Women In Transport: meet the team behind Nottingham Trams.

According to Women in Transport, just 26% of people working in the transport sector are women. This International Women’s Day, four women who work at Nottingham Express Transit (NET), which runs the city’s tram network, hope to break down stereotypes of their workplace and roles, and inspire others to pursue any career they wish by sharing their stories.

When expectations don’t meet reality

Maria Kargakou has been a tram driver with NET for 20 years, after applying for her role when NET first launched - a very different path to what the qualified beautician thought she would take.

Maria said: “It was my dream to be a beautician, and I always thought that would be the job for me. Once I finished studying and experienced the full scope of what it involved, I quickly knew this wasn’t the case, and I decided to apply for other work. That’s when I saw the advert for NET.

“It was very out of the blue, but also exciting. In those early days I never thought I would stay as long as I did, but I enjoy it and feel like time flies every day. During the first year or so, I imagine it was probably a shock to see me, a woman, training and then driving a tram. At that time, a lot of the other people who worked there had experience driving trains, whereas I was completely new. It was a challenge at first, and of course there is pressure because you can’t make mistakes, but I’m used to it now.”

After taking the plunge, and proving first-hand her success and capability, she also encouraged her sister Vas to take the step up to become a driver. She encouraged and supported her throughout her journey after also joining the team at NET.

The power of a positive role model

Vas Kargakou first joined NET as a customer experience agent, a role she gained after looking for employment somewhere more hands-on after previous place of work changed to require her to remote working.

“It saved me,” said Vas. “I loved being outdoors, and working with people was so important for me. It was very rewarding and reassuring, and I had the chance to use my transferrable skills in customer care, gained from my previous job.”

After two and a half years, Vas wanted to challenge herself, so put herself forward for NET’s tram driver training programme. She has now been working as a tram driver for one year.

Vas said: “Training was difficult, but I always want to learn more and I’m highly motivated. There is also a stereotype, which added more pressure, but I was determined, and I’m proud of myself for doing it. I felt like I achieved something. I enjoy being a driver and am very confident now - you always have support throughout.

“Over the past couple of years, I’ve noticed more women tram drivers than before, and the company is encouraging more female applicants to come forward. As a woman, it’s important to feel confident that you can take steps to make changes for yourself – any opportunities given by employers should absolutely be taken advantage of.”

Maria added: “I assured her that she was ready. She had nothing to lose and years ahead of her so I didn’t want her to miss out. I hope that people realise that this job is for everyone. If you want to do something, you can do it. And, if you have patience, you can do anything.”

The need to showcase the opportunities available

Away from the tracks, assistant commercial manager Mandip Bahra and service delivery and safety director Sarah Turner agree that the variety of each day is something they love about working in transport.

Like Maria, Mandip is also a longstanding member of staff, having been at NET for 18 years – something she credits the variety of work available for. She first joined as an administrator, before working as an operations and revenue officer, revenue manager and now her current role.

Mandip said: “I really like to learn things, and I’m not scared to look a bit deeper to learn what’s going on in different areas. The more I started learning and saying to people ‘I can do that for you’, the more opportunities I had.

“It can sometimes be strange if you’re the only woman in a meeting, for example, but if you know what you’re talking about, it doesn’t matter if you’re male or female. It’s important to develop skills to help you get your point across properly.”

A career highlight, Mandip says, was learning how to drive a tram as part of her depot training, enabling her to help with relevant tasks if ever required.

Mandip added: “It’s powerful to see that some of the management roles here are equal, including our senior leadership – it’s great to see that in a typically ‘male’ industry.”

One of these senior leaders is Sarah Turner, who has been in the transport industry for more than a decade, and working for NET for 18 months.

Stepping beyond your comfort zone

Her first role in transport was for a rail company, which she was encouraged to pursue after her brother – who also works in transport – highlighted the wide variety of opportunities that are available.

Sarah said: “From the first day I started, I loved it. There is so much that goes on behind the scenes [in transport] that no two days are the same. It can be difficult, but I thrive on that, and there’s always something new to learn.”

When she felt ready for a new challenge, she applied for NET, and was reassured when she learned more about the role and the company, knowing it was the right choice.

Sarah said: “I was exposed to lots of different situations to overcome in my previous role which helped me get ready for this next step. It gave me confidence that I could adapt my experience and bring it into NET.”

To help overcome any barriers, Sarah states that surrounding yourself with good people is key – and seeking out guidance and strong mentors if you can, from both men and women in the business.

“Take whatever opportunities that come your way too. Some of the best career choices I’ve made have been outside my comfort zone, and the feeling when I’ve been recognised for my ability to step up to the task helps to grow confidence.

“I’d love to see more women coming through into transport, especially in areas such as engineering, technician and leadership roles – for too long, women have been overlooked for these roles across all sectors, but they can add so much value. The more this happens, the more younger people in the future will see that it’s possible. The starting point though needs to lie in bringing people through the business who are with us already.

“People don’t often realise all the opportunities we have for people. Lots of different experience and skills are transferable, so you can make the move into transport, even if you’ve not worked in it before, or progress in your career if you’ve made the start already.”

Learn more about NET and its current vacancies online at www.thetram.net/recruitment.