Transportation

Project-Focused Staffing Solutions to Meet South Eastern Railwayʼs Workforce Demands​​South Eastern Railway, a major train operating company in the South East of England, required a rapid recruitment solution to meet operational demands under the Service Quality Regime. The roles involved installing, maintaining and repairing train interiors including windows, seating and fittings while ensuring compliance with safety standards and passenger expectations. A specialist team of Interior Standards Operatives was provided to support the newly formed Service Quality Regime Interior Standards Team, delivering essential maintenance and repair work within train maintenance to uphold high interior standards.​Our SolutionThe recruitment was completed within a short turnaround period to meet client demands and support the Service Quality Regime. Contractors were engaged on short-term rolling contracts, aligned to the client's Service Quality Regime audits and funding cycles. Initial Requirement: A team of 7 Technicians to start within 2 weeks, with ongoing talent pooling in place to support fluctuations in staffing needs throughout the project term. ​Additional Provision by Ganymede: Rail Standard Medical & D&A testing.Full rail depot PPE. Turnaround Time: 11 working days from client briefing to the first contractor cohort starting.​Value Added Ganymede Connect - Ganymede held a briefing with the hiring manager to understand the candidate profile required and created a tailored solo interview suite on Ganymede Connect for candidates to complete video interviews. South Eastern Railway selected preferred candidates directly from the talent dashboard. This significantly reduced their usual time to hire, minimised management time spent conducting interviews, and reduced visitor numbers to a busy safety-critical site. Rail Specific Onboarding Support – Ganymede managed all onboarding tasks, including offers, right to work checks, medical and drug & alcohol testing, and PPE provision. Start dates were staggered across two weeks to support internal capacity for inductions and training at the depot. This ensured the full team was deployed compliantly and fully operational within three weeks of the initial briefing. Talent Pooling – Continuous screening and talent pooling have taken place throughout the project via the Ganymede Connect platform and project talent dashboard. This has enabled a rapid response to fluctuating needs and ensured staffing levels consistently meet project demands.​Ganymede Connect makes the recruitment process so much easier. Having candidate interviews available to view remotely means the selection process becomes vastly more efficient. No longer do the interviewers have to be together in one place, reducing the need to coordinate diaries. Candidate interviews can also be tailored to answer specific questions relating to the assignment, making the selection process much quicker. Simply put, Ganymede Connect is a game changer for staff recruitment. D Paris Head of Fleet Engineering, South Eastern Railway.​Looking for a flexible, project focused staffing solution tailored to the unique demands of the transportation industry?Get in touch with Ganymede today to discover how our specialist workforce solutions can help you meet operational requirements, improve service quality and maintain compliance, even at short notice.​

​200 Years of Rail: A Frontline Focus​As the UK railway industry celebrates its 200th anniversary, it provides an opportunity to reflect not only on technological and infrastructural advancements, but also on the people whose work underpins the daily running of the rail network. Michael Dobson, who is our Recruitment Manager within the Transportation industry, heading our London office, shares his professional perspective on the evolution, continued relevance, and future of frontline roles in the sector. Drawing on his experience recruiting for positions such as train cleaners and customer-facing staff, he highlights the essential contribution these individuals make to the passenger experience and operational success of the railway.​Through the Lens of the Frontline: Then and Now​In recent years, the importance of frontline roles has become more visible. Particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline workers remained active while much of the country came to a standstill, ensuring trains continued running and key workers could get to where they were needed most. This period highlighted the sheer dedication and resilience these roles demand, and began to shift public recognition toward the individuals behind the scenes.Train cleanliness, once an operational necessity carried out quietly in the background, is now a major focus for train operating companies. The bar for hygiene and presentation has risen sharply, with companies striving to meet the highest standards for both safety and customer satisfaction. At the same time, customer-facing roles have grown more complex and demanding. Staff must manage a wide variety of interactions - sometimes difficult ones - and provide a calm, clear presence during delays, cancellations, and busy travel periods. Their ability to communicate effectively and manage expectations directly impacts how passengers perceive their journey.​Why Frontline Roles Matter More Than Ever​In 2025, as more people return to regular commuting, these frontline roles have become more relevant than ever. Increased footfall across stations and trains means operators must deliver a consistently high standard of service, and this begins with having the right people on the ground.The reality of frontline work often includes tackling tough cleaning challenges, such as graffiti removal, waste left behind by passengers, and maintaining carriages in all weather conditions. Cleaners are the first line of defence in upholding quality and safety standards, often working through the night or in unpredictable environments.Customer service teams, meanwhile, must navigate a wide range of human behaviours. They are the face of the railway - responding to passenger needs, managing crowd control, and often delivering difficult messages during disruption. It’s a role that requires not just knowledge, but emotional intelligence, resilience, and professionalism.Train cleaning in progress​Supporting the Frontline Through Communication and Connection​Recognising the need to further support and celebrate these vital contributions, Ganymede has launched a new newsletter. This platform aims to keep the rail sector informed and connected by sharing updates, insights, and examples of best practice from across the network. In doing so, it creates space for valuable conversations about quality, workforce achievements, and opportunities to improve the passenger and employee experience alike.​Looking Ahead: The Future of Rail Recruitment​Looking to the future, frontline rail recruitment is expected to continue evolving. Emerging technologies, rising costs of living, and increased competition from other sectors will shape how train operating companies attract and retain talent. Pay, benefits, flexibility, and training opportunities will all play a key role. However, what will remain constant is the critical importance of these roles within the industry.For those considering a career in rail, frontline positions offer more than just a job - they provide hands-on experience, comprehensive training, peer support, and the chance to develop valuable communication and customer service skills. These roles serve as an ideal entry point into a dynamic and rewarding industry, offering the opportunity to make a tangible difference every single day.As we celebrate 200 years of railway heritage, it’s the perfect time to turn the spotlight on the individuals whose efforts too often go unnoticed. Through this new platform and continued recognition, Ganymede is proud to support the voices, challenges, and successes of the frontline teams shaping the future of rail.Read our previous blog: Accelerating Action: Ganymede's Women in Rail Reflect on IWD and 200 Years of Railway Progress

