Diversity initiatives

Rail industry organisations have established a range of initiatives to support gender diversity at all levels. Read our case studies to find out more.

Diversity and inclusion

Infrastructure Advisory Group – Supporting gender equality and inclusion

IAG was seeking to recruit experienced female engineers to support the delivery of engineering services to the transport sector. It has implemented a range of measures to support the participation and advancement of women in the organisation. Read more.

Transdev Australasia – Gender neutral parental leave

Transdev Australasia has implemented gender neutral parental leave. Its 12-week employer-funded parental leave entitlements support both the primary and secondary carers, and do not limit primary caring responsibilities to the mother of the child. Read more.

Transport for NSW – Increasing female representation in leadership roles

Transport for NSW has introduced a range of new measures as part of its support for the NSW Government’s ‘Premier’s Priorities’ call for gender balance in all senior public service roles by 2025. It has targeted 40 per cent female representation in senior roles as part of this commitment. Read more.

Supporting flexible work

Australian Rail Track Corporation – Flexible Work Campaign

While flexible work options had been available at ARTC for years, they were not taken up as widely as hoped, particularly among frontline teams. A leader-led approach was adopted to encourage greater use of flexible work through real-life story telling. Read more.

Transdev Australasia – Supporting flexible working

A lack of flexible work has traditionally been considered one of the biggest barriers for women pursuing a career in public transport, particularly for women with carer responsibilities. To combat this, Transdev has made flexible work options available to all employees, including frontline teams. Read more.

Career pathways for women

Downer EDI Rail – Women on Track

Women on Track was established in 2021 to provide a dedicated channel for entry-level roles in the rail industry available exclusively to woman. Downer’s Victorian business offered a full time traineeship with support through to a Certificate II in Electrotechnology to 10 women from Melbourne’s south eastern suburbs when the program launched. Read more.

Port of Brisbane – Port operations cadetships for women

The number of female employees in Port of Brisbane’s rail operations is not reflective of the diverse environment in which it operates. To address this issues and realise the benefits of diversity, the organisation launched a pilot program for port operations cadetships for women. Read more.