International Women’s Day: Women at LNER and Northern in spotlight

Those are the words of trainee Northern train driver Shanice Lent based in York.

The 30-year-old has shared her story of joining the rail industry to inspire a new generation of women to follow in her footsteps for International Women’s Day – a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women on Friday (March 8).

Shanice first joined Northern as a conductor after working on cruise ships.

“When I first started as a conductor in York there was only one female driver, but when I qualify there will be five,” she said. “It’s definitely moving in the right direction and I think that people are very open to that as well.”

Almost 20 per cent of Northern employees are women, with more than 1,300 employed in a variety of roles across the business.

Staff at LNER echoed Shanice’s call for more women to enter the industry.

Train driver Clare Caddick has been with the company for 10 years and joined the driving team nearly four years ago.

“At the time I took the driver’s role, I remember there weren’t as many women doing it,” she said. “It’s a big responsibility and I believed that I could handle it, so I went for it.

Caroline Schofield, Olivia Mouter, Clare Caddick, Melike Dila Karatas (Image: Lisa Portinar)

“There’s a way to go but I think even a few years ago it was a statement to be a female driver and it’s great to see how things are changing.” 

Data from the York-based form shows it is on track to meet its ambition of 45 per cent overall female representation by 2025, with the number of women in the business rising to 43.3 per cent over the last year.

An LNER spokesperson added the number of women promoted from within has also risen, accounting for 45.3 per cent of all promotions compared with 40.4 per cent previously.

'We want to encourage even more women to join the industry'

Melike Dila Karatas joined LNER as a senior data scientist eight months ago and is responsible for machine learning and artificial intelligence solutions to crucial rail projects, including understanding customer behaviour.

“When I told some of my family and friends that I was joining the railway, it was initially met with some surprise,” she said. “Some of those reactions influenced my decision to join the company, helping to change perceptions and expectations.”

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Melike added: “Women play a crucial role in the field of data science and AI, allowing for diverse perspectives and skills that contribute to the overall success and impact of the field.”

Claire Ansley, people and customer experience director at LNER, said the firm is “committed” to reaching its ambitious target of 45 per cent female representation by 2025.

“There are so many opportunities in rail, and we want to encourage even more women to join the industry,” she added.