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23rd June 2025 Full steam ahead

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Network Rail volunteers and students at a Track to the Future programme

To mark International Women in Engineering Day, The Talent Foundry, in partnership with Network Rail, has launched a new engineering stream of its award-winning Track to the Future programme. This all-female cohort of Year 12 students kicked off the new stream at Lord Grey Academy in Bletchley, Milton Keynes.

Track to the Future is designed to open the rail industry for young people - especially young women - by showcasing the wide variety of career opportunities available in the sector. From project management and new technology to engineering on the tracks, this programme will inspire students by highlighting careers they may never have considered before.

Students take part in three in-school workshops, plus a site visit to a Network Rail office or external location, giving them practical insight into how the rail network operates and the essential role engineers play.

Since its launch in September 2021, over 420 students have taken part in Track to the Future in partnership with Network Rail and RSSB, with 93% of participants reporting they now better understand rail careers, and 87% have increased confidence in essential skills.

The rail industry faces a critical skills shortage, with an aging workforce and a lack of diversity. Only 10% of the workforce is under 30, and the sector remains predominantly male (84%) and white (87%). This initiative with Network Rail exemplifies cross-sector collaboration, fostering inclusion and making a tangible impact on young people’s futures and the rail industry’s sustainability.

Martin Jones, Chief Engineer at Network Rail, said:

“Rail has an exciting future. As our industry evolves, attracting the brightest talent is crucial to delivering a safe, reliable and inclusive railway for everyone. I’m especially pleased to meet the all-female cohort at Lord Grey Academy today - programmes like this are key to ensuring Network Rail becomes an employer of choice for young women and continues to build a more diverse workforce.”

Kamini Edgley, Director of Engineering and Asset Management at Network Rail, added:

“As Director of Engineering and Asset Management, I was delighted to speak to the New all-female Track to the Future cohort as part of International Women in Engineering Day. I am very passionate about getting more women into Engineering, and the Rail Industry offers a vast array of opportunities in Engineering which means everybody can find roles that they enjoy and can excel in. I am really excited about the partnership between Network Rail and The Talent Foundry, and I am glad to be supporting them on such an important day.”

Cate Smith, Head of Programmes and Partnerships at The Talent Foundry, said:

“Our mission is to help young people discover what’s possible - and then give them the skills and confidence to get there. Programmes like Track to the Future are vital for showing students what working in industries like rail really looks like, and for helping them build a stronger foundation for their futures.”

Teachers can book our Track to the Future programmes via our programme pages.