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Inspiring Young People About Careers in Rail​Natasha Higgins, a seasoned recruiter with over 20 years’ experience specialising in careers in the rail sector at Ganymede, recently volunteered at a Careers Day for Year 8 students at her local secondary school. Her goal was clear: to introduce children aged 12 to 13 to the diverse and rewarding career opportunities in the rail industry.​Why Rail Careers Matter for Young People“Having recruited in this sector for two decades, I have witnessed first hand how people can build impressive careers, starting from apprenticeships and progressing all the way to senior management roles,” Natasha explains. “I felt it was really important to highlight rail as a viable and stable career path, especially at this stage before they choose their GCSE subjects in Year 9.”Natasha’s motivation was personal as well as professional. Her own son is in Year 8 and already has a solid understanding of the rail industry although, as she jokes, “he does not really have a choice!” But Natasha questioned whether all children have the same awareness, which inspired her to volunteer.​Engaging Students with Careers in RailNatasha began by asking what the children thought of when they heard “rail sector” and which jobs they associated with it. Most immediately mentioned train drivers or ticket staff.​“I also asked about their favourite school subjects,” she says. “That was a great way to connect their interests with the wide variety of roles in the rail industry.”​Exploring Career Opportunities in the Rail SectorNatasha then explained that the rail sector is much more than just trains and stations. She introduced the students to many different areas involved: track maintenance, overhead line equipment (OLE), signalling, stations, bridges, and rolling stock. She emphasised that everything seen and used on the rail network is designed, built, and maintained by skilled professionals.​Passion and Interests Spark Questions About Rail Sector JobsOne of the highlights was seeing some children express a genuine passion for safety on the rail network. Natasha took the opportunity to explain the critical importance of health and safety roles. Another child showed interest in caring for the environment and animals, leading Natasha to talk about the work of ecologists and environmental professionals within the sector.​Questions flowed freely, particularly about how to enter the rail industry from apprenticeships to degree level roles and the kinds of companies that hire for these positions.​​Opening Minds to New Rail Sector Possibilities“It was fantastic to watch the children start to think of the rail sector as so much more than just trains,” Natasha reflects. “I felt I really opened their minds to the broad range of design and technical careers available.”​Interactive Learning with Ganymede’s Routes in Rail SystemTo make the experience even more engaging, the children used Ganymede’s “Routes in Rail” interactive presentation, which helps young people match their interests such as computers or IT with career paths within the rail sector. Natasha noted how this tool helped children see how their favourite subjects relate directly to rail careers.​The Assistant Head teacher of the school said: Thank you so much for attending our schools careers carousel on Friday. The pupils really enjoyed it and have been talking about what they have found out and some have become interested in an area for future job opportunities from this event, so thank you for inspiring our pupils. As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting local schools and inspiring young people, we look forward to running more Careers Day sessions like this one in the coming months. If you know of a school that would benefit from a visit by Ganymede and our team of recruitment experts to explore career opportunities in the rail sector and beyond, please get in touch using the form below.​

​Ganymede continue partnership with Rail Safe Friendly for a further 12 months​'Safety First, Safety Always' is at the core of everything we do. As such, we're proud to share that Ganymede are extending our partnership with the Rail Safe Friendly programme for an additional year.​The Rail Safe Friendly programme is dedicated to spreading the vital message of rail safety among young individuals, educators, and parents throughout schools in the UK through their innovative Learn Live news channel, with Network Railapproved learning material.​Ganymede first signed up to this initiative in March 2024. Over the course of the 12 months, we are delighted to share that we successfully sponsored 10 schools throughout the UK, ultimately resulting in over 9,000 total views of the programmes safety videos.​One parent gave their feedback: "I watched the video as a parent and with my 2 children. The story conveyed a really important message about the dangers and how this resulted in a tragic loss. I was able to talk openly to prompt a discussion."​Now, as we continue our relationship with the team at Rail Safe Friendly, we look forward to connecting with more schools, further spreading the essential message of safety to as many members of the public as possible.

