Northern sees sharp rise in job applications from women

Northern says it has seen a “significant rise” in the number of women applying for jobs after it launched a successful recruitment campaign.

‘We’re Not Northern Without Her’ celebrates the operator’s female team members and encourages more women to purse a career in the industry.

It was named Best Diversity and Inclusion Strategy at the Employer Brand Management Awards last week, with judges praising its tangible success.

When it was launched in November last year, around 17 per cent of people applying for jobs with Northern were women. That figure has since risen to 33 per cent.

They said the train operator had “tackled a long-standing gender imbalance” in the rail industry with a highly effective campaign “built around the real experiences of women working in rail”.

Gina Edge, Northern’s Employer Brand Manager, said: “The campaign was built around a really simple ambition: to challenge perceptions of what a career in rail looks like and encourage more women to see that there is a place for them at Northern.

“What makes this recognition particularly special is the impact we’ve seen since the campaign launched.

“Winning this award is fantastic recognition for everyone who helped bring the campaign to life, but the work doesn’t stop here.

“We want to build on that momentum and continue breaking down barriers, challenging perceptions and creating an industry where more women can see themselves building a long-term career.”

The campaign also won Best Resourcing Initiative at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development People Management Awards, during a ceremony in London held on the same day. 

Northern’s traincrew training programme won Best Apprenticeship Scheme at the same ceremony.

Judges praised the “highly effective” programme for drivers and conductors that has addressed the “major challenge” of “training complete novices, many without formal qualifications or sector knowledge”.

The training is delivered at academies in Leeds and Manchester, combining classroom learning and hands on experience.