I’ve spoken at length about my transformative year as a Mentee Director at Women in Bus and Coach (WiBC). It’s inevitably made me even more passionate about the importance of developing women so that the coach and bus sector attracts, retains and nurtures that talent.
When I reflect on my journey, 12 months ago I was in a comfort zone. In truth I’d been in the same organisation for too long, I wasn’t being challenged and surreptitiously my confidence was being eroded. I had inadvertently allowed it to happen, mistaking comfort as a positive. This year has shown me unequivocally, that you won’t grow if you are comfortable – in the words of Susan Jeffers, you have to ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’.
The Mentee Director opportunity has given me new skills, greater exposure to the wider transport sub-sectors, networking and collaboration opportunities, made me challenge my own limiting beliefs and given me a rejuvenated confidence in my skills and abilities.
I’ve been surrounded by support and encouragement; I’ve met the most incredible and inspiring people along the way and I’m particularly honoured to have been made a permanent fixture on WiBC’s Board — I must have done something right!
Knowing how much I have gained from the mentee opportunity makes it so exciting to be passing the baton to our next mentee. The shortlisting process was extremely challenging due to the volume and exceptionally high standard of applicants.
As hard as it was to narrow down the candidates, it made me proud of the talent in our industry but also highlighted that we’re not necessarily nurturing, challenging and utilising that talent as we should. Mentoring, leadership programmes and shadowing opportunities are all ways that organisations could better recognise and support female career development – creating meaningful and supportive routes to progression.
At our Annual Summit on 30 September, Nalisha Fernandes, Finance Business Partner at Metroline, was announced as our next Mentee Director.
As I pass the baton to Nalisha and reflect on the lessons I have learned this past year, my advice would be to grab every available opportunity, take on every challenge (particularly those that terrify you), track your ‘journey’ on LinkedIn – you should celebrate and share your experience. Finally, the more you put in, the more you will get out of this incredible opportunity.
To those who weren’t successful this time, I would say please don’t be disheartened – keep trying. Every application we received was worthy, the standard was so high — see it merely as a hurdle, not a barrier. Challenge your organisations — asking what development opportunities are available.
If they don’t have formal routes in place, identify someone and ask them if they would mentor you, ask if you can job shadow to expand your experience.
Sometimes, if you don’t ask, you don’t get, so create those opportunities for yourself and get involved in the WiBC regional groups and events – that allyship and network of support is so important and it gives you a voice and an opportunity to shape our industry and progression towards a more equitable, inclusive and dynamic transport sector in the future.
