It’s our passionate people who make the rail industry so great.
They care about protecting our environment and creating a sustainable future.
They enjoy pushing the boundaries of design and construction. Importantly, they know what they do today matters to current and future generations.
My career in rail has been quite an adventure.
Our industry thrives on diverse perspectives and fresh ideas. Every year more women choose a career in rail to be part of building a more connected and sustainable future.
Many organisations have programs in place to support women who work in rail. Some of these include:
- flexible work arrangements
- gender neutral parental leave
- pay equity analysis
- dedicated entry-level roles
The Australasian Railway Association (ARA) has more information about diversity initiatives in rail.
Learn about our industry’s diversity initiatives.
Women in Rail Mentoring Program
The ARA supports and guides women who work in rail with professional leadership development. The popular Women in Rail Mentoring Program grows every year. It pairs women who work in rail with passionate industry mentors and empowers them to pursue a rewarding career.
There are many ways of working in rail. Most employers offer flexible working options which you can tailor to your personal circumstances.
Rail jobs usually fall into one of four arrangements – standard business hours, fixed schedules, shift work or fly-in-fly-out (FIFO). Each arrangement offers different flexible options.
- Many project-based teams put value in your output, not the hours you spend at work. In these roles you can often vary working hours and work remotely for all or part of your week
- Shift workers and people on fixed schedules can usually swap shifts and vary hours when they need to
- FIFO workers benefit from extended weekends between more intense rostered work
And there are many more options that may be available such as paid parental leave, compressed hours, part-time work, job sharing and flex time.
Although every employer in our industry offers different arrangements, many offer world leading benefits. We’re confident there is an option to suit you.
There is a lifetime of professional challenges on offer in the rail industry. Once you launch your career, it could take you anywhere. There are so many roles to explore and innovative projects to get involved in – all while building skills for life.
Wherever you go in rail, your skills will be in high demand. There is more investment in rail in Australia and New Zealand than ever before, and this is only going to increase.
There’s never been a better time to join rail while we work to build a next generation rail network. Old mechanical systems are being replaced by digital, connected systems using the latest technologies. So there will always be something new to learn or ways to contribute your innovative ideas.
Meet more people working in rail at the National Rail Skills Hub
When you work in rail, you join a community. There is something special about infrastructure that will stand for generations and keep thousands of passengers moving every day.
Our community is united in their commitment to safety, teamwork, and service. Safety is the first priority on our rail networks and we have strong safeguards to make sure everyone gets home safe at the end of the day.
It takes a team to build and run our rail networks. Everyone brings their unique skills and experience, but we can only succeed by working together. From engineers and tradespeople to operators and logisticians, everyone plays their part to ensure the success of our industry.
Every day we work hard to provide a great experience for our passengers. We know that rail is an essential service, and care about our role in getting people safely to their destinations.
Young professionals play a key role in sustaining our industry. We want to empower the next generation of rail leaders who will bring their something special to our industry.
Many rail organisations run dedicated programs to nurture and develop young workers.
ARA’s Young Rail Professionals Network also connects young workers across organisations with networking events and forums.
Take a look at ARA’s programs to support young rail professionals.