Department for Transport calls for more women in transport

On 25 January, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Women in Transport met with the Transport Minister John Hayes MP, senior transport industry representatives and young women, to debate how to recruit more women into transport and engineering and fix the 'leaky pipeline’, of young women choosing not to study science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). 

Ruth Cadbury MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Women in Transport said: "A year on since the Government's transport infrastructure skills strategy, we heard today from both young women and senior leaders in transport of the problems still presented by pervasive gender stereotypes about careers in STEM. To deliver more female apprenticeships and attract more women into transport, it's clear we need to be loud and direct about the exciting career opportunities available to girls from an early age".

John Hayes MP, Minister for Transport, said: “I am committed to working with industry and networks such as the WTS to elevate the practical skills necessary for the success of our country. It is a business no-brainer, tapping into the wider pool of the workforce to unleash the unrealised talent of tens of thousands of women, and we have set ourselves clear targets in order to achieve this. We need those who are curious, adaptable and imaginative to build all our futures; maximising their potential through careers in infrastructure.”

Dr Philo Daniel, Head of Strategy and Marketing at Thales UK’s transportation business said: "At Thales, we believe inspiring young women to engage in STEM subjects is not only crucial for their education but critical to the future of UK industry. We were pleased to partner with WTS London to support this event which builds on Thales’s work in schools in London and Manchester to challenge stereotypes and demonstrate that studying STEM subjects is fun, creative and empowering".

Dr Nelson Ogunshakin OBE, Chief Executive of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering, added "There is a clear business imperative for measures to improve gender diversity in transport - the need to augment our talent base. We need to think about how we package careers in transport to young people, and their parents and teachers. Leadership in the transport sector is crucial - we all need to consider what practical actions we can take to make it a more attractive and accessible environment and culture to work in".

The Secretariat for the APPG for Women in Transport is provided by WTS London, the professional network for women in transport, who work with employers in the sector to share best practice in advancing women in the industry.

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