Opening doors and supporting wellbeing: student insights with c2c
Purpose Lab student ambassadors explored mental health in the workplace and how to make frontline careers in rail more accessible in two recent sessions with c2c.
Mental health at work: make support easy to see and use
Students discussed how clear information and calm communication during disruption can reduce stress for both passengers and staff. Ideas that resonated included consistent station and staff-area signposting, simple language with QR links to resources, manager training on spotting early signs and “how to have the conversation,” and buddying for new starters so people aren’t left to figure things out alone.
The message was that culture is built through routine behaviours, not strategies or slogans.
Student voices
“By setting realistic goals and recognising effort, not just results … when people aren’t constantly pressured, they perform better and stay healthier mentally.”
“Being mentors and teachers to their employees not just bosses.”
“I didn’t realise mental health was taken so seriously by employers.”
Frontline roles and women in rail: visibility, preparation and flexibility
The second session focused on making station, customer service, revenue protection and driving roles more attractive. Students asked for “day-in-the-life” content, shadowing opportunities, and transparent, bias-free recruitment with clear criteria, example assessments and realistic timelines.
Confidence and safety were recurring themes - training for handling conflict, visible team backup on late or remote shifts, and tech that speeds support to staff on the ground. Flexibility mattered too: predictable working hours where possible, part-time options, and routes that accommodate study or caring without derailing progression.
Student voices
“I learned how many different roles exist within the rail industry.”
“Seeing other women entering the industry so that I have a role model to follow.”
“I would expect support like thorough training, mentorship, flexible options and a workplace that values wellbeing and inclusivity.”
What good looks like from a student perspective
Clarity and visibility: simple, consistent information people can find quickly and trust.
Everyday leadership: routine check-ins, constructive feedback, and access to a named mentor or buddy.
Practical preparation: conflict-handling and confidence-building training; example assessments and application guidance.
Flexibility that’s real: options that help balance work, study and caring, without limiting progression.
Authentic role models: real stories from women thriving in frontline roles.
Reflections
The students reflected that they wanted support and opportunities to be unmistakably visible, managers and mentors to have the correct training, and barriers to be removed from entry and progression.
Small, structured moves - clear signposting, buddying, transparent recruitment pages with examples, and regular showcases of women in frontline roles - can have a significant impact on wellbeing and on opening the door to rail careers.
