Year in Industry Student – Graphic Design
Location: Manchester, GB
Department Name: Engineering Design - Architecture and Buildings (662040)
About Network Rail
Every design we create has the power to influence millions of passengers. On this placement, you'll gain hands‑on experience working across a broad range of creative projects that shape how people navigate and interact with the railway.
You will contribute to wayfinding, visual communication and a variety of design tasks that support the wider team. Whether that's refining station signage and developing wayfinding strategies, developing clear passenger information, or assisting colleagues from other disciplines with visual materials, you'll have plenty of opportunities to apply your design knowledge to real‑world challenges.
You’ll gain hands‑on experience within a team dedicated to producing clear, accessible and effective communication across the rail network. Your work will help improve safety, enhancing passenger journeys through clear and intuitive visual communication.
Throughout your placement, you’ll be supported by experienced designers and mentors to help you develop your professional skills, whilst building a strong and purposeful portfolio.
If bringing your designs into real environments motivates you, this placement offers the platform to do it. When meaningful design matters to you, you matter to us.
Location
Manchester Square One
Salary
£22,932
Fixed Contract Dates
September 2026 – August 2027
What you'll be doing
From public-facing wayfinding strategies to station signage upgrades, you'll start by working on design projects that directly shape how millions of passengers navigate the railway every day. You'll help develop clear, accessible visual communication for live station environments, giving you the chance to see how your creative decisions translate into real spaces across the network.
Alongside this, you'll also support internal signage and communication projects for offices and depots across the business. These internal environments are just as important – helping colleagues work safely, efficiently and confidently.
As part of our internal design team, you'll work with clients from across Network Rail, meaning no two days are ever the same. You'll experience a broad range of live briefs, contribute to internal branding and marketing opportunities and provide day-to-day creative input into projects of all shapes and sizes.
And you won't be confined to a desk – you'll have opportunities to get out on the network, visiting stations and operational environments to understand how your work performs in context.
Throughout your placement, you'll collaborate with designers and colleagues from multiple disciplines, gaining real‑world experience and putting the theoretical knowledge from your studies into meaningful practice.
Who you are matters
You'll need to be in your penultimate year at university and studying Graphic Design or a closely related creative discipline. We're not focused on grades – we care about your ability, your passion for design and your drive to make the most of this opportunity.
We're looking for someone who wants to grab this placement with both hands and shape it into a meaningful starting point for their future career. Curiosity, enthusiasm and a willingness to learn, experiment and contribute positively are qualities we value highly.
You should be a creative thinker who enjoys solving visual communication challenges and crafting clear, thoughtful design solutions. Strong communication skills are important as you'll be collaborating with colleagues across a range of disciplines. You'll also need to be organised, proactive and comfortable in managing your own time effectively.
You’ll also need the flexibility to occasionally travel to attend training opportunities and site visits at various locations across the UK.
What You'll Get Out Of It
We are passionate to supporting the next generation of creative talent and you'll be surrounded by a team who want to help you grow. Throughout your placement you’ll receive guidance, feedback and support from experienced designers and colleagues across the business.
Over the 12 months you’ll gain a well‑rounded understanding of what it's like to work as an in‑house designer within a large, complex organisation. You’ll build real‑world experience across signage, wayfinding, visual communication and internal creative projects – all whilst developing the confidence to take ideas from concept to final implementation.
By the end of your placement, you’ll leave with a stronger portfolio, a deeper understanding of design in real environments and a clearer sense of your own creative direction. Impress us, and you will have established a key network of contacts to help start your career after your degree at university ends.
We matter to millions. You could too.
How To Apply
Closing date: 23 rd April. On occasions, we may need to close the advert early based upon application volumes. Late applications may not be accepted.
Next Steps: Assessments will be held in early‑mid June, depending on business requirements.
Safe behaviour is a requirement of working for Network Rail. Applicants should be able to demonstrate their awareness of our Safety Vision.
All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre‑employment checks. Click here for more information.
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