At Women in Rail we have enjoyed a busy start to the year as we continue to plan for a bigger and brighter 2019. Reflecting on our achievements last year, it was amazing to think how we collectively came together as an industry; we continued to make strides towards bridging the skills gap and celebrated gender diversity, and we now look to build on this momentum over the coming year.
We welcomed our fifth mentee intake at the start of this year, with over 200 people coming forward to be a part of the programme. The success of the mentoring programme, which has seen substantial growth from twelve pairs in 2014, to over 200 this year, is a true testament to the commitment by the whole industry to support a cross-industry mentoring initiative, ensuring the continued development of our workforce, while providing a support network for men and women in the UK rail sector.
Opportunities for continued professional development and a robust support network for all rail professionals is vital to ensuring we harness and retain talent within the sector. This month, we celebrate the launch of Women in Rail London, a newly formed steering committee which will help to further shape the direction of our network in the London region, strengthening the opportunities across the capital for our members as we continue to develop and further our offering.
The Big Rail Diversity Challenge before the summer provides an opportunity for the industry to come together to demonstrate our commitment to improving gender balance, diversity and inclusion within and across the rail family. If you have not yet taken part in the Challenge, which is back for its fourth year this summer, I would encourage you to join us for a really exciting and motivational networking opportunity.
As a guest writer for Rail Business Daily this week, I’m delighted that I’ll be joined by colleagues from across our sector, who will share with you their experiences of working with Women in Rail and the steps we are taking to redress gender diversity in the workplace.
About the author:
General Counsel at Angel Trains, Adeline Ginn founded Women in Rail in 2012 and is the Chair of the organisation. Women in Rail was created to improve gender balance, diversity and inclusion in the UK rail industry. For more information visit http://womeninrail.org/.
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info@railbusinessdaily.com
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