Second-year Stagecoach graduate scheme member Daniel Bowden, aged 25, discusses his experiences and future career hopes
Q: Why did you want to enter the passenger transport industry?
A: I studied environmental geography at the University of York.
I wanted to do something in the vehicle industry. Most of my degree was spent looking at (aspects including) low emission vehicles and reducing pollution from vehicles. So then I started looking at schemes in that industry.
I came across the passenger transport industry and Stagecoach was the best scheme I found in terms of a supportive network and career progression. It was an ideal way to put into practice some things I had learned at university.
Q: What was your first role on the scheme?
A: I started in Stagecoach East Scotland (Aberhill and Dunfermline depots). That was as a first-year graduate, and I was essentially learning the business from the ground up. I spent time with every department with the aim of learning everything I needed to do to be Assistant Operations Manager in the second year.
Q: How did your move from Scotland to Wales happen?
A: Part of the Graduate scheme is that you are geographically flexible. My first placement was with Stagecoach East Scotland for 12 months. Then there were five places available for all the five graduates moving forward and I got placed in Wales. It was the luck of the draw really.
Q: How long will you be in Wales?
A: I began with Stagecoach South Wales at the start of September for a 12-month placement. I am Assistant Operations Manager, based at the Cwmbran depot.
Q: What is a typical work day for you?
A: It is varied. It is a cliché, but no two days are the same. But then it always revolves around driver engagement, talking with the staff and trying to work out what is going well and what we can do to improve, then you have the day-to-day things that we have to go through like the budget, KPIs and things like that.
Q: What aspect do you enjoy most?
A: The people. I never wanted a job where I was just office-based. I like the fact that I can get out into the depot and have a conversation with some drivers, inspectors or supervisors, and then be able to use that conversation to hopefully improve things in the business.
Q: Who do you look up to in the industry?
A: I have an advantage that when you are on the Stagecoach graduate scheme you have a mentor, who is a director in your operating company. In my first year, I had David Frenz, Stagecoach East Scotland’s Operations Director, as my mentor. I also had monthly meetings with Paul Thomas, the Managing Director. There aren’t many companies that offer you the chance to have monthly face-time with an MD.
In Wales, I have David Conway, who is my Operations Director, and Nigel Winter, the MD.
Q: Where would you like to see yourself in five years’ time?
A: I want to be successful with Stagecoach, whether that is as Operations Manager, Assistant Operations Manager, or beyond that. I am quite happy to wait and see.
