User:Adeline Ginn/Women in Rail

Women in Rail is involved with supporting and encouraging women in the rail sector.

The main objectives of the group are to provide networking opportunities and support for all women in the rail industry, promote rail as an attractive career choice and develop strategies for engaging young people to consider a career in rail.

Women in Rail was created on 17th April 2012 and can currently be accessed through a group on the LinkedIn business networking site.

Women in Rail is a:

-	Networking group: it brings together women for a diverse group of undertakings and stakeholders involved in the UK rail industry and provides a forum for women to connect, meet like-mined women and, through topical events, exchange ideas on issues relating to the rail industry;

-	Support group: it aims to develop a coaching and mentoring scheme where women and young graduates will share their experiences and receive help with their careers; and

-	Lobbying group: it aims to bring more women to the industry through promoting the rail sector at schools and universities, discussing apprenticeships with key stakeholders and positioning rail as an attractive career choice, one which is on the “standard menu” of possible careers for young women.

The rationale for the creation of the group was simply the recognition that there are few women currently working in the rail sector and the rail industry needs women. There is no feeling amongst members of Women in Rail that the UK rail industry is discriminatory or “anti-female” but rather that the current situation appears to have developed because of the long, male-dominated history of the sector and the industrial culture which that history brings with it. Women in Rail recognises the benefit the industry would receive from having more females employees and is committed to encouraging younger women to consider it as a career path.

The Women in Rail membership currently includes board members, senior managers, engineers and professionals from a wide range of undertakings and stakeholders across the industry, including rolling stock companies, train operators, infrastructure providers, regulatory authorities, as well as manufacturers, suppliers and investors.

In 2012, the group has engaged with MPs (Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP, Lilian Greenwood MP, Esther McVey MP) to raise awareness to the need to support women in (or intending to join) the rail industry, to promote diversity and to make the rail industry an attractive career opportunity.

Women in Rail hosted its launch event on 10th April 2013 and is shortly to launch, amongst other things, a mentoring scheme for the benefit of women within the rail sector.