates to rails.
- Positions lengths of rail, sets of points and crossovers and secures rail with bolts, wooden wedges or clips.
- Spreads ballast and lays sleepers or metal plates at specified intervals.
- Lubricates points, examines fences, drains, culverts and embankments and carries out any necessary maintenance.
- Checks tightness of bolts and wedges, replaces damaged rail chairs and repacks ballast under sleepers if necessary.
- Patrols length of track and visually inspects rails, bolts, fishplates and chairs for distortion or fracture.
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Daily tasks:
- Checks loading of tubs and carriages, and informs driver of load distribution and any special features of route.
- Assists drivers in the operation of diesel, diesel-electric, electric and steam locomotives.
- Examines shunting instructions, uncouples wagons and coaches, guides movement of carriages using manual points and wagon breaks, links-up carriages, ensures security of couplings and reconnects brake and heating systems.
- Operates signals and opens and closes barriers at level crossings as required.
- Examines schedules and decides priority of movement of trains, monitors movement of trains and issues instructions to drivers, signal operatives and level crossing keepers.
- Provides crews for breakdown trains, allocates relief and replacement crews as necessary, keeps crews informed of any line repairs or restrictions, and checks train running times for punctuality.
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What can I do with a qualification in Rail and Civil?
Mechanical engineers
Daily tasks:
- Organises and establishes control systems to monitor operational efficiency and performance of materials and systems.
- Ensures that equipment, operation and maintenance comply with design specifications and safety standards.
- Designs mechanical equipment, such as steam, internal combustion and other non-electrical motors for railway locomotives, road vehicles, aeroplanes and other machinery.
- Determines materials, equipment, piping, capacities, layout of plant or system and specification for manufacture.
- Undertakes research and advises on energy use, materials handling, thermodynamic processes, fluid mechanics, vehicles and environmental controls.
Powered by EMSI
Electrical engineers
Daily tasks:
- Organises and establishes control systems to monitor the performance and safety of electrical assemblies and systems.
- Ensures that manufacture, operation and maintenance comply with design specifications and contractual arrangements.
- Determines and specifies manufacturing methods of electrical systems.
- Supervises, controls and monitors the operation of electrical generation, transmission and distribution systems.
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Design and development engineers
Daily tasks:
- Prepares specifications for materials and other components.
- Produces final design information for use in preparation of layouts, parts lists, etc..
- Arranges construction and testing of model or prototype and modifies design if necessary.
- Prepares working designs for steam, aero, turbine, marine and electrical engines, mechanical instruments, aircraft and missile structures, vehicle and ship structures, plant and machinery equipment, domestic electrical appliances, building systems and services, and electronic computing and telecommunications equipment.
- Assesses product requirements, including costs, manufacturing feasibility and market requirements.
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Engineering professionals n.e.c.
Daily tasks:
- Provides technical consultancy services.
- Examines and advises on patent applications.
- Prepare sketches, drawings and specifications showing materials to be used, construction and finishing methods and other details.
- Devises and implements control systems to monitor operational efficiency and performance of system and materials.
- Designs new systems and equipment with regard to cost, market requirements and feasibility of manufacture.
- Establishes principles and techniques to improve the quality, durability and performance of materials such as textiles, glass, rubber, plastics, ceramics, metals and alloys.
- Researches into problem areas to advance basic knowledge, evaluate new theories and techniques and to solve specific problems.
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Rail travel assistants
Daily tasks:
- Inspects and issues tickets on trains, deals with passenger enquiries, and takes charge of goods being transported on train.
- Checks control panel operation before start of journey, operates train door controls and signals to driver to start or stop train.
- Attends to the safety, welfare and comfort of passengers on trains and manages train crew.
- Assists passengers with special needs to board and leave trains.
- Loads and unloads mail, goods and luggage, operates lifts and hoists and drives small trucks.
- Helps with passenger enquiries and makes announcements over a public address system at stations.
- Examines and collects tickets at the ticket barrier of a railway station.
Powered by EMSI
Research and Development Managers
Daily tasks:
- Monitors the standards of scientific and technical research undertaken by the research team.
- Plans work schedules, assigns tasks and delegates responsibilities to the research and development team.
- Develops research methodology, implements and reports upon research investigations undertaken.
- Liaises with production departments to investigate and resolve manufacturing problems.
- Establishes product design and performance objectives in consultation with other business functions.
Powered by EMSI
Rail Construction and Maintenance Operatives
Daily tasks:
- Fastens together sections of rail by bolting fishplates to rails.
- Positions lengths of rail, sets of points and crossovers and secures rail with bolts, wooden wedges or clips.
- Spreads ballast and lays sleepers or metal plates at specified intervals.
- Lubricates points, examines fences, drains, culverts and embankments and carries out any necessary maintenance.
- Checks tightness of bolts and wedges, replaces damaged rail chairs and repacks ballast under sleepers if necessary.
- Patrols length of track and visually inspects rails, bolts, fishplates and chairs for distortion or fracture.
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Rail Transport Operatives
Daily tasks:
- Checks loading of tubs and carriages, and informs driver of load distribution and any special features of route.
- Assists drivers in the operation of diesel, diesel-electric, electric and steam locomotives.
- Examines shunting instructions, uncouples wagons and coaches, guides movement of carriages using manual points and wagon breaks, links-up carriages, ensures security of couplings and reconnects brake and heating systems.
- Operates signals and opens and closes barriers at level crossings as required.
- Examines schedules and decides priority of movement of trains, monitors movement of trains and issues instructions to drivers, signal operatives and level crossing keepers.
- Provides crews for breakdown trains, allocates relief and replacement crews as necessary, keeps crews informed of any line repairs or restrictions, and checks train running times for punctuality.
Powered by EMSI
Good to know
Our degrees explained
How can I progress?
Apprenticeships
Earn while you learn with an apprenticeship at Newcastle College.
Levels Explained
Trying to make sense of your grades? Not sure what you can study? Read our handy 'levels explained' guide.