Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain considers what jobs may emerge over the next century to meet the industry’s evolving needs.
Roles in rail are enigmatic. On one hand, many of them would be recognisable to railway employees a hundred years ago – think driver, or guard. On the other, many would be unfathomable – for example, social media manager or digital signaller.
In the next hundred years, many roles will likely remain similarly recognisable. We’ll still need drivers, station staff, and maintenance workers and, with significant skills gaps looming in roles ranging from systems engineering to electrification, we can hope that we will see growth in these under-served areas too.
But what new roles will arise, and which current positions will increase in importance in the railway of the future?
Cybersecurity analysts
An increasingly digitised and connected age leaves the railway ever more vulnerable to cyber attacks and other incidents. In September 2024, public rail WiFi services were suspended at 19 railway stations after messages about terror attacks appeared on peoples’ devices and the British Transport Police said it had received various reports of imagery “intended to incite religious hatred”. From WiFi vulnerability to the risk of hacking in signalling and ticketing, skilled staff who are able to protect, detect, and respond to cyber incidents will become increasingly important.
Data analysts & AI engineers
For good or bad, AI is on the rise, and the industry needs to be equipped to respond to the challenges and opportunities it presents. Similarly, for an industry focussed on sustainability, inclusion, and precision, the water-hungry and biased nature of AI will need to be challenged by humans to maintain balance and ensure appropriate use. AI has potential in analytics, optimisation, transport modelling, and beyond, providing rich data-led insights, and will need staff who are able to understand and appropriately use AI technologies without compromising human creativity and interaction.
Sustainability and climate resilience officers
As major weather events increase in frequency and as we see more associated incidents (for example, landslips and flooding), sustainability initiatives are becoming more than a nice to have – they are an essential feature of the industry for which staff will be increasingly sought in the future. From having staff with ring-fenced funding who can lead on initiatives at a targeted level (e.g. where cliffs or sea walls are at risk), through to regional and national programmes aimed at improving biodiversity or reducing emissions, sustainability officers will serve a critical role in both rapid incident response and long-term planning and prevention.
Human factors specialists
The old saying ‘the railways would be perfect if not for the passengers’ certainly needs to be retired within the next century – ideally as soon as possible. With that in mind, we need to ensure railways are human-centred and human-led. As societies and usage patterns change, remaining flexible and able to meet fluctuating passenger needs will be essential to railway growth. Having staff who study how people interact with railways, how usage patterns change, and how railways can be made easier, safer, or simpler to use, will play a meaningful role in marrying the complexity of the future railway system with human nature.
As with all crystal ball-gazing, we can truly never predict where the future will lead us, but the above roles almost certainly have a place in the future of rail. However, if rail goes in a stranger direction, perhaps we’ll end up seeing some of the following positions:
Porter
Once a hallmark of rail travel, are railway porters a role we should revive? From assisting passengers with queries when in the station to helping load luggage and hold dogs, as we see a growth in leisure travel across rail, could porters become an essential part of rail travel again?
Quiet carriage enforcement officers
We’ve all given the classic ‘British tut’ at someone loudly using their phone in the quiet carriage but will we see staff in the future who, like librarians, defend this onboard sanctuary? At the very least they could hand out earplugs.
Railway cat care officer
The Lanesborough hotel in London is home to Lilibet, a Siberian Forest cat who has a hotel cat committee tending to her every whim. With so many famous railway cats (and other animals) up and down the rail network, is this pet-pampering role one which we should seek to emulate?
Railway beekeeper
Multiple rail sites now play host to beehives – one of the most recent examples being from TransPennine Express, which has installed beehives at Northallerton. Like hotel cat caretakers, should we have specific railway beekeepers who travel the network, caring for hives and harvesting honey?
Railway historians
Ending on a serious note, as we face increasing numbers of retirees out of the sector, ensuring we retain the knowledge of the past is essential to supporting a safe and productive future. Having systems and staff in place who can capture knowledge, log projects, record successes and failures, and disseminate knowledge, are central to future safety, innovation, and success.
‘Historian’ may not be their title, but regardless of the designation, we must ensure that we retain the lessons of the past as we move into the future, and that digital processes and AI enhance human knowledge rather than diminish it.
About the author: Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain is specification manager at Transport for the North. She focusses on improving transport systems, accessibility, safety, and beyond. She is also the chairperson of the Oxfordshire Community Rail Partnership. Daisy can be reached via LinkedIn.
Image credit: iStockphoto.com/wonry
