16.05.14
More women needed in rail industry
More women should be encouraged to “come on board” and take advantage of the opportunities the rail industry has to offer for them, according to transport minister Baroness Susan Kramer.
Speaking at the Women in Rail event in Derby this week, the minister stated that only 17.8% of people working in the rail sector are women and, currently, only 4.4% of the sector’s engineering workforce is female, two issues that need to be addressed.
Baroness Kramer said: “The Women in Rail group has done a great job in raising awareness of careers in rail, and I am determined to help them break down the barriers that prevent women from joining the industry.
“It is an incredibly exciting time to work in rail, especially as we are currently investing in the biggest programme of rail modernisation since Victorian times.”
During the event at the East Midlands Trains Academy, more than 50 men and women from across the rail and engineering industries with representatives from East Midlands Trains, Network Rail, Virgin Trains, Bombardier Transportation and the University of Derby in attendance.
Clare Burles, Women in Rail steering group member and human resources director of East Midlands Trains, said: “The best way we can help to encourage more women to work in rail is by working hard to get into the mindset of our future engineers from an early age.
“By influencing girls whilst they are still at school and college and helping them realise there are lots of exciting opportunities waiting for them out there, we can help provide a more diverse and skilled workforce.”
She added that the conference provided a great opportunity to talk about the issues that are holding women back from developing their careers in the rail sector.
(Image: L-R David Horne, managing director of East Midlands Trains; Adeline Ginn, founder of Women in Rail, and Baroness Kramer, minister of state for Transport)
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