What NTAR does

NTAR (National Training Academy for Rail) is a UK specialist rail training academy and trading name of Siemens Mobility Limited, founded in 2015 as a collaboration between NSAR, the Department for Business and Trade, the Department for Transport, and Siemens Mobility to address a predicted ten-year rail industry skills shortage of 8,000 people. The company operates a £7-million purpose-built training facility in Northampton featuring full-sized train and tram driver cabs, electric doors, brake systems, signal box technology, a Network Rail-developed telecommunications room, 14 learning rooms, and immersive VR/360-degree training rooms, with additional course delivery at TfL's TUCA facility in London and Intertrain's Doncaster site.

The company delivers a portfolio spanning five apprenticeship standards (Level 3 Rail Engineering Technician, Level 3 Engineering Fitter, Level 3 Rail Engineering Design Technician, Level 4 Rail Engineering Advanced Technician, and Level 4 Engineering Manufacturing Technician), technical short courses in Traction & Rolling Stock, Telecoms (Fibre Optics, Copper Datacoms, Telecoms Power, 432 Ribbon Fibre), Trams (TPS/TWS), Health & Safety (IOSH, Manual Handling, COSHH, Fire Awareness), Accident Investigation, Human Factors and Electrification, plus industry competency assessments including Traction Power Distribution Levels A-D (RTAS 0447) and Open Awards Experienced Worker Assessments. An ex-forces transition programme is delivered in partnership with Career Transition Partnership (CTP) and accredited by EAL, with ELCAS credits available.

NTAR generates revenue from four primary streams: Apprenticeship Levy-funded programme delivery (operating as both Main Provider and Specialist Subcontractor), fee-paying short courses and competency assessments (per-delegate pricing, e.g., £492+VAT for the Tramway Possession Supervisor course), conference and facility hire (£2,075/day for the conference room, £330/day for classrooms), and ELCAS-funded ex-forces training. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting UK rail operators and infrastructure companies (20+ employer relationships, including Hitachi Rail, East Midlands Railway, Southeastern, and Siemens Mobility), supplemented by a website self-serve booking channel, named inside-sales contacts (e.g., Kieran Leese-Terry), and CTP referral for armed forces leavers.

Name

NTAR

Legal name

Siemens Mobility Limited

Website

https://ntar.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NTAR is a UK rail training academy (trading name of Siemens Mobility Limited) delivering apprenticeships, technical short courses, and competency assessments in Traction & Rolling Stock, Telecoms, Trams, and Health & Safety through a £7-million purpose-built facility in Northampton and satellite sites.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rail Industry Vocational Training

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Rolling Stock Testing, Inspection & Certification (NDT, commissioning, compliance) (TLAKAIAM)

Keywords

• Rail industry training
• Apprenticeship programmes
• Traction rolling stock
• Telecoms fibre training
• Health safety courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Northampton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Apprenticeship Programme Delivery: Government-regulated apprenticeship programmes funded via the Apprenticeship Levy. NTAR operates as both Main Provider and Specialist Subcontractor. Programmes include Rail Engineering Technician (Level 3), Rail Engineering Design Technician (Level 3), Engineering Fitter (Level 3), Rail Engineering Advanced Technician (Level 4), and Engineering Manufacturing Technician (Level 4).
2. Short Course and Technical Training Fees: Fee-paying short courses including Level 3 Traction and Rolling Stock Certificate, Telecoms (Fibre Optics and Copper Datacoms), Tramway Possession/Worksite Supervisor, Health & Safety courses (IOSH Managing Safely, IOSH Working Safely, Manual Handling, Emergency First Aid), and Electrification assessments. Courses are priced per delegate or per day.
3. Competency Assessments: Industry-recognised rail assessments including Level A, B, C & D Traction Power Distribution Assessments (RTAS 0447, Siemens Mobility Limited) and Open Awards Experienced Worker Assessment (EWA). Charged per assessment per delegate.
4. Venue and Facilities Hire: Conference room (£2,075/day for up to 120 people), standard classroom (£330/day for up to 20), technical classroom, workshop, overflow car park (£55/day), and lunch boxes (£9.75/person) available to hire for conferences, exhibitions, and events.
5. ELCAS Funding for Ex-Forces: Ex-forces courses can be supplemented with Enhanced Learning Credits (ELCAS) received during the leaving process from the armed forces, providing funding pathway for veterans transitioning to rail careers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NTAR (National Training Academy for Rail) provides specialist rail industry training through government-regulated apprenticeship programmes (Level 3 and Level 4), fee-paying short technical courses in Traction & Rolling Stock, Telecoms, Trams, Electrification, and Health & Safety, and competency assessments. The academy operates as both Main Provider and Specialist Subcontractor for apprenticeships, serving rail industry employers, individual learners, and ex-forces personnel transitioning to rail careers. Training is delivered via a £7-million purpose-built facility in Northampton with real rail equipment, VR/360-degree technology, and partnerships with Network Rail, EAL, IOSH, and City & Guilds.

Product overview

NTAR (National Training Academy for Rail) is a training academy operated by Siemens Mobility that provides specialist rail industry training programmes. The offering consists of multiple product categories: (1) Apprenticeship programmes including Level 3 Rail Engineering Technician, Level 3 Engineering Fitter, Level 3 Rail Engineering Design Technician, Level 4 Rail Engineering Advanced Technician, and Level 4 Engineering Manufacturing Technician; (2) Technical training courses in Traction and Rolling Stock, Telecoms (Fibre Optics, Copper Datacoms, Telecoms Power, 432 Ribbon Fibre), Trams (TPS/TWS), Health & Safety (IOSH, Manual Handling, COSHH, Fire Awareness), Accident Investigation, Human Factors, and Electrification; (3) Professional assessments including Traction Power Distribution Assessments (Levels A-D) and Experienced Worker Assessment; (4) Ex-Forces transition programmes developed with Career Transition Partnership and EAL. The portfolio is delivered through a £7-million purpose-built facility in Northampton with virtual reality and immersive training technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% first-time pass rate for apprentices
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship / core, core and minor.

