Marvin OnumonuTransPennine Express and Network Rail teamed up for a two-week programme to show women returning after a career break what jobs in rail could offer.
The ‘Never Mind the Gap’ scheme, run with Women in Rail, gave a small group free training and placements to learn about roles in the industry.
Participants used a virtual reality simulator at the TransPennine Express depot in Ardwick to try being a train driver.
They toured Manchester Piccadilly with Network Rail staff and saw behind the scenes of onboard catering.
The group also spoke with revenue protection officers and took part in workshops focused on interview skills and curriculum vitae (CV) writing.
At the end, everyone received a certificate for their CV.
Nicola Buckley, people director at TransPennine Express, said: “Women currently make up 24 per cent of our workforce, and we’re committed to increasing that number by continuing to empower and inspire more women to join the rail industry.
“There are incredible career paths available in rail, and we’re proud to highlight some of these through our ‘Never Mind the Gap’ initiative.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for women returning to work after a career break or those looking to explore a new direction.”
Buckley added: “Greater representation of women in these roles is essential—it helps ensure our workforce better reflects the diverse communities we serve.”
Amanda McCormick, senior human resources business partner at Network Rail, said: “We’re dedicated to making our workforce more diverse and reflective of the communities we serve.
“Currently, women make up around 13% of our route workforce.
“Initiatives like Never Mind the Gap are so important in enabling women to experience the variety of career opportunities available to them in the rail industry and show that a career in the rail industry is for everyone.
“It’s been fantastic to see how much the participants have enjoyed the variety of different placements across Network Rail and TPE.”
