It was fabulous to reconnect with Old Girl Elaine recently, to learn a little about her role and to congratulate her on being awarded an OBE in the recent King's Birthday Honours for Services to the Rail Supply Industry. Please read Elaine's words below.

Please describe your journey since leaving BGS and how you progressed to your current position.

After university I joined Courtaulds Chemicals and then moved to the electricity industry. Following a period of time in head office and then Ratcliffe Power Station I took up the role of manager of the training business. When the opportunity arose to do an MBO of the training business this resulted in me becoming MD of a private sector SME which brought with it a huge amount of business management learning and experience. In 2008, following the sale of the business, I was part of a team that developed the business plan and secured government approval for the National Skills Academy for Power – this in turn led to me joining the National Skills Academy for Rail Engineering (NSARE).  After five years at NSARE which provided fantastic insight into Government policy development I joined the Rail Forum as General Manager and then CEO.

How did BGS inspire you to become a Chemical Engineer?

Teachers are hugely influential, and I think looking back I had a couple of Chemistry teachers who can take at least some ‘blame’ or ‘credit’ for me choosing to study Chemical Engineering at university.

What does your role involve, what is an average day like for you?

Every day is different which is why I love what I do. One day I am dealing with Ministers and civil servants, another it’s with school children trying to inspire them into STEM careers and on most days, it’s dealing with our 370 members organisations supporting them and helping them to navigate the complex rail industry.

What skills did you develop early in your career?

At the end of the day everything comes down to people. Treating people the way you want to be treated is something I learned early on – on night shift in the chemical industry!

What is your proudest professional achievement?

Being awarded an OBE in the recent King's Birthday Honours for Services to the Rail Supply Industry.

What is the most challenging period of your career?

Juggling a family and a career is challenging and I am incredibly lucky to have had support from both my husband and wider family.

What advice would you give to our alumni starting their first steps in their career journey?

Be open minded about where you might work – what type of business or industry. There is a lot of opportunity out there that you won’t even have realised exists. So, don’t rule anything out - all the experiences you have in your early career will help you grow into your future roles.