Mentoring can help women develop skills, expand their networks and gain access to opportunities

 
My mentor: Louise Cheeseman

 
BY Kerry Turner

The transport industry, a cornerstone of the global economy, plays a critical role in connecting people, goods, and services worldwide. Despite its significance, this sector has historically been male-dominated, with women significantly underrepresented. As we strive for a more inclusive environment, it’s crucial to recognise the transformative power of mentoring in female career development within the transport industry.

Creating an inclusive environment where women can flourish is not just a moral imperative but a business necessity. Andrew Jones, the former parliamentary under secretary of state at the Department for Transport, succinctly stated, “To put it starkly, wherever women are excluded, 50% of the available talent is excluded.” This statement, made in 2015, sadly is still relevant today as gender parity in the transport industry remains elusive.

The 2024 Women In The Workplace report by McKinsey et al, marking its tenth anniversary, analysed data over the past decade to understand progress in gender diversity. It reported that while women have made important gains at every level of the corporate pipeline, the progress is described as “fragile,” especially for women of colour who continue to be underrepresented at every level. Over the last decade, more than 1,000 companies and 480,000 people participated in this study about their workplace experiences, and the report concluded that despite the aforementioned gains, women’s outlook and day-to-day experiences are not much different – or are even worse – than they were nearly a decade ago. This is why we need mentoring and development programmes for women – it’s to level the playing field and to make sure we can both attract and retain women in the industry.

Women entering the transport industry face numerous challenges, including entrenched gender biases, limited access to professional networks, and the need to balance career aspirations with personal responsibilities. Additionally, women face stereotypes that question their abilities or suitability for roles traditionally held by men. These barriers hinder their professional growth and career advancement, creating a particularly challenging landscape for women to navigate.

However, mentoring emerges as a powerful tool to address these challenges and support women in their career development. Mentoring is more than just professional guidance; it involves a relationship where mentors provide support, encouragement, and insights to mentees. This relationship helps women navigate the complexities of the industry, build confidence, and achieve their career goals.

In May 2024, Women In Bus and Coach announced a new initiative, a mentee director position on their board for one year. Running concurrently with the successful candidate’s substantive organisation and role was particularly attractive because, at the time, I would never have had the confidence to apply for a director role.

I had been on a senior leadership team for seven years, with nearly 11 years with my then employer. I had achieved a great deal and was very comfortable. However, comfort can inadvertently become disabling. Familiarity and ease can turn into autopilot, leading to a lack of challenge and growth. I now recognise that not being challenged can take you to a place where you barely acknowledge and become blind to your own skills and expertise. Through perception, both your own and that of others, you can become pigeon-holed into a particular box, based purely on what you are doing currently or have done for a long time and this can insidiously chip away at your confidence. It can also mean that development opportunities don’t even register on your radar, as you don’t consider or perceive yourself as ‘in scope,’ and of course, you can also be overlooked.

The director of Women In Bus and Coach mentoring position provided a truly unique opportunity to challenge myself, but with the comfort of doing it alongside my existing role. Despite the self-sabotaging voice telling me I didn’t have a chance, just embarking on the application process and throwing my hat in the ring was so valuable for growth. I was gobsmacked and delighted in equal measure to be offered the position, recognising it as a fantastic opportunity. Indeed, it has turned out to be a life-defining moment, and I’ll elaborate on why later.

Evidence shows that women who have mentors are more likely to receive promotions, higher salaries, and greater job satisfaction

Research consistently demonstrates the positive impact of mentoring on career development. According to think-learning.com, over 71% of Fortune 500 companies use mentoring, and 85% of women in these companies have received mentoring. Additionally, 75% of leaders say that mentoring played a key role in their success. This illustrates the long-term impact of mentoring on professional success and emphasises that the benefits of mentorship extend well beyond immediate learning to long-term career growth and personal development. It also highlights the fact that the world’s most successful companies recognise the value of mentoring. The World Economic Forum and McKinsey emphasise that mentoring programmes are most successful when there is a clear definition of success and rigorous, ongoing tracking beyond the program. It is not enough to have a feedback survey immediately after the program’s completion if we are looking to measure true impact.

