HCT Group is the world’s leading transport social enterprise, safely providing over 30 million passenger trips on buses every year and making a real difference in communities. Their team is on the frontline of transport operations helping keep communities moving safely. Here we share an important COVID-19 and Hackney Community Transport update from Claire Smith, Head of Community Transport and Stakeholder Engagement.
Read moreRECONSTRUCT – building a community to harness the social value of major projects
Women in Transport is part of the Advisory Group for the Gender Balance Action Research Project led by Emily Miles entitled "Beyond Gender Balance: An exploration of gender in UK Major Projects using Action Research”. Emily’s ambition is to create a lasting legacy of collaboration to support diversity and inclusion in major projects.
Emily’s three year PhD research project examines the impact of gender balance initiatives and inquires into broader themes of social inequality using action research. As part of the project, Emily has established RECONSTRUCT; bringing together a community of research-practitioners to collaborate with the aim of transforming issues of gender equality, leadership and culture.
Emily states:
"The RECONSTRUCT project invites us all to question our default way of doing things, and to redesign a system where everyone can thrive."
Research plays a crucial role in helping us to better understand and shape our environment. RECONSTRUCT offers organisations and researchers the space to discuss research findings in relevant and meaningful ways – and to participate as partners in implementing the findings.
RECONSTRUCT has three strands:
• Community
• Research
• Creativity
The aim is to grow a network of amazing people who are passionate about making change. The website for the RECONSTRUCT includes a ‘Bank of Good Ideas’; a place to bring together interesting and brilliant strategies that are already out there and to see how they might work in major projects.
Community events will include a series of webinars and you can read the audience contributions from their last panel event “Building Equality: are megaprojects creative a better world?” here.
How you can get involved:
Ask your organisation to champion the initiative. This means agreeing to the ethos of the project, embracing any research findings, and supporting staff to work with RECONSTRUCT on the Community of Practice.
Spread the word and encourage your networks to sign up to attend events or join the Community of Practice.
Share your EDI stories on the Bank of Good Ideas (either proudly or anonymously).
Commission research topics that you would like to see, or connect other researchers who would like to participate in the Research into Action seminar series.
Find out more and get involved: https://www.re-construct.net/get-involved.html
Annual membership of Women in Transport is £60 per year providing access to monthly events including unique site visits, professional development and networking opportunities. We also welcome guest blogs from our members - a great way to share the incredible diversity of opportunity in transport, raise your profile and stay connected.
Follow us @transportwm on Twitter, on Linkedin at Women in Transport and at @transportwmn on Instagram for events, news and updates.
West Midlands Women's Alliance launches in Birmingham
Photography courtesy of Morgan Sindall Infrastructure
Over 100 people attended the launch of the West Midlands Women's Alliance (WMWA) on 6 March, which was timed to celebrate International Women's Day and its 2020 theme: #eachforequal
The event, hosted by WSP at its headquarters in the centre of Birmingham, certainly achieved its objectives by providing lots of inspiration and encouragement to women in the transport, construction and civil engineering sectors.
Read moreBoard Member Insight - Iain Smith
Like many people, Women in Transport board member, Iain Smith, got into transport by chance just to fill a gap and he absolutely loved it. He worked for London Underground/Transport for London for 24 years in numerous roles from front line operation to senior management. These days Iain works as an independent consultant and, although he is not exclusively in transport he still considers it his 'home'. In this Board Insight, Iain talks about his career, his role at Women in Transport and gives some sound advice to those seeking a career in transport.
Read moreWomen in Transport board member, Jo Field named among 100 of the most influential women in Westminster
We’re proud to announce that Jo Field has today been named as one of 100 high profile women from the world of Westminster. Women in Westminster: The 100 list celebrates the achievements and the valuable role women play in public life. It is the first annual celebration of its kind, following on from International Women’s Day. The list is produced by House Magazine, supported by Lloyds Banking Group.
Read moreCross-party group confirms research on under-representation of women in transport
The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Women in Transport is to research best practice in the recruitment and retention of women in the transport sector. The study was confirmed during the group’s inaugural meeting, where parliamentarians from across the political spectrum confirmed their continued support to tackle the under-representation of women in the transport workforce.
Read moreTfL launches campaign to support women into cycling
Transport for London (TfL) is marking International Women’s Day by launching a campaign to encourage more women to take up cycling. The Cycle Your City campaign will run throughout 2020 with a series of workshops and events and a programme of activity will be announced in May.
