Whilst the UK transport industry is still dominated by men, there has been a 4% rise in female representation in the sector workforce since 2023. And on International Women’s Day, Sarah Turner, Managing Director of Nottingham Express Transit, has shared her advice to hopefully inspire more female talent into the sector.
Sarah Turner has been Managing Director at NET since 2024, having previously been the company’s Service and Safety Director. Before that she had a decade’s experience in the transport industry.
She said: “Without any of my support network in place, I will admit that I would have struggled. Being in a leadership role can be lonely at times – transitioning from being within a team of peers to being someone that those peers now look to lead the way is something that took me some time to get used to.
“It’s important to surround yourselves with people that will lift you up, and a good place to start is with a mentor. I am lucky to say that I have had incredible mentors – both male and female – throughout my career. Each one has pushed me to achieve things, even when I was out of my comfort zone, when otherwise I perhaps would have struggled to. Mentors also offer a place of guidance and advice which a line manager or peer may not always be able to give.”
NET offers a reverse mentoring scheme where managers and leaders of the organisation are mentored by frontline teams offering a similar experience to others in the team.
“I am mentored by one of our amazing tram drivers and the opportunity to hear about his experiences and perspectives is a prime example of being able to learn from others. It is when you open yourself up to different perspectives that you can really grow and develop.
Sarah added: “I think it’s so important that females see females doing roles that typically hold certain stereotypes and stigmas. The transport industry is traditionally very male dominated and lacks diversity, so I want to be that advocate for other women in the sector, or those thinking of entering the sector, while also being someone that they can look to for guidance and inspiration.
“Women make up 27% of the transport workforce and although this doesn’t surprise me, it does disappoint me that it’s still this low, and is not something that the industry should settle for. When you look at successful businesses, you can see that they have diversity at the top of their agenda, which is why it is so important for me within my role to ensure that this is, and remains, at the top of NET’s list.”
Sarah is proud that NET’s leadership team reflects the gender diversity that the wider sector should be striving for. Four females sit within the six-person team, and Sarah strongly believes that those in leadership positions should reach out to future generations to show them what a career in transport can offer.
She concluded: “By sharing my story and placing a spotlight on what opportunities are available within the sector, we’re encouraging the future generation to look outside traditional career paths and explore other options, such as in the transport sector. I want to use my role to push this as much as possible, not only at NET but also for the industry, worldwide.”