Maryam Shakiba

LU Management
Joined 2009

"I love my job" is always a good reflection to have on your workplace. And that is something I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to say about being part of Transport for London.

Cosmopolitan city...

Having started on the London Underground Management Scheme in 2009, I have learnt about the challenges of operating a metro system in one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, as well as gaining experience in the operational elements of the business.

I love the fact that the organisation provides an essential service for London that everyone can relate to, and has very tangible outputs. The people are passionate about the organisation and what they do - it is not unusual to meet people with 20 years of service - and before you know it you develop a sometimes unexpected (but positive) fascination with public transport.

Driving trains...

Having placements in the operational environment was brilliant. I was able to not only develop a solid understanding of what it is involved working on the stations and trains, but also holding genuine responsibility in managing stations on my own and understanding the unique workplace culture. Ticking off 'driving trains' from your life to-do list is also very satisfying (whether it was on your to-do list to start off with or not!) and was one of the best things I have ever done at work!

Other placements I have been on include Operational Strategy, Stakeholder Consultation & Engagement, Customer Environment Design, Strategic Planning to name a few.

Develop a large network...

Since the graduate scheme consists of a series of three-month placements, it can be challenging starting in a new team every few months, and developing new relationships and learning new skills that the team specialises in.

However, this does also work very strongly in your favour as you develop a large network throughout the business over the course of the scheme, as well as developing a strong base of skills.