Network Rail looks to boost number of female engineers

Network Rail have pledged to take a new approach as it seeks to increase the number of women working on the railways after new research has revealed that girls can be put off a career in engineering from the age of 11.

Focus groups with schoolgirls across the country suggest that the age of 11 represents a watershed point to attract girls to a career in engineering.

The research was undertaken by InnovationBubble, across Edinburgh, London, Bangor, Birmingham and Leeds in the UK, and included interviewing over 100 girls aged between 7 and 15.

The ‘Switch On, Switch Off’ research revealed a key window of opportunity exists to interest girls in the profession, with girls of primary school age being most receptive to becoming an engineer and responding favourably to female role models.

The research found that girls aged 7 to 9 were switched off engineering, believing it be too dirty and messy but switched on by understanding the social purpose of engineering.

Girls aged 10 to 12 were concerned that engineering is dangerous and that they lacked the strength for the job but responded positively to role models in engineering.

Girls aged 13 to 15 felt it was unglamorous and unsocial but liked the opportunity to stand out with a different career choice.

Network Rail have promised to use the results of this research to boost its school programme in the hope thousands of girls will be encouraged to consider a career working on the railways. Careers advice will be provided and the Company will look to continue to find and appoint role models among its staff to serve as ambassadors for women working on the railways.

Network Rail will roll-out a work experience programme in conjunction with Barclays which will be introduced in the new school year. The Company will also stage a series of open evenings at training centres targeted at women, showcasing roles, introducing applicants to staff and building the confidence to apply for engineering roles.

Network Rail will work with the campaign group Women in Science, Technology and Engineering (WISE) to gain greater understanding of why girls often don’t pursue careers in these fields, meaning lots of female talent woulds be lost to the industry permanently.

Chief Engineer for Network Rail, Jane Simpson, said: “If my school careers adviser had her way, I would have become a nursery nurse or teacher but I wasn’t willing to accept being pigeon-holed like that.

“Role models are crucial to show girls and women what’s possible and where their potential can take them. I was lucky to have a female role model who saw my potential and helped me realise it. Some quite senior men were astonished that I could talk confidently about complex engineering problems, but they soon came to see me for what I could do, not my gender. As the most senior engineer in one of Britain’s biggest engineering companies, I know I can help girls along a similar path and be part of something special.”

Loraine Martins, Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Network Rail, said: “We have some fantastically smart and creative women working for us, making a big difference to the millions of people who travel by train every single day. We want even more women to be inspired by the job Network Rail does and to join us as we build a bigger railway for a better Britain.

“We know that a more diverse workforce helps increase productivity and creativity and will help us deliver on our multi-billion pound railway upgrade plan over the coming years.”

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