Women In Bus and Coach Summer Placement

Please note: This role may close soon depending on the level of interest so don’t miss out! Thank you for your interest in applying for this role.

We’d like to remind you that you must ensure you are eligible for this scheme before applying. Please read through the eligibility criteria below carefully and ensure that you are eligible before applying.

This application will also contain a series of questions to establish whether or not you are eligible. It is important that you take great care in reading and answering these questions as we will not be able to revert your application if an error is made.

Please Note: We only allow one application for any of our Graduate/Intern schemes per year. Any subsequent applications will be withdrawn. 

Women in Bus and Coach Summer Internship  

Creating Inclusive Opportunities for Women in the Bus and Coach Industry.  

What makes us different?

TfL is at the heart of London’s decarbonisation strategy. The diversity of TfL’s activities means that we can offer a far wider range of placements than most other employers – we cover every mode of transport in London apart from aviation! 

Location  

London (various office and operational locations) 

What we offer

You will enjoy excellent benefits and scope to grow. Rewards vary according to the business area but mostly include: 

• Free travel on the TfL network for you and a nominee who lives in the same household  
• Retail, health, leisure and travel offers & many more 
• Pro rata annual leave entitlement 

Entry requirements

Working towards a degree in any discipline, or if completed within the last year, a minimum grade of 2:2. It is also open to students pursuing a master’s degree or those who have completed their master’s within the past year.  

As a positive action programme, applications to join this internship in 2027 are sought only from candidates with specific protected characteristics who are:  

• Women (this scheme will also be open to Non-Binary individuals) 

Successful candidates must have the right to work in the UK for the duration of the scheme, as at the start date.  This role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa scheme.  If you do not have the right to work in the UK, or only have a right to work here for a limited time which is lesser than the duration of the scheme, you should be aware that TfL will be unable to sponsor you for this role. 

Proposed start date: 

14th June 2027 

Internship overview 

In Bus Operations, we are responsible for the biggest single provider of public transport journeys in London. We work to deliver safe, reliable, and accessible bus, coach, and assisted transport networks. The key areas of delivery include London’s entire bus network, On Demand Transport, and Victoria Coach Station.

The Women in Bus and Coach Internship is a diversity initiative and training opportunity aiming to address the lack of gender diversity in the bus and coach industry.  

The internship aligns with the positive action provisions of the Equality Act 2010. This allows for an employer to take certain actions where people who share a protected characteristic, such as gender, are under-represented in participating in a particular activity. The Government guide to Positive Action in the Workplace sets out further detail on Section 158 ((General) positive action) of the Equality Act 2010 at Sections 8-9.  

As a public sector body, TfL is required by Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 to advance the Public Sector Equality Duty, by which we must not only take steps to eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation on grounds of protected characteristics, but must also seek to advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not share it. 

What will I be doing?  

As an intern, your 12-week development programme will be made up of up to 6 placement rotations. Our aim is to introduce you to the range of skills and experience you need for your successful career. You will get a dedicated meeting with the Director of Bus and Commissioner of TfL during your internship, and exposure to other senior figures at TfL and City Hall, including bus operator senior leadership teams. 

We also understand that everyone’s career is different, so every intern’s journey is unique. Here’s an idea of what yours could look like: 

Placement 1: Bus Safety Development Team  

• Support the implementation of Vision Zero initiatives aimed at eliminating fatalities and serious injuries on the bus network. 
• Assist in analysing safety data to identify trends and recommend improvements to enhance passenger and driver safety. 

Placement 2: Bus Customer Development Team  

• Collaborate on projects to improve the customer experience, such as enhancing bus interiors and developing accessible facilities. 
• Conduct customer satisfaction research to identify key areas for improvement and help shape future initiatives. 

Placement 3: Zero Emission Bus Development Team  

• Contribute to the roll-out of zero-emission buses by supporting project planning and logistics. 
• Work with the engineering team to assist in analysing data, supporting the evaluation of ongoing trials and future power and capacity interventions. 

Placement 4: Performance Team 

• Explore monitoring bus performance, working with bus operators. 
• Learn about how we tender our bus routes, our contract model and assess compliance. 

Placement 5: Operational Placement  

• Gain hands-on experience by working alongside network traffic controllers to help manage live incidents and support real-time diversions. 
• Assist bus station managers and garage teams in daily operations, including coordinating vehicle movements, ensuring passenger safety, and maintaining service efficiency. 
• Support operational teams in maintaining bus station efficiency and resolving day-to-day logistical challenges. 

Placement 6: Victoria Coach Station 

• Work directly with operational managers to gain first-hand experience in managing Europe’s largest coach terminus, including coach scheduling, passenger flow coordination, and operational problem-solving. 

