A County Durham apprentice train driver hopes to inspire more women to follow in her tracks this International Women's Day after swapping the classroom for the cab.
According to the ASLEF Union, only 6.5% of train drivers in the UK are women, and Carrie Million from Peterlee is training to become another - and hopes more women will follow her to boost that figure. The 44-year-old worked as a teaching assistant for nearly 12 years but when her daughter Summer turned 16, she felt the time had come for her to follow an interest and pursue a career in the rail industry.
Carrie is an apprentice 'customer driver' with budget rail firm Lumo, which has operated trains on the East Coast Mainline since late 2021, stopping in Newcastle and Morpeth. Inspired by her sister Katy, who is also a train driver, Carrie has taken on the role in a traditionally male-dominated industry.
However, her sister's enjoyment and passion for her job made it easier for Carrie to make the move. When she started, Lumo had just one other female driver, but she said she "knew she had the ability" to take on a position and now wants "more women in the driver's seat".
Carrie said: "I think it's important to lead change, there's no reason women can't do this job. When I first told my family and friends, I did receive a few surprising reactions.
"Some thought it was an odd career choice, or maybe just didn’t associate train driving with being a woman. But, the more women we can get in the driving seat, the less ‘normalised’ these reactions will be."
The 44-year-old started a two year apprenticeship in September 2022 with classroom learning, training and exams undertaken ahead of driving a train. She has been under continuous assessment and undergoes "vigorous" training covering all aspects of controlling a train, including staying calm, handling emergency situations, and operational health and safety.
She says that she recognises the importance of skills required when learning to navigate a train and added: "The driving is very technical, and it’s so important that you understand every single step involved. Most importantly, you need to have the ability to stay calm, and make conscious decisions with quick reactions.
"Your train and your passengers are your responsibility, you need to really own your skills in confidence, assertiveness and logical thinking."
As a woman in the rail industry, Carrie has received what she calls "interesting" reactions and has wondered if conversations or interactions may have been different if she were a man. She finished: "I haven’t experienced anything negative per se.
"It’s more that I get interesting reactions when people realise I am a train driver, which I don’t see my male colleagues receiving. Passengers seem surprised, but in a good way, when they see that I’m their driver.
"If I could go back and speak to my younger self, I’d tell myself to get into the rail industry sooner. I wish I hadn’t waited so long.
‘I’d say to young women, if you haven’t thought about it, why not? Look at the skills you have and if you could apply them to the role and get involved then what are you waiting for?"
Have you ever considered becoming a train driver? Let us know!
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