Essex women are encouraged to become train drivers
Greater Anglia marks International Women's Day by running bespoke events and training days for women in the rail industry.
Sarah Swanston has been a qualified train driver for 25 years and is also a panellist for the women in rail group, Up!
An industry that was previously considered very much a man's domain is now offering a range of career opportunities for the female workforce.
Rail operator Greater Anglia has recently launched a campaign to encourage more women to apply for train driver roles across Essex, and beyond.
Designed to mark International Women’s Day, a bespoke event at Greater Anglia’s academy in Stratford, will see 40 women who currently work for the company come together to explore their options.
During the event, they will be able to find out more about the recruitment process, assessments and driver training. They will also be able to join a Q&A session with some of the company’s female drivers and experience driving first-hand in a virtual train simulator.
Katy Bucknell, HR director at Greater Anglia, said: “We are always looking to attract more women into the railway. We are running three female driver information days this year for internal colleagues to give them insight into the role of a driver.
"We recently recruited drivers and conductors and 50 per cent of the new recruits who already worked for the company were female.
"The railway is a great place to work with many benefits and we’re hoping more women consider a career as a train driver."
Greater Anglia also has a 'women in rail group', Up! which runs sessions for all employees throughout the year. They have run 'inspirational women in leadership' discussions and developmental webinars on imposter syndrome, emotional intelligence and personal brand and will continue to run events throughout the year.
One of the panellists, Sarah Swanston, has been a qualified train driver for 25 years.
Sarah, who is now a manager, said: “Every year, we are seeing more and more women applying for train driver roles and this event is a great opportunity for people to find out more about what the job entails.
"Some of our female drivers have been here for decades, but we are always looking to recruit more women. We want women to know that being a train driver is a great career choice."
By 2025, Greater Anglia has an ambition to achieve an equal gender balance across its entire workforce, including leadership roles.
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