Our speaker in March was Emma Lowe, who spoke about Women in Rail, to members.
Emma Lowe, Operations Professional Development Manager, Network Rail
An occupational psychologist with 30 years of professional railway experience. Emma worked predominantly in the field of human factors, but also in safety, competence management, training and leadership development.
For the last 10 years, she has led on initiatives to integrate non-technical skills into competence and training arrangements, focusing on frontline operational staff.
Male Dominated Industry
Emma started her career with Network Rail (previously Rail Track) after a three-week temping job. Safety was a fascinating subject and she got the Railway bug, building her career in safety training. When she began her career, very few women were in the Railway industry.
Human Factors
Covering a wide variety of interesting aspects of the railway and its training needs, Emma captivated her audience, including answering questions from members. Emma explained how Network Rail supports drivers when someone decides to end their life by jumping in front of a train. The support and peer support that is encouraged, allows drivers to deal with the trauma of such an event.
Thought-provoking was the statement that alongside training, the industry aims to ‘design out’ potentiality for mistakes and the probability of error, so it isn’t just human factors that are relied on for safety. Training has been designed to be interactive and table-top exercises prepare staff before an event happens, by simulation.
Facing Point is a podcast that Emma promoted, it talks about all things rail Facing Points • A podcast on Anchor
Improving Female Representation
This balance of male/female workers is now changing, with the 20 in 20 aim that was almost achieved (19%). 20% female workforce by 2020. The new goals are 26% with 30% of those in leadership roles.
Men as Allies to Women in Rail
Emma feels that the industry is changing as men also support the gender balance of women and men, citing the Men as Allies campaign within the industry. Men are supporting gender equality. Women no longer have to pretend to be men.
- 1851: 3 women were listed as railway workers
- WW1: the proportion of women in rail increased from 2 to 66%with 66,000 women working by the end of the war
- 1918: Only 200 women were left working in rail
- WW2: National conscription of women. 105, 000 employed as part of the war effort
- 1978: Karen Harrison became the first woman train driver’s assistant
- 2012: Women in Rail charity founded
- 2014: ‘Inspire’ employee gender equality network formed
- 2017: 20 by 20 announced
- 2020: 19% women. 26% target set for 2024, with 30% in leadership roles
- 2021: Network Rail is amongst The Time Top 50 Employers for Women
- 2021: Gender pay gap report details a pay gap of 12.9% which is lower than the UK pay gap of 15.5%