03 June 2025 • 8 min read
Local rail operator Trenitalia c2c has appointed four new members of permanent staff, following their successful completion of the c2c/King’s Trust ‘Get into Railways’ programme.
Our new colleagues have joined following an extensive introduction programme run by c2c and The King’s Trust – which offers young people who have struggled to find employment (aged between 18-30) the chance to find employment across multiple industries – with c2c now participating on an annual basis.
The King’s Trust programme is designed to give candidates a detailed introduction to the business, giving both c2c colleagues and The King’s Trust candidates the opportunity to see how and where they would fit within the company’s structure.
c2c’s successful candidates – Jack Wood, Fatihur Rahman, Arif Torofdar and Lindsey Keeling – have all joined the c2c team in permanent roles, following a structured internal interview process. This process is supported by our long-standing partnership with the Occupational Psychology Centre (OPC), whose tailored recruitment tools and expert assessors help ensure that candidates are set up to succeed from the start.
The new recruits are joining various teams across the business, including the HR and Ticket Office teams.
To commemorate the process, c2c has made a film that can be viewed here.
Jessica Lake, c2c Head of Learning and Development, said:
“I am so proud of all our candidates that have come through The King’s Trust programme. All of them are looking for the opportunity to prove themselves, and we’re excited to give many of them that chance through a recruitment journey designed to bring out their best – from depot visits to confidence-building assessments with support from OPC specialists. I can’t wait to see what they achieve.”
Additionally, Rob Mullen, c2c’s Managing Director, added:
“c2c is always on the lookout for fresh new talent and The King’s Trust programme offers us the opportunity to meet so many young people looking to start their careers and all of whom can bring new ideas and thinking to the workplace.
“We are delighted to partner with The King’s Trust and the great work they do in supporting young people find employment.”
Gen Garfield, Youth Development Lead at The King’s Trust, said:
“The Get into Railways with c2c programme was a fantastic opportunity for young people not in education, employment or training to gain work experience in the rail industry. It was amazing to see the young people grow in confidence, develop their skills and support one another throughout the programme.
“The young people reflected that the staff at c2c were really friendly, welcoming and encouraging, which enhanced their experience. Some young people gained employment with c2c and we’re excited to see where their journey takes them.”
John-Paul Uzowuru, c2c’s Project Management Office Executive, graduated from the programme in 2024, he said:
“I joined c2c as part of The King’s Trust programme, so to be on the other side of things this year was an amazing experience for me. To see a new group of young people, eager to get involved – just like I was – with the business and make an impact, is incredibly rewarding and I am excited to see what they bring to c2c.”
Becky Griffiths, Talent Assessor at the Occupational Psychology Centre (OPC), said:
“As Talent Assessors, we’re passionate about supporting candidates throughout their recruitment journey.
“Practice materials can help reduce anxiety, build confidence and, as OPC research suggests, improve a candidate’s chances of performing their best on the real assessment day.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
About c2c
- c2c is the award-winning train operator running services between Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness, serving 26 stations in East London and South Essex.
- Owned by Trenitalia, c2c is one of the UK’s most punctual and popular train operators and nearly 35.8 million journeys are made on its services every year.
- Italian-based Trenitalia is one of Europe’s leading rail operators and the passenger rail arm of FS Italiane Group.
- For more information email mediaenquiries@c2crail.net
Images:
- Featured Image: The King’s Trust candidates visit the c2c East Ham Depot
- Second Image: The King’s Trust three week c2c work experience ends with a presentation and certificates, presented by Jessica Lake, c2c Head of Learning and Development
- Third Image: The King’s Trust candidates at the first c2c session
- Fourth Image: c2c Head of Revenue Protection and Security, Iain Palmer, at the first King’s Trust/c2c session
- Fifth Image: c2c Managing Director, Rob Mullen
- Sixth Image: John-Paul Uzowuru, c2c Project Management Office Executive and former-King’s Trust graduate at the House of Commons for the launch of c2c’s Impact Report with The Purpose Coalition
The c2c/King’s Trust process:
- First, The King’s Trust runs an open day, with many c2c colleagues from across the business attending, giving the candidates and c2c the chance to get to know one another through various tasks and interviews.
- From the initial group, 12 candidates are taken on by c2c for a three-week trial period, where they get to know the business and gain experience by extensively touring the frontline and head office.
- The candidates are given mock interviews.
- Following the successful completion of the three-week period, the candidates are given the opportunity to present to c2c and The King’s Trust colleagues about their experiences and what they have learned.
- Finally, the candidates are interviewed for positions at c2c.
Lindsey Keeling, c2c’s new Office Co-ordinator and 2025 King’s Trust graduate, said of her new role at c2c:
“I want to say thank you to the King’s Trust and c2c for the opportunity to join the ‘Get into Work’ programme.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my working experience with c2c and am grateful for the opportunities they provided, especially the opportunity to visit the East Ham depot and the train simulator at Southend station. I am thrilled to be now working for c2c!”
About The King’s Trust
- At The King’s Trust, we believe that every young person should have the chance to succeed, no matter their background or the challenges they are facing.
- We help young people from disadvantaged communities and those facing the greatest adversity by supporting them to build the confidence and skills to live, learn and earn.
About the Occupational Psychology Centre (OPC) and OPC Assessment
- With over 30 years’ experience as expert psychologists to the rail industry, the Occupational Psychology Centre (OPC) offers psychology-led, tailored solutions to help identify talent, improve team performance and develop a safer culture within safety-critical environments. OPC Assessment is a leading provider of specialist psychometric tools to help identify capability in new applicants and support the development of existing employees.
- They champion a candidate-centric approach, working with rail organisation clients to support applicants ahead of their assessment day. In addition to a wide range of practice materials, they offer Access Training, a preparatory programme designed to help build candidates’ confidence through realistic test practice, deeper insight into psychometric testing, and encouraging feedback from Talent Assessors in a low-pressure setting. The Access Training programme was delivered to c2c/King’s Trust ‘Get into Railway’ applicants to support individuals who may benefit from extra preparation.