Go-Ahead celebrates its successes in attracting more women to the bus sector
- One-in-three applications for Go-Ahead’s 2020 bus management graduate scheme came from women
- Go-Ahead has set a target to increase female representation in its bus companies from 11% to 20% by 2025
- The company launched an industry-first “Women in Bus” network in 2019
- Go-Ahead has a gender-balanced board with over 50% female representation
The Go-Ahead Group is marking International Women’s Day by celebrating its progress in attracting more women into the bus industry at every level.
Following the launch of its “Women in Bus” network, the rail and bus operator has seen a jump in numbers of female applicants for its bus management graduate scheme.
Over a third (35%) of graduate applications in 2020 came from women – up from 23% in 2019.
Successful applicants to the graduate scheme learn all aspects of management: from scheduling services and managing teams to making decisions that impact the two million journeys Go-Ahead bus services every day.
Graduates will join companies across the country, such as Go North East, the Oxford Bus Company and Go-Ahead London. They will aim to follow the lead of people such as Rachel Perkins, a Cambridge graduate who signed up to Go East Anglia’s graduate scheme in 2018.
Go-Ahead has also succeeded in employing women in senior leadership positions, with women now accounting for 30% of senior bus roles. This is a significant increase from 7% in 2015.
Katy Taylor, Go-Ahead Group’s Customer & Commercial Director said: “It's good news to see that one-in-three applications for graduate roles in our bus operations now come from women. There is still a long way to go, but landmark initiatives such as ‘Women in Bus’ are beginning to make a tangible difference.”
“I hope that our progress can inspire fresh commitment across the transport sector as we work together to break down the barriers, challenge the stereotypes and attract women to careers in bus.”
In addition, Go-Ahead has seen a significant increase in hiring female apprentices. At Go-Ahead London, 17% of apprentice bus drivers are women. Go-Ahead London is also working with Transport for London on a “Women with Drive” project - a pre-employment programme targeted to hiring women into the bus sector.
Currently only 11% of Go-Ahead’s 15,500 bus employees are female, reflecting the traditional male dominance in the sector. The company has set a goal to increase representation up to 20% by 2025 – doubling the number of women across the company.
Go-Ahead is already one of few FTSE 250 companies to have a female-majority board. Last year, it launched a “Women in Bus” network to support and empower female colleagues in Go-Ahead bus companies across the country.