South Western Railway: Daniel Shares How SWR Empowers The Next Generation of Train Guards

This as-told-to article is based on an interview with Daniel Shobande, a South Western Railway guard based in London. We discuss how SWR fosters autonomy and teamwork, the comprehensive training received, SWR’s inclusive staff culture and its customer-focused diversity.  The article has been edited for length and clarity.

What are the most rewarding aspects of your job as a train guard?

In previous roles I was dependent on other colleagues, if they didn’t get something done it could impact my ability to get my job done.  The most rewarding part of being a SWR guard is being fully in control of my responsibilities and working autonomously, it gives me the freedom to be able to navigate my own day. Because of the kind of person that I am, I really prefer this individuality aspect, I know that when I do everything right, my day goes well.

What are some of the biggest challenges you face in your role, and how do you overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges for me is knowing what my shift pattern is and scheduling my personal life around it. For example, last week I was on early shift so starting at six in the morning and finished around two or three in the afternoon. I've been off for four days and came back today and now working mid shifts and start at midday, so I really have to plan my personal life months ahead. I’m still young and I like to go out, friends might try plan an outing tomorrow but when I’m working at six in the morning it’s not something I can do, so I have to make sure my work schedule and personal life don't collide because I need to be well rested and focused for the job.

What kind of training did you receive when you first joined SWR, and what ongoing training is available?

I initially did two and a half months training in Basingstoke, we learnt all the general guard duties - everything from making announcements to safety procedures. I then went to the Waterloo depot and received in-depth training, learnt about the different trains and their routes with the guard inspectors. After that I did one-on-one days with a coach. A coach is a guard but that helps new guards find their feet. I worked four days with the coach, doing all their duties and had plenty of opportunities to ask questions along the way. It was like I was out by myself, but there was someone always there with me just in case. It gave me good insight into how working life really is. My coach had been a guard for about ten years, that type of imparted knowledge was valuable.

Can you share an experience where you felt particularly supported by your colleagues?

Having experienced the one-to-one with my coach specifically comes to mind but in general there’s always ongoing support. For instance, when we're in the mess rooms, we'll be surrounded by other guards and a lot of the time when I’m eating lunch everyone exchanges stories about either their day or what happened to them during the week. Whether its new guards or some that have been there for over 10 years, there’s always something to learn from each other. That type of conversation naturally comes with supportive titbits about the job regardless of the experience level. Everyone’s willing to help each other, it’s a really friendly environment.

From your experience, how does SWR foster a sense of belonging and incorporate diversity among its employees?

Since I've been here, we've had regular events that are dedicated to people from different walks of life with different interests. We have Black History Month and Pride Month for example. And we have employee driven activities, like a football team. There's lots of things always going on which is entirely optional to take part in. If you’re interested in something that doesn’t exist, from my experience, management is open to suggestions for new initiatives. There’s something for everyone here.

Can you give an example of how SWR embraces diversity in its service to passengers?

Because of our EDI events and our diverse staff representation, it signals inclusivity to our passengers. So, for Pride month some of our staff will wear the Pride & LGBTQIA lanyards. I think that really helps passengers who might be worried or shy, and identifying that kind of lanyard on a colleague helps them to feel more comfortable when approaching staff for assistance. We also have multilingual name badges, if we speak another language its flag will be represented there. There are a lot of tourists visiting the capital and many colleagues speak two or three languages, which helps immensely.  If I remember a college that has a French or Spanish flag on their badge for example, I can ask them to help translate to a passenger who’s approached me.

Are you interested in becoming a SWR Guard - Apply Here! 

Find out what its like working with SWR.

Explore more SWR roles. 

Interview conducted and written by a VERCIDA team member for SWR and VERCIDA.

Interested in becoming a SWR Guard - Apply Here! 

Find out what its like working with SWR.

Explore more SWR roles.