Read moreMember Insight - Jillian Kowalchuk, Safe & The City
Safe & the City is the only street-smart app helping you get to your destination not just the fastest way, but the safer one. They combine official police and crowdsourced incidents to inform people along with their journeys, while building data-driven geospatial intelligence across private and public sectors in order to safer, more inclusive spaces to walk, study, shop, work and live. On International Women’s Day 2020, the app will celebrate its second birthday. In this blog, founder and CEO of Safe & the City, Jillian Kowalchuk talks to us about their journey so far, plans for the future and why she joined Women in Transport.
Read moreMember Insight - Claire Smith, HCT Group
HCT Group is the world’s leading transport social enterprise, safely providing over 30 million passenger trips on our buses every year and making a real difference in our communities. They joined Women in Transport in November 2019 as corporate members.
In our latest member insight blog, Claire Smith, Head of Community Transport and Stakeholder Engagement for HCT Group, tells us what she likes about working in the transport sector, what her job involves and why she joined Women in Transport.
Read moreVisiting Shepherd's Bush Bus Depot
Sonya Byers reports on our fascinating visit to Shepherd’s Bush Bus Depot.
As well as being a great opportunity to learn about RATP Dev's two stage project to launch its electrified bus fleet, it also gave us a great insight into the running of the depot and the people who make it all happen.
Read moreAn exercise in finding your voice
It was a lucky day for Women in Transport when Dorcas Ariyo-Francis became a member just over a year ago. She came along to our AGM and, by the end of the evening, pledged to join our team of volunteers. As our Volunteer Engagement Lead, Dorcas has done a really professional job co-ordinating and supervising our team of volunteers for which I, as Events Lead, am truly grateful. But it doesn't end there. Dorcas is something of a hybrid and has been supporting our members with her fantastic range of skills.
Read morePlanning for financial well-being
Our CEO, Sonya Byers, provides an overview of our January breakfast seminar for Women in Transport members on financial well-being with Morrinson Wealth Wellbeing. The company is a predominately female team and the seminar has been designed to educate and empower women in the management and planning of their finances. The seminar was facilitated by Katy Brown, Partner at Morrinson Wealth Wellbeing.
Read moreEffective communication of the concepts of engineering
Over 20 members of Women in Transport recently attended a workshop, funded by the Royal Academy of Engineers, designed to improve the communication skills of young engineers. Although there were quite a few engineers present, it was evident that the desire to learn more about this skill spans a wide range of disciplines and levels of seniority in the transport sector.
Read moreWomen in Transport at MOVE 2020
This week Women in Transport’s Chief Executive, Sonya Byers, will be speaking at MOVE 2020. The conference and exhibition is expected to triple in size and scope from last year’s successful launch, which saw nearly 3,000 urban mobility leaders from across the globe attend. The conference will feature 1,000 speakers over 500 sessions across 15 content tracks, covering the entire ecosystem of urban mobility.
Read moreFellowship programme for leaders with babies and young children
Are you expecting a baby, currently on maternity or shared parental leave or have returned in the last 3 years? Apply now for the award-winning 2020 Leaders Plus Fellowship, open to parents of young children from 0 to 3 years old who wish to progress in their career. The Fellowship, which is supported by Cambridge University Social Ventures, enables parents to progress their careers whilst at the same time enjoying their young family. Applications open until 13 February.
Read moreNominations for the 2020 everywoman in Transport & Logistics Awards are open
Nominations for the 2020 everywoman in Transport & Logistics Awards are now open! Returning for its 13th year this established industry event is continuing its mission to uncover female role models, identify male agents of change and transform the industry perception. Deadline extended to 24 February 2020.
Read more9 pieces of advice from the women of Mott MacDonald
Following a career break, Maha and Sunisha joined WORK180 Endorsed Employer for Women, Mott MacDonald, through their Re:Connectors programme in 2018. In this blog, Maha and Sunisha share nine pieces of advice they would offer to their younger selves and young women today.
Read moreMoving people into the future at Heathrow Terminal 5
Back in October, when we invited members to a behind the scenes tour of Heathrow Terminal 5's automated people moving systems, the response was so overwhelming that it was inevitable a lot of people would be disappointed. Imagine our delight when Heathrow very generously offered to host a second tour in November.
Read moreAccelerating diversity in the bus industry
As we approach the first anniversary of Women in Transport Bus, founding member Chloe Leach-O’Connell reviews what the group achieved in 2019, the support we’ve received and looks ahead to the future as the New Year commences.
Read more