Evidence shows that women who have mentors are more likely to receive promotions, higher salaries, and greater job satisfaction. Mentoring helps women develop essential skills, expand their professional networks, and gain access to opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach. It also fosters a sense of belonging and empowerment, which is crucial for career growth. By building confidence, mentoring enables women to assert themselves, advocate for their career advancement, and pursue leadership roles.

Organisations play a crucial role in effective mentoring. By implementing mentoring programmes (whether structured or informal) and creating a supportive and inclusive environment, they can promote lifelong learning and career development. Leadership within organisations must actively participate in mentoring programmes and set an example. Equally, professional organisations and associations within the transport industry, like CILT and Transport, Women In Transport and Women in Bus and Coach also play a pivotal role in promoting mentoring and opportunities for women’s development through networking events and professional development opportunities.

Since beginning my mentoring journey, I have experienced firsthand the benefits of this support

Allies, particularly male colleagues, play a significant role in supporting female career development. By speaking up and challenging gender biases and behaviours that make the workplace unnecessarily difficult and ‘inhospitable’ for women, they can be extremely powerful advocates for gender diversity. As Martin Luther King said: “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” There are many men in this industry who ‘get it’ and who champion gender equality but we need more and we need these allies to help others to get on board and make this industry environments where both men and women can thrive equally.

Since beginning my mentoring journey, I have experienced firsthand the benefits of this support. Two months into my appointment, I was made redundant after 11 years with my organisation. Shock, hurt, and fear cascaded over me, but my mentor, Louise Cheeseman, founding director of Women in Bus and Coach, provided unwavering support. She assured me that my mentoring could continue and encouraged me to recognise my value and aim higher in my career.

Through this mentoring program, I have been exposed to new sectors within the transport industry, developed new skills, and expanded my professional network. I have been challenged well beyond my comfort zone. This has included being a speaker at Women in Bus and Coach’s Annual Summit, giving a speech at the House of Commons All Parliamentary Group for Transport, speaking at a networking event and hosting a webinar for industry colleagues on becoming a Period Positive Workplace. As I write this I am on a train on my way to London for the Worshipful Company of Carmen Joint Services Awards presented by former Carmen Master, HRH The Princess Royal, and sitting at a table with industry legends! Networking, which once terrified me, has opened doors to new collaborations, resources, and knowledge. As Susan Jeffers, author of Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway, said: “The wall that protects you also imprisons you.” Stepping out of and being given opportunities that force me out my comfort zone has been transformative, and I have met incredible and inspiring people along the way.

The Women in Bus and Coach mentoring programme has given me wealth of opportunities for growth, networking and challenging myself and my own perceptions – quite simply, it has been lifechanging! It has built and bolstered my confidence, both in general terms but also in terms of me recognising my own value, skills and expertise. I have also got a new job! Through meeting industry recruiters at Women in Bus and Coach events and through all my new connections I found myself in the loop about jobs and companies and opportunities I may not otherwise have even heard about. Mentoring is incredibly powerful and done right, it works.

I will forever look back at this mentoring programme and Women in Bus and Coach as an organisation, with total gratitude. It is a huge honour and privilege to have been appointed as a director of Women In Bus and Coach and to be part of such an inspirational team of people who are wholeheartedly dedicated to achieving gender equality across the industry. The entire team have all got extremely senior, demanding (and sometimes multiple) roles, families, homes and lots of other commitments – and they do this ‘on the side’, working tirelessly to drive meaningful change in the industry. They have all been supportive, inspiring and generous with their time and insights and I am grateful beyond words.

Looking to the future, the importance of mentoring will only grow. As the transport industry continues to evolve, the need for diverse perspectives and innovative solutions will become even more critical. By investing in mentoring programmes, we can cultivate a pipeline of talented women ready to drive the industry forward, leading to a more inclusive, dynamic, and resilient transport sector for everyone.

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kerry Turner was the winner of Women in Bus and Coach’s competition for a mentoring director role and began a one-year term on August 1, 2024. She is also head of operations at Metroline.

 
This story appears inside the latest issue of Passenger Transport.

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