Southwest Trains
Southwest Trains is part of Stagecoach Group, serving communities in London and parts of the South East and South West of England. More than 230m journeys are made on our services each year, made possible by our c.4500-strong team.
Ed Zhao: Head of Revenue and Research
Why were you interested in recruiting Birkbeck students?
If students can hold down a full-time job while studying at night, we know they will be highly motivated – they will have 'get up and go'. At South West Trains, we like this type of person. Birkbeck offers quality academic training, and so we trust that Birkbeck graduates are intellectually sound too.
How useful was Birkbeck Talent in helping you to get the right candidate for this position?
It was a good service and very useful. Birkbeck Talent reached out to students and did the initial sifting of applications. Because they had already screened candidates, we received a small number of high-quality applications, which saved us time. I have recommended Birkbeck Talent to another part of my company already.
Ibra was a good team member and analysed data, informing business management. Oh and he was a good laugh too!
What was it like to have a member of staff who is also studying in the evening?
Ibra worked his hours in the office and left on time when he had lectures in the evening. It was never a problem, as quite often many of us work different hours. His academic studies brought some interesting discussions at work too, in passing, which was good fun.
What do you look for in a candidate?
They need to be intellectually rigorous and academically sound; have drive and ambition; want a career, not 'just another job'; and be a team player… Yes, most of the typical words that employers mention! In short, an all-round 'good egg'.
What are the benefits of working at South West Trains?
Benefits? Lots! There are so many jobs within the company - from ticket clerks, to revenue inspectors, drivers, station managers, finance analysts, safety managers - and of course revenue / commercial analysts like Ibra. You get to work with a diverse group of people, with a great mix of skills and experiences. Oh, yes, the pay and perks package is pretty good too.