Former Glasgow betting shop worker now works on Scotland's railways

Rachel Mills, from Glasgow, works overnight trackside as a rail engineer for SWGR, an infrastructure support services provider, carrying out vital maintenance work that keeps the country’s rail network moving.

The 25-year-old's route into rail engineering began with a course at Glasgow Kelvin College, which she took after several years in retail and working in a betting shop.

Rachel said: "When I tell people what I do, they think I'm joking.

"I've got fake eyelashes and don't really look like what people expect someone working on the railway to look like, so people are always surprised when I tell them I spend my nights out on the tracks.

"I love seeing their reaction because it shows there's still this stereotype about who belongs in engineering and what they should look like."

Rail engineer Rachel Mills (Image: Supplied)

In partnership with SWGR, Glasgow Kelvin College is offering an NQ Rail Engineering (Level 5) programme that combines classroom study, hands-on training, and real industry experience.

Rachel found out about the industry through the college course and has since gained specialist qualifications, including her Controller of Site Safety (COSS) certification, which allows her to ensure that teams can work safely during rail maintenance tasks.

She said: "I honestly didn't know this career existed.

"I'd always enjoyed practical work, but I didn't know there was a route into the railway through college.

"Once I found the course, everything seemed to fall into place.

"I've never looked back.

"Every shift is different, you're constantly learning, and you're doing work that really matters."

Rachel hopes her story will encourage others, especially women, to consider opportunities they might not have thought possible.

She said: "Engineering is still a male-dominated industry, but that shouldn't put anyone off.

"I could probably count on one hand the number of women I've worked with since I started, but I've always felt respected by the people around me.

"If you're interested in engineering, don't let stereotypes make you think it's not for you.

"The industry needs more women and more different perspectives."

Looking back, Rachel says her decision to take on a course she knew little about completely changed her life.

She said: "If you'd told 16-year-old me that I'd be working on Scotland's railway, I wouldn't have believed you.

"Sometimes the opportunities that change your life are the ones you didn't even know existed.

"Taking that first step changed everything for me."

Glasgow Kelvin College is sharing Rachel's story to mark National Opportunity Day on August 5, aiming to highlight the importance of further education in broadening career choices.

Peter Brown, assistant principal of curriculum, skills and apprenticeships at Glasgow Kelvin College, said: "National Opportunity Day is about helping people see that there is more than one route into a rewarding career.

"Our new partnership with SWGR demonstrates exactly what that looks like in practice, giving learners access to industry-standard training, real workplace experience and a direct pathway into skilled jobs that are vital to Scotland's future.

"Rachel's story shows what can happen when people are given the opportunity, confidence and support to take a different path."