Apeksha Naik
7 Oct 2026
Black History Month 2026
Black History Month provided an opportunity for colleagues from across the rail industry to come together, share experiences and explore how the sector can create a more inclusive future.
Throughout the event, one message was clear: meaningful progress requires more than representation. It requires belonging, fair access to opportunity and sustained action throughout the year. Discussions explored representation and progression, youth engagement, recruitment, learning and development, mentoring, leadership accountability and the role of community in helping people build successful careers in rail.
From representation to belonging
A key theme was the continuing challenge of under-representation at senior levels. Contributors highlighted the importance of understanding where talented colleagues may be lost from recruitment, progression and succession pipelines, and using evidence to shape more effective interventions.
Employee networks, mentoring, sponsorship and allyship were identified as important ways of creating opportunities. The discussion also highlighted the influence individuals can have by recognising potential, making introductions, challenging unnecessary barriers and advocating for colleagues when they are not in the room.
In her keynote, Michelle Gayle distinguished between representation and belonging. While representation considers whether people are present, belonging is about whether colleagues can be themselves, succeed, progress and ultimately become leaders. Her message encouraged organisations to move from acknowledgement to accountability and action, ensuring inclusion becomes part of everyday workplace culture rather than something considered only during Black History Month.
Opening up rail careers to future generations
The event also considered how the industry can become more accessible and attractive to young people, particularly those from ethnically diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds.
Participants discussed how perceptions of rail careers can be limited to the roles that young people see most frequently, despite opportunities spanning project management, data, cybersecurity, commercial, planning, design, environmental and digital professions.
The discussion emphasised the value of engaging young people through schools, trusted community organisations, youth networks and social media, while involving young people themselves in designing interventions. Contributors also highlighted the importance of reaching parents and other adults who may influence young people's career decisions.
But attracting new talent is only part of the challenge. Mentoring, pastoral support, help with practical barriers such as travel, constructive feedback and ongoing career development were highlighted as important ways of supporting people after they enter the industry.
Creating fairer opportunities to learn and progress
Learning and development featured strongly throughout the event, with participants discussing mentoring, qualifications, apprenticeships, work experience, shadowing and career-development opportunities.
Contributors highlighted the need for clearer and more consistent approaches to development so that access to opportunities does not depend solely on individual team circumstances or line-manager discretion. Structured career planning, succession planning, investment in qualifications and opportunities to gain broader experience were identified as ways to support progression and retention.
Recruitment was another major focus. Ideas included anonymised applications, diverse interview panels, clearer job requirements, broader advertising and stronger community outreach. Participants also challenged requirements such as previous railway experience or specified years of experience where the necessary skills could instead be developed within the role.
Inspire, Hire, Learn, Grow and Connect
To translate discussion into practical recommendations, attendees took part in breakout sessions centred around five Rail Youth Promise themes:
Inspire: attracting Black people and other under-represented groups into rail.
Hire: improving inclusive recruitment and removing unnecessary barriers.
Learn: widening access to development opportunities.
Grow: strengthening retention, progression and belonging.
Connect: building stronger community links and addressing practical access barriers.
The sessions also explored how colleagues can be supported once they join the industry, with safe workplaces, effective line management, mentoring, coaching and proactive approaches to racism all raised as important considerations.
Turning conversation into lasting change
The event concluded by looking towards the future and the opportunities presented by the development of Great British Railways (GBR).
Participants' feedback from the breakout sessions is intended to feed into the GBR design process, while attendees were encouraged to take the learning back into their own organisations and advocate for colleagues who may not have been able to participate.
The event also included a tribute and reflection session for Professor Jason Arday, connecting their encouragement and mentorship with the wider themes of belonging, progression, and collective responsibility. The reflections reinforced the idea that representation should be the beginning of progress, rather than its final measure. Organisations should also consider who is progressing, whose voices are being heard and who has opportunities to influence decisions.
Ultimately, the day's discussions reinforced a simple but powerful message: opening a door matters most when we help others through it too.
By listening to lived experience, challenging barriers, investing in talent and turning commitments into measurable action, the rail industry can continue building a workforce where people from every background have the opportunity not simply to join, but to belong, develop and lead.