Reflecting o​n Progress, Committing to More: Our EDI Journey and 2025 Charter Launch​In 2021, we launched our first Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Charter to formally embed our values into every aspect of our business. It set out clear intentions, defined accountability, and established a structured framework for tracking progress - demonstrating our commitment to creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, supported, and empowered to succeed.Four years on, the Charter has acted as both a roadmap and a catalyst, guiding tangible improvements across the organisation. From inclusive recruitment practices and employee training, to leadership accountability and community outreach, our efforts have been wide-ranging and impactful. We’re proud of the momentum we’ve built - but we’re equally mindful that there’s more to do.A key milestone in our journey has been the transition from focusing on “Equality” to “Equity.” This subtle but powerful shift reflects our deeper understanding that not everyone starts from the same place. Equity means providing tailored support to remove barriers - so that all individuals can thrive, not just survive.As we mark the end of our first Charter period, we’re pleased to share our 2025 EDI Charter, which builds on everything we’ve learned so far. This document sets out our priorities for the next four years, with both long-term ambitions and near-term goals to drive meaningful, lasting change.Our review outlines key achievements, such as:Establishing a cross-functional EDI steering group with growing engagement.Expanding inclusive recruitment strategies and flexible working options.Supporting professional networks and external advocacy initiatives like Women in Rail.Launching targeted outreach programmes for youth and underrepresented communities.Providing annual EDI and Modern Slavery training, with new scenario-based workshops coming in 2025.We’ve also learned from our challenges. While we exceeded targets in some areas - like increasing the proportion of our workforce identifying as Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic - lower response rates in some employee groups and rigid survey formats revealed gaps we’re committed to addressing.Looking ahead, our 2025 Charter sets out strategic goals through to 2029, including:Broadening workforce diversity across all levels.Increasing representation in leadership.Enhancing survey engagement and voluntary data disclosure.Expanding manager EDI training to build inclusive leadership.Strengthening transparency and external perception of our EDI efforts.At Ganymede, equity, diversity, and inclusion are not checkboxes - they are integral to our culture, values, and success. We remain committed to learning, listening, and acting to ensure our people, clients, and communities feel seen, heard, and supported.We invite you to read the full EDI Progress Review and 2025 Charter here.

​The Spring 2025 edition of Safety First, Ganymede’s quarterly safety newsletter is now available to read.​In this edition we focus on:Spotlight on Safety Sentinel scheme rulesHAVS awarenessLife saving rulesSafe work packs​Key messagesAwareness on CBD oil drinksWaste updatesProstate awareness​Fatigue awareness Karolinska Sleepiness ScaleLaunch of our fatigue survey​Read the Summer 2025 Safety First Newsletter here​As always, we trust you will find the newsletter useful and engaging. If you have any questions or feedback after reading this edition of Safety First, please don't hesitate to get in touch using the form below.​​​

​Celebrating 20 Years of Success: Colin Earp’s Journey with Ganymede​This year, we're celebrating a major milestone as Colin Earp marks 20 incredible years with Ganymede. Colin has made a lasting impact through his hard work, team spirit, and commitment to delivering for clients and candidates alike. To honour the occasion, we sat down with Colin to reflect on his two-decade journey, his proudest achievements, and what’s kept him motivated over the years.​Reflecting on Two Decades of ExcellenceWhen asked what he is most proud of over the last 20 years, Colin shared“I’ve been awarded Top Consultant twice and Top Contract Consultant several times during my career with Ganymede. These are the achievements I am most proud of. We employ excellent Recruitment Consultants here at Ganymede who build fantastic relationships with clients and candidates, so to be the best of the best is as good as it gets for me.”​Andy Pendlebury, Chairman and CEO of RTC Group Plc and Colin​Why Ganymede? It’s All About the People“There are so many reasons why I enjoy working for Ganymede, but the most important one for me is the people I work with. We support, encourage, advise, coach, and have a laugh with each other every day to ensure we offer the best service to our clients and candidates.The management team plays a huge part in that, and the support I have been given, both in the workplace and in my personal life, has been incredible.Added to that is the fantastic commission structure, systems, and IT that make the job easier and mean we can fill vacancies quicker — and a head office that is a great place to work from.”​Staying Motivated After 20 Years“Everyone knows that recruitment has lots of highs and lows, but placing a candidate is what drives and motivates me every day.”Evolution of Colin's pictures through the years​Key Milestones and Turning Points“I was promoted to Assistant Recruitment Manager back in 2014, where I was managing a team of three recruitment consultants.As it turned out, this was a turning point in my career because I struggled to handle the pressures of managing a team and maintaining my own performance.So after a period of 22 months and with the support of the management team, I decided to return to my role of Principal Consultant.It shows that at Ganymede, the support is there to ensure you develop your career how you want to. If there is a route you take that doesn’t work out, then you can discuss and decide on an alternative — and I’ve never looked back.”​Chris O'Connor, Operations Director in Recruitment commented:​It has been my absolute pleasure to have worked alongside Col for his entire 20-year tenure with the group. I vividly remember us both joining the business back in 2005 – two fresh-faced and perhaps slightly naive recruitment novices eager to forge a career in a sector we knew precisely nothing about! Fast forward two decades, and despite the few extra wrinkles acquired along the way, Col's enthusiasm remains as infectious as ever. More importantly, throughout these years, he has consistently proven himself to be one of the very best in our field.You will be hard-pressed to find anyone with a negative word to say about Colin. He takes immense pride in delivering the very best for his customers, candidates, and colleagues alike. Past and present colleagues will undoubtedly tell you that it is a genuine pleasure to be on his team.Well done, Col – the recognition you will receive for this milestone is richly deserved. Here's to the next 20 years… and who knows, maybe in that time, we'll even see Manchester United challenge again!​This is what Owen Hughes, Divisional Manager, had to say about Colin's anniversary:​I’ve had the privilege of working alongside Colin every single day of my time here, and I can honestly say: anyone would be proud to do the same. He’s the first in, the last to leave, and sets a shining example of what it means to be a top-tier recruiter. His results speak for themselves.Call him the postman: Colin delivers, week in, week out, with unwavering consistency and high-level performance. In fact, he holds the record for the most contract recruitment margin billed by any individual in RTC Group history. He is not just a key member of the team; he is a cornerstone, a benchmark for what great recruitment looks like.Beyond the numbers, Colin is a true gentleman. His professionalism, humility and integrity have earned him the utmost respect and admiration from his colleagues. It is rare to find someone so highly thought of within the workplace.So here is to the man, the myth, the Red Devil, with form far better than his team. Congratulations on smashing through this incredible anniversary, Col. Legend status: well and truly secured.And remember… You’ll Never Walk Alone.​Colin’s 20-year journey is a fantastic example of loyalty, passion and the value of finding the right environment to thrive in. A huge congratulations to Colin on this remarkable milestone. Here’s to continued success and many more achievements still to come.

