Manchester Evening News
Aug 2006

The sky's the limit for females in freight

The event attracted a wide cross section of women from all aspects of the industry, including manufacturers - like Isuzu Truck MD Nikki King - operators, such as Anne Preston of Potto's or Lane Group's Rebecca Jenkins and, from the regulatory world. North Western Traffic Commisioner Beverley Bell - as well as representative of the industry's customers. "It wasn't deliberatley planned - thats is just how it happened," said Gail Sheddick.

Feeback from the conference floor had been positive with scores of 4.5 or even five out of five Sheddick added. " Altogether there was a tremendous response and a real 'wow' factor from the audience." she said. " I'm very pleased with the FTA and Skills for Logistics had the confidence to hold this event."

She is also anxious to counteract the impression that the even was in any way 'anti-men', There were in fact six men in the audience and Gill Sheddick is anxious to attract them as full participating members to future events - not just observers. "I think it would actually do some good if men heard what we have to say, and we'd definately like more to attend. After all, they do make up 90% of the industry.

Asked, in her own opinion, why women make up such a small percentage of the industry's workforce. Gill Sheddick said, "I think it's mainly because people don't recognise the oppurtunities that exist in the transport industry.

Speakers at FTA's Women in Transport conference are to meet in early November to decide shape and pattern of future, similar events. But hugely, succesful though the event on 6 september was, there will be no attempt to replicate it exactly, said chairwoman Gill Sheddick. "I don't think it would be wise to try and replicate it exactly. But we do want to build on the sucess of the conference and have regular events."

As well as future events and conference, other ideas could spring from Women in Transport. Already. Skills for Logistics is talking about a mentoring scheme, whereby people in the industry could have someone to "sound ideas off".

Several of the speakers at the Women in Transport spoke warmly of people in the industry - usually men, as it happened - who had helped them in their careers. "Actually, mentoring is not a bad idea for anyone in the industry - male of female," said Sheddick.