In Conversation With: Mark Dickinson, Regional Fleet Manager at East Midlands Railway​Our new In Conversation With series shines a light on industry leaders who share their insights, experiences, and contributions to the rail sector.To launch the series, we sat down with Mark Dickinson, Regional Fleet Manager at East Midlands Railway (EMR), who offers an exclusive look into the evolving world of train presentation, a crucial part of rail operations that ensures trains go into service in the best possible condition for passengers and stakeholders.Since the COVID-19 pandemic, cleanliness on trains has taken on an even greater level of importance. Mark discusses how EMR has enhanced its approach to cleanliness, built a dedicated department, and worked closely with partners such as Ganymede to deliver excellence across the network.​What does your role consist of?“Train presentation is exactly what it says on the can. Our primary job is to clean trains and ensure they go into service in the best possible condition for our customers and stakeholders. Our team varies in size, with sites across the country where we provide train presentation services.I ensure we meet our standards and targets while keeping our teams trained, compliant, and working to their full potential. This involves focusing on current operations while also planning for future improvements in areas like innovation and development. At the heart of it all are the people who work for us. They do a tough job, and my focus is on supporting them, ensuring they have the right mindset, that their well-being is prioritised, and that they are equipped to perform at their best.”​Achievements and highlights within train presentation for 2024“I joined the business around two years ago, and at that time, train presentation didn’t really exist; it was part of the fleet function. In the last 18 months to two years, we’ve developed a formal department with its own structure, including management systems and procedures. This has created an environment where people share ideas and feel confident in what they are doing.Despite the challenges of implementing big changes, we’ve achieved a lot in a short period of time. For example, we’ve seen a 20% increase in units and trains in the East Midlands fleet, and we’ve found ways to manage that. While it’s still a work in progress, we’ve made great strides. In just 18 months, the whole management team, including Simon Kelly, Head of our function, has accomplished a lot.”​Key challenges faced within train presentation“One of the key challenges is adapting new ideas and concepts to fit into a very old system of work. Coming from an industrial background, the railway was a shock to the system as it operates very differently and within its own parameters.It’s fine to come in with new ideas and say we’re going to do it this way, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will work. Challenging the status quo takes longer than expected. However, I think we’ve done well so far, and the culture shift is starting. In the next 12 to 18 months, we should be heading in the direction we want.”​The value of partnership: EMR and GanymedeGanymede and EMR have built a strong partnership over the years, with collaboration playing a key role in delivering successful outcomes across fleet operations.“Ganymede’s workforce solutions and staffing have been a massive help. They have supported us by providing additional resources, and a big part of what we do relies on temporary recruitment.Ganymede has played a key role in this by ensuring due diligence is carried out upfront, assessing individuals to ensure they are comfortable with what we’re trying to achieve and our expectations. This has made the process seamless, with new staff ready to enter the training environment and integrate into the team. Compliance has been fantastic, and they fit in easily, coming in without preconceptions and fully understanding how we operate and what we want to achieve. This is down to Ganymede and the processes they use to prepare them.”​Looking ahead: What’s next for train presentation in 2025?“It’s about identifying incremental changes we can make going forward and exploring how we can utilise Ganymede’s services more effectively, potentially across the entire function, not just within my sector. As a fairly new team and function within EMR, it’s important to ensure the fit continues, providing resources for our stakeholders and passengers while also maintaining the resources we need to succeed.”​Final thoughts“From my perspective, when I joined this industry, there was a prevailing mindset among the train presentation crew and carriage cleaners, that they were ‘just cleaners’. Over the last 18 months, I’ve worked hard to change that mindset and culture, and I will continue to drive this message in the years to come. These individuals underpin the service we provide. Without their efforts, the rest of the business would likely struggle to function effectively.”​Ganymede extends its thanks to Mark Dickinson for sharing his insights as part of our In Conversation With series. Mark regularly shares updates on train presentation and effective people management on LinkedIn — connect with him here.​Thank you​A huge thank you to Mark Dickinson for participating in the first edition of our In Conversation With series.We hope this insight into the industry has been valuable. This series will continue as a regular feature in our Transportation Newsletter, sharing expert perspectives on key topics and emerging trends across the supply chain.If you would like to take part in a future edition, please contact: Charlotte Cruise at charlotte.cruise@ganymedesolutions.co.uk or Michael Dobson at michael.dobson@ganymedesolutions.co.uk.

Rail Transportation Newsletter - March 2025​​Ganymede is excited to launch the first edition of its Rail Transportation Newsletter, bringing you the latest trends and developments in the rail operations sector.​Each edition will feature exclusive interviews with industry leaders, providing valuable insights into their expertise and the essential roles they play in keeping the UK rail network running smoothly.Stay informed with industry updates, expert perspectives and key insights.We hope you enjoy this first edition.​This edition includes:Interview with Mark Dickinson, Regional Fleet Train Presentation Manager at EMRWomen in Rail OutreachStaffing TrendsSpotlight on our workforceSpotlight on Safety​Read the March 2025 Rail Transportation Newsletter here​As always, we trust you will find the newsletter useful and engaging. If you have any questions or feedback after reading the first edition of Rail Transportation, please don't hesitate to get in touch using the form below.​​