The number of women applying for jobs with Northern has risen significantly, following the launch of a successful recruitment campaign.
‘We’re Not Northern Without Her’ celebrates the operator’s female employees, who work hard to keep trains running for millions of passengers across the North of England, and encourages more women to purse a career in the industry.
It won the award for Best Diversity and Inclusion Strategy at the Employer Brand Management Awards last week.
The judges praised the success of the campaign. When it was launched in November last year, around 17% of people applying for jobs with Northern were women. That figure has almost doubled, rising to 33%.
They said the train operator has “tackled a long-standing gender imbalance” in the rail industry with a highly effective campaign “built around the real experiences of women working in rail”.
Gina Edge, Northern’s Employer Brand Manager, said:
“The campaign was built around a really simple ambition: to challenge perceptions of what a career in rail looks like and encourage more women to see that there is a place for them at Northern.
“What makes this recognition particularly special is the impact we’ve seen since the campaign launched.
“Winning this award is fantastic recognition for everyone who helped bring the campaign to life, but the work doesn’t stop here.
“We want to build on that momentum and continue breaking down barriers, challenging perceptions and creating an industry where more women can see themselves building a long-term career.”
The campaign also won Best Resourcing Initiative at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development People Management Awards, during a ceremony in London held on the same day.
Northern’s traincrew training programme won Best Apprenticeship Scheme at the same ceremony.
Judges praised the “highly effective” programme for drivers and conductors that has addressed the “major challenge” of “training complete novices, many without formal qualifications or sector knowledge”.
The training is delivered at academies in Leeds and Manchester, combining classroom learning and hands on experience.
Photo credit: Northern