In a sector that has been dominated for years by one gender, we introduced the equal opportunity employment policy across levels of work. This policy was implemented in letter and spirit, when we recruited Suja Thankachan, the UAE’s first female heavy bus driver.
Suja who hails from Kerala, India, was a bus driver back at home. Today, she is an officially certified heavy bus driver here in the UAE, all the way across the Arabian sea and is proud to have fulfilled her dream of driving all kinds of vehicles. It is so inspiring to learn that she never gave up on her dreams and got back behind the wheel. Upon learning her story and her dreams, STS encouraged her to make her way up to the driver’s seat. She has now completed training in all aspects of being a safe bus driver.
Saritha Daya, the Human Resources Assistant Manager at STS said, “After Suja’s success story of breaking the perception of impossibility, many of our female staff members have approached us to help them pursue their dream of becoming a heavy bus driver. To support them in this journey, we have arranged corporate discounts with our driving school partners. We have also identified a clear career path for highly motivated candidates, and intend to develop a platoon of female bus drivers. We are encouraging our bus guardians to come forward and make use of this opportunity.”
“I believe that women hold the key to changing in the world, and this is a great opportunity to inspire such a positive change,” she added.
With Suja as a strong role model, paving the way forward for many like her, the HR team at STS intends to make her a brand ambassador of its equal opportunity practices, encouraging others to take up the driver’s role.