Can an organisation reach its full capability if half the population face barriers to becoming an employee?
Keolis Downer, proud operator of Yarra Trams, passionately believes in providing equity of access to employment opportunities by understanding and addressing the barriers to gender diversity in the attraction, engagement and retention of employees.
Keolis Downer’s Driven Women Project adopts a revolutionary approach to closing the gender gap in Melbourne’s tram industry. Research showed that 75 per cent of job applicants were male, rising to 90 per cent for drivers. Transformation begins with people, so with a commitment to creating a balanced culture, Keolis Downer embarked on targeted information campaigns that aimed to bust common myths about tram driving.
The result? A 900 per cent increase in female applicants in two years. This has led to our merit-based recruitment system awarding 75 per cent of driver roles to women in the second quarter of 2015. In addition, women who live in Melbourne have easier access to challenging and fulfilling careers in what was previously a male-dominated industry.