A former air hostess, mum-of-four, has proven it’s never too late for a career change by becoming a train driver at the age of 44.
Sam Bentley worked as an airline cabin crew for over a decade until her life was upended when Thomas Cook went bust in 2019.
The sudden change left Sam out of work for two years and her family was left facing an uncertain future.
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But now, she is thriving after becoming a fully qualified train driver – a role traditionally dominated by men.
“I never imagined I’d be a train driver at 44,” Sam, from Blyth, Northumberland, said.
“It’s been life-changing.
“It was a really scary time when I lost my job.
“We were even on the verge of moving to Dubai.”
Sam first joined train firm Lumo as a customer ambassador when the company launched its all-electric service between London, Newcastle and Edinburgh in 2021.
But an apprenticeship programme opened the door to something entirely new and set her on track to become one of the company’s first female drivers.
Lumo, which operates on the East Coast Main Line, has made apprenticeships a key part of its workforce strategy.
And the scheme is proving that age is no barrier to starting again.
Sam said: “At Thomas Cook, I was there 10 years before I got a permanent contract, never mind any progression.
“But I’ve gone from starting a new career to being a qualified train driver in a couple of years.
“It’s been incredible.
“When I joined, Lumo was brand new.
“We helped shape how the company grew and that’s been ingrained in the culture.”
Martijn Gilbert, managing director of Lumo, said apprenticeships are key to the industry’s future, as reported by What’s The Jam.
He said: “Apprenticeships create opportunities – not just for individuals, but for communities.
“They bring new energy and ideas into the rail, breaking down barriers that have historically limited access to careers in this industry.
“Rail has an incredible 200-year history but it comes with a lot of baggage.
“Because we don’t rely on subsidies we have to do things differently.
“We live and die by the service we provide and the teams we build.
“People say the rail industry is broken but open-access operators are showing that’s not true.
“We’re one part of the network that absolutely works for everyone.”
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