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Andrew Feinberg

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South Western Railway (SWR) has launched a new recruitment drive aimed at encouraging more women to become train drivers.

The train operator, which runs services mainly in the south of England and Greater London has said it is “committed to closing the gender gap in the rail industry”.

SWR say they are hoping to increase the representation of women within the railway sector after revealing that only eight per cent of their train drivers are women, which is in line with the national average.

The company is opening applications for vacancies in its Farnham, Frattorn, Waterloo and Weymouth depots, encouraging women to apply for their training placements to become fully qualified train drivers on the rail network.

Men have dominated the UK rail industry for years, with only 16 per cent of the entire rail workforce being women as of 2023, according to the National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR).

Apart from a dip in 2022, this percentage has been on a steady increase over the past seven years. However, since 2016, the proportion of women who work in rail has increased by only five per cent.

Women have differing representation within the various rail sectors. According to NSAR, around 40 per cent of those working in rail business management are women, which includes HR, finance and administrative roles.

Yet, in other areas, such as civil and structural engineering for the rail industry, women make up less than 10 per cent of this workforce. All sectors are dominated by men.

In hopes of recruiting more women to join their driver training schemes, SWR highlights that its train drivers are offered flexibility to make it easier to plan for family occasions, holidays, and childcare.

Fraser Dawson, SWR’s recruitment business partner said: “Our people are our greatest asset, and we’re committed to fostering a more diverse and inclusive organisation, where everyone is recognised and represented.

“We want to encourage applications from all sections of the community. By opening doors to more women, we gain a wider talent pool, fresh perspectives and experience to help shape the industry for the future.

“Our latest recruitment campaign showcases our inclusive, flexible workplace culture, the benefits and the development opportunities available – no matter where people are in their career journey. If you’ve ever wondered about working in rail, take the leap and join us on this exciting journey.”

No previous rail experience is necessary to apply for SWR’s training programme. Once accepted onto the course, trainees must complete a minimum of 225 hours of driving with an instructor and carry out 18 months of training before qualifying as drivers.

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