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TfL Working With Schools To Inspire More Women & Young People To Work In Transport

Written by Amy
  • 12,500 volunteers taking the message to young people of the wide range of opportunities available in the industry.

Some 12,500 volunteers from Transport for London (TfL) and other transport bodies, through the industrywide Women in Transport programme (formerly 100 Years of Women in Transport), have signed up to help inspire and motivate the next generation – particularly young women – to consider a career in transport.

The group, from over 270 organisations, represent a huge array of roles in the industry and have volunteered their time to visit schools, provide work experience placements and present at careers fairs.

A new schools toolkit aimed at 11-16 year olds has also been launched to help inspire young people to choose transport as a career. ‘Inspiring a generation’ includes two short films, which set out the crucial role the transport industry has in society – building and supporting cities and opening up opportunities for millions of people. It also features a suite of online supporting materials showcasing the wide variety of roles that are available within the industry – from communications and legal through to engineering and operational roles.

The Toolkit, which will be promoted through TfL’s school engagement programme as well as through social media channels, forms a key part of TfL’s 100 Years of Women in Transport legacy campaign, which was created to encourage more women to explore careers in transport and improve diversity in the industry.  There has already been some progress, with 23 per cent of TfL made up of women compared with 18 per cent in the transport industry across the EU, but more work needs to be done.

The campaign, which launched in May, will continue to address the gender balance by identifying and tackling key barriers to women taking up transport roles, as well as continuing with a full programme of events to further inspire women currently working within the industry as well as future generations.

Mike Brown MVO, TfL’s Commissioner, said “There has never been a more exciting time, especially for young women, to work in the transport industry and I hope that we can help to encourage even more young people to consider a career in transport and help inform them about the vast number of different roles on offer.

“The transport industry offers a wealth of opportunities, with large scale projects like Crossrail and High Speed 2 supporting thousands of jobs and homes and boosting the country’s economy.”

Val Shawcross CBE, Deputy Mayor for Transport, said: “Women have always played an integral part in London’s transport industry, and it is vital that this is not only recognised but also built upon. For the capital to thrive it is essential that we continue to invest in transport to meet growing demand and I would encourage women and young people to consider a career in transport at this very crucial time for the industry.”

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Amy