Diversity
We are committed to promoting diversity in the workforce. We know the rail industry is heavily male-dominated. Men account for 82% of our current workforce, although the managing directors of our three largest rail companies are women. The average age of our workforce is 42.
At present we do not have division-wide data on the ethnic diversity of our workforce. Only First Capital Connect and First Great Western collate ethnicity data. We are committed to better monitoring of diversity within the organisation and to aligning current best equal opportunities practice across the train operating companies.
Each train operating company currently has its own mechanisms for promoting equal opportunity and diversity. First ScotRail has focused on encouraging women to become train drivers (women in particular are underrepresented - only 2% of their drivers are women). A campaign fronted by one of the company's female drivers has led to a 10% rise in the number of women applying to drive trains.
Promoting Female Train Drivers
Eva Brodie was 22 when she started driver training in 2002 after graduating from Glasgow University with a BSC Honours degree in geography. Until then, she had thought of accountancy or scientific fieldwork in geology, but had never considered train driving as a career.
"I have no regrets. It was a wise choice," said Eva, who added that the main attractions of the job were the salary, security and flexibility.
"It's not a nine-to-five job, and I really enjoy it. I particularly like the flexibility it offers - and the reaction when people find out what I do. Most say 'Good for you,' and I still smile when thinking of the elderly male customer who doffed his hat and said: 'Gaun' yourself..."