• Siemens Mobility Limitedflagship / coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Siemens Mobility is the parent company operating NTAR as a trading name. NTAR was conceived through collaboration between NSAR, the Department for Business and Trade, Department for Transport, and Siemens Mobility. Siemens Mobility provides governance oversight through SMOPE (Siemens Mobility Professional Education), manages apprenticeship funding compliance with DfE rules, and supports programme quality assurance. NTAR also delivers managed apprenticeship services to Siemens Mobility customers. Kieran Leese-Terry is listed as a Siemens Mobility employee handling NTAR enquiries.
• National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR)flagship / coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015NSAR was the founding skills body partner in the creation of NTAR in 2015. NSAR is the skills body for the UK rail industry and co-conceived NTAR to address a predicted skills gap of 8,000 people over ten years. NTAR is affiliated with and accredited by NSAR. Rachel McCarthy serves as NSAR Press Contact.
• Career Transition Partnership (CTP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCTP is the official MOD resettlement service that provides advice and support to members of the military transitioning to civilian careers. NTAR works closely with CTP to improve courses and support armed forces leavers on their rail career journey. CTP refers exiting personnel to NTAR's ex-forces training programmes including EAL Level 3 Certificate in Traction and Rolling Stock and EAL Level 3 Award in Telecom Fibre and Copper.
• EAL (Embodymore)coreTechnology or IntegrationEAL is an employer-recognised awarding organisation for engineering, manufacturing, building services and related sectors. NTAR has partnered with EAL to develop and accredit training courses for ex-forces personnel transitioning to rail careers. Qualifications include EAL Level 3 Certificate in Traction and Rolling Stock systems and EAL Level 3 Award in Telecom Fibre and Copper.
• Network RailcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNTAR collaborated with Network Rail to invest in a dedicated telecommunications room for practical fibre optics and copper cabling training. This partnership supports the practical training and learned skills required to meet 21st-century rail travel demands, specifically supporting Network Rail's 'Project Reach' programme for 432 ribbon fibre implementation.
• Transport for London (TfL)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNTAR delivers the Tramway Possession Supervisor and Tramway Worksite Supervisor (TPS/TWS) courses at TfL's Tunneling and Underground Construction Academy (TUCA) in London. Successful candidates submit their mentoring pack to the London Trams Training and Competency Manager for approval. TfL arranges card issuance for competent candidates.
• Skills EnglandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNTAR uses Skills England Occupational Maps as a resource to help apprentices understand different pathways in Rail Engineering and plan their future careers. Apprenticeship standards (Rail Engineering Technician, Rail Engineering Design Technician, Engineering Fitter, Engineering Manufacturing Technician) reference Skills England overview pages.
• IntertrainminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional training partner hosting NTAR's Emergency First Aid courses at their Doncaster (DN4 8DE) venue, expanding NTAR's geographic reach for short courses.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lifetime Training: Large UK apprenticeship and vocational training provider covering multiple sectors under the Apprenticeship Levy model, with employer partnership GTM similar to NTAR's. Comparable as a multi-sector vocational apprenticeship peer.
• JTL Training: Major UK apprenticeship provider operating the same Apprenticeship Levy-funded, employer-partnered model as NTAR, though focused on electrical and plumbing trades. Comparable as a vocational apprenticeship specialist with similar GTM and funding mechanics.
• Develop Training: UK-based technical and safety training provider with a dedicated rail division delivering apprenticeship and competency programmes to rail operators and contractors — closely overlapping NTAR's apprenticeship and short-course offering.
• Intertrain: UK rail training provider offering apprenticeships and short courses across traction, signalling, and safety. Intertrain is explicitly named as a regional delivery partner hosting NTAR courses at its Doncaster venue, making it a directly comparable specialist competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Siemens Mobility: Parent company of NTAR and global rail technology and services provider. Comparable as a broad incumbent in rail signalling, rolling stock, and digital services — NTAR operates as its training trading name.
• AtkinsRéalis: Global engineering consultancy and project services firm with a significant UK rail practice, including training, assurance, and competency services. Comparable as an incumbent in the broader UK rail workforce development space, though not a specialist training provider.
• Babcock International: Global infrastructure and rail services group that delivers rail apprenticeship and technical training programmes as part of its broader defence and transportation portfolio. Comparable as a large incumbent with overlapping capability rather than specialist focus.

Others

• QinetiQ: UK-listed defence and technology services company operating rail testing, inspection, and certification services with related training offerings. Comparable as an adjacent rail assurance and competency services provider.
• National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR): UK rail sector skills body and NTAR co-founding partner, coordinating skills policy, frameworks, and provider accreditation. Comparable as the upstream ecosystem orchestrator that channels demand toward providers like NTAR.
• Mott MacDonald: Global engineering consultancy with a UK rail advisory practice covering workforce capability, assurance, and operational training consultancy. Comparable as an adjacent consulting/services player rather than a direct training competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PL3nGFQZlB-E2rqgiEbK5kb5MlEshUo7wW
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ntar

Compliance18 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NTAR