On International Women in Engineering Day on 23 June, Stagecoach highlighted the increasing number of female engineers joining its business, but urged that more needs to be done to encourage more female engineers across the industry.
Female engineering apprentices have recently joined Stagecoach’s bus operations in South Wales, East Scotland, Merseyside, East Midlands and in the west of the country. They join over 1,000 apprentices with the operator across the country being trained in a variety of roles from driving and engineering to human resources and learning and development apprentice qualifications. The company has been offering engineering apprenticeships for over twenty years, and also offers a ‘trade-up’ scheme, giving existing employees the opportunity to undertake an engineering apprenticeship.
Taliah Cox is an engineering apprentice in Kettering. Before she joined Stagecoach, she was studying childcare at college but realised it wasn’t for her. She said: “I love the satisfaction of having a big job finished and then a running bus. I’ve even managed to take an engine out of a bus and put a different one back in and have it running again. I’m really proud to be part of the engineering team and I wanted to show that engineering is a place for women too!”
Torbay Engineering Manager Danieka Stanley is the first engineering manager in Stagecoach’s south west operation. She joined the firm in May 2021, relocating to Exeter from Stagecoach London, where she’d spent a decade of her career. Danieka was appointed to the role in February 2022 and the move saw her take over responsibility for a team of 25 engineering staff, including 11 engineers and 14 cleaners and shunters who maintain a fleet of over 92 buses based at Torquay depot and outstations in Newton Abbot and Paignton.
Danieka said: “I’m very proud to be the first female engineering manager in the south west. Stagecoach has done great work in encouraging more female employees into our business. It’s great to challenge the idea that the engineering industry is male dominated, and to set an example to girls across the country who may be considering this fantastic job for their future career.”
Janine Summers, Regional Director North for Stagecoach, also donned overalls and joined the engineering team in Stockport for a day to mark International Women in Engineering Day. Along with Sharon Vye-Parminter, Health, Safety and Environment Director, she co-chairs the Women@Stagecoach employee network.
Janine said: “We’re pleased to be marking International Women in Engineering Day today. This is something that is really close to my heart, and we were really pleased to welcome our highest number of female engineers at our last apprenticeship intake. However, there is still a lot of work to be done in encouraging more women to join our business across all roles, and in engineering roles across UK industry where national statistics show that only 11% of engineers are female.
“As well as encouraging more women to join us, we’re also working on a number of initiatives internally to help ensure our female engineers feel supported, such as engineering-specific networking events and promoting opportunities available internally through our trade-up scheme.”
