Black history month case study with Daniel Kidane.
To mark Black History Month, we wanted to shine a light on our Revenue and Security Manager, Daniel, who opened up about his journey from a young 14-year-old boy (moving to London from Africa) to becoming one of our Revenue and Security Manager’s here at West Midlands Railway.
At West Midlands Railway we put inclusion at the forefront of our operations and every day we continue to strive towards a more inclusive workforce, no matter who you are, or where you come from. We would like this time to thank Daniel for sharing his story with us, to help encourage others to consider a role in the railway.
Daniel’s story
When I was 14 years old, I moved to the UK from Africa and lived with my sister in London. To find work I moved to Birmingham where I lived with my foster family. This is when I completed the Prince’s Trust programme back in the days of London Midland (now West Midlands Trains – operator of West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway).
After the Prince’s Trust programme, I wanted to start my career in the railway, and attended three interviews with West Midlands Railway to get there. Much to my delight, I was given the opportunity to take up a one-year contract as a Station Assistant Apprentice.
Whilst working as a Station Assistant Apprentice, I had a really supportive supervisor who encouraged me to apply for a permanent job. This is when I was given the opportunity to shadow the Revenue Protection team at West Midlands Railway.
As well as travelling across the network with the Revenue and Protection team, I also supported them by helping translate conversations when customers could not speak English. This is where my ability to speak four different languages really came in handy!
After five months, I decided to take my supervisor’s advice and apply for a permanent role in Revenue Protection. After the interviews, I got the call to be told that I had been given the job as a Revenue and Security Protection Manager. I was so surprised; I just couldn’t believe it! And, although I had not been with West Midlands Railway for long (and being my first permanent job), my team were super supportive, helping me progress, gain experience, and providing me the right training to help me feel more confident in the role.
Not only that, I have also received an Ambassador Award - which was awarded to me back in my London Midlands days when I supported a passenger who was going to take his own life. My training and my background helped me feel confident speaking to him in his own language and providing the right support. I also explained to everyone what we were saying so that we were all able to support him.
All this has now led me to today. And is why I wanted to share with you my story this Black History Month, to showcase that, despite facing difficulties as a teenager moving countries and finding my feet - with a little hard work, the right people, and the right support, you can achieve what you set out to.
What is the Prince’s Trust scheme?
The Prince’s Trust scheme helps young people aged 16-30 secure jobs through their ‘Get into’ courses that provide ‘on the job’ experience and training. Programmes run from two days to a couple of weeks. It’s stories like Daniel as to why we continue to work with the Prince’s Trust, to help more young people and those from all backgrounds find their own feet and start their career in the railway.
How can I find out more about jobs in the railway?
If you are interested in a career in the railway, keep an eye on our careers hub where you can find out more about the type of railway jobs, work perks, apprenticeships and what railway jobs are currently available.