Placement 7: Dial-a-Ride (On Demand Transport) 

• Get hands-on experience in journey scheduling and service coordination, ensuring efficient and effective transport for customers with limited mobility. 
• Work alongside drivers and operations staff, participating in daily activities to understand the challenges and logistics of delivering door-to-door transport services. 

Placements within this internship are designed to be flexible, tailored to the needs and interests of the interns. While the programme offers structured opportunities in up too six key areas, we aim to provide an experience that aligns with each intern’s career aspirations and goals. This flexibility ensures that participants gain the most value from their placement while contributing meaningfully to the Bus and Coach Industry. 
 
You will also get the opportunity to experience some of the other areas of Transport for London through half/full days visits such as our Lost Property Office, Manufacturing site at Acton, and the London Transport Museum or depot, as well as attending Bus Operations events such as the London Bus Awards celebrating our operational colleagues. You will also have access to eLearning or in-person training such as the Association of Project Management introductory modules and Equity in Motion. 

Sustainability

Sustainability is intrinsic to TfL’s work ethos, and we ensure that we operate in a sustainable way to protect and regenerate the natural world. 

What can this internship offer you

The internship in Bus Operations is both varied and rewarding, with opportunities to work on innovative projects and gain operational experience. You will learn about Transport for London, how the bus and coach industry works, its current and future challenges, and be inspired about your future career options in transport.  

During this internship, you’ll gain valuable experience contributing to high-profile initiatives, such as advancing the roll-out of zero-emission buses, supporting Vision Zero safety improvements, and enhancing the customer experience across London’s bus network.  

At the end of your placement, you will be well-positioned to pursue further opportunities within the bus and coach industry. 

What training and support will you get?

Our award-winning teams will support your ongoing development, through a wide range of on-the-job practical experience and placements. We'll support your professional development through a combination of training, mentoring, and networking. 

You'll also receive one-to-one guidance throughout the programme from your:  

• Placement manager: Responsible for your day-to-day management, support with your development and line management 
• Scheme sponsor: A senior manager who acts as a technical and professional adviser 
• Development adviser: Supports your professional development through providing career coaching 

What do we look for?

We are looking for candidates who would like to explore a future in the bus, coach or wider transport industry. Candidates should be interested in the purpose of the bus industry which includes social value, sustainability, safety and connecting people and  communities. Our core values are extremely important to us, and we desire candidates who are: 

• Caring about our colleagues, our customers and our work 
• Open to each other, to new ideas and to working together 
• Adaptable to diverse needs and willing to innovate 

Application process

• The application process consists of 5 steps, including online assessments which will need to be completed within an allocated time frame. We highly recommend that you read through this document thoroughly so that you can familiarise yourself with the process.  
• If you already hold your qualification certificates, please upload copies of these to your application. If you are due to sit final exams or need to replace any certificates, these must be provided at a later stage.  
• You will receive information and guidance around each assessment stage as you progress through your application.    
• Please pay close attention to emails and deadlines provided noting you have 1 week to complete online assessments, and we cannot re-issue these tests once the deadline passes.   
• Assessment centres for graduates and intern roles will take place from November-January, please note that many roles only have 1 assessment day and we are unable to guarantee alternative dates. We are conducting assessment centres in person and virtually (role dependent).   

Our city. Made better by you.

TfL is a place that’s open to your ideas. Where you can make a tangible impact and see the positive results of your work on the people and places around you. It’s a place where you can thrive and achieve. Where you’re encouraged and enabled and empowered to feel pride in the work you do. The clue is in the name, really. We work together for a better London. A better place for everyone. Constantly improving and enhancing how we operate to shape a city of the future.  

Inclusive recruitment process

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and aim to reflect the diverse communities we serve. We believe that a diverse workforce enables us to deliver better services and outcomes. Our goal is to make our recruitment as inclusive as possible. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled people.

As part of the Disability Confident scheme, we aim to offer an assessment or interview to candidates who apply via the scheme where the minimum essential criteria for skills, knowledge and experience has been met. In some circumstances, it may not be practical to offer an interview or assessment to every candidate who applies through the scheme and meet the minimum essential criteria; in these situations, we select candidates who best meet the minimum criteria for the job rather than interviewing all who meet them.

Across all recruitment activity, we recognise that selection methods may vary depending on the nature and scale of the campaign and will be applied fairly, consistently and proportionately in line with our Disability Confident commitments.

In High Volume campaigns including Graduate, Apprentice and Intern recruitment the minimum criteria we set is achieving a pass mark in our first stage assessments, adopting a proportionate approach to the Disability Confident Offer an Interview scheme. Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments for any stages of the application process.

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