Mental Health Matters: 200 Years of Rail, 200 Years of People​As the UK celebrates 200 years of the railway, much of the spotlight rightly falls on achievements in infrastructure, innovation and growth. But behind every milestone are the people who keep the industry moving. This Mental Health Awareness Week, Ganymede is focusing on the wellbeing of those individuals by highlighting the work of its Mental Health First Aiders and the value of everyday support within the rail sector.​Listening First, Supporting Always​For Victoria Richards, Office Coordinator in Rail, trust is at the heart of her role as a Mental Health First Aider. Her colleagues often come to her because they feel safe opening up. Victoria explained that when asked to take on the training, she was glad to accept. She said, "Being a lady of a certain age, the operatives see me as a mother figure. When Gary asked me to attend the course, I was happy to expand my understanding of mental health further."Gary Lobue, Head of HSEQ, brings a broader perspective from across the business. He believes mental health support is essential in rail due to the unique pressures faced by the workforce. "Shift patterns, fatigue and job uncertainty all add pressure. People are often afraid to speak up, especially in a male-dominated industry."Suzanne Thorpe, Health and Safety Manager, agrees that support is critical, especially during periods of uncertainty. "Change can be a major trigger for mental health issues. Providing support helps people cope through uncertain times."​Training That Makes a Difference​Each of Ganymede’s Mental Health First Aiders has undertaken recognised training, but the true value often lies in listening and being present.Gary described a moment that left a lasting impression. "He needed someone who would listen, and I was that person." Taking time to truly hear someone’s experience had a positive impact when it mattered most.Victoria recalled when an operative turned to her shortly after a personal tragedy. "He sat with me and talked for two hours. I helped direct him to support, and he was so grateful."Suzanne added that even small actions carry great weight. "It is not always about grand gestures. Sometimes it is just taking the time to genuinely listen."​Shifting Attitudes​Progress is visible across the industry. Dave Carter, Head of Technical Resource for Rail, noted the shift in awareness and openness. "There is far more awareness now than there was 20 years ago. People are more open and self-aware."At Ganymede, mental health is now introduced as part of the induction process. Victoria shared, "It’s become normal to have conversations about it."Suzanne emphasised that lasting change depends on everyday leadership. "Support has to be consistent through line management, not just at the top."​Looking Ahead​The hope for the future is clear. By the time rail celebrates 250 years, Ganymede’s Mental Health First Aiders want to see an industry where stigma no longer prevents people from seeking help.Victoria put it simply. "Ideally it would be lovely to be rid of the stigma."Gary added that while mental health issues may never disappear entirely, awareness and openness will make a difference. "We will never eliminate mental health issues, but we can keep promoting awareness so people feel safe to speak up."As the rail industry looks toward the future, progress will be measured not only in miles of track or technical advancement, but also in the strength of its people. Supporting mental health today lays the foundation for a healthier, more resilient workforce in the years to come.​Read our previous blog: 200 Years of Rail: A Frontline Focus