Molly Cooke is an engineering apprentice with Direct Rail Services and has been recognised for her incredible work, commitment, and dedication at the Rail Freight Group Awards, where she achieved the ‘runner-up’ award in the Young Rail Professional category.

The prestigious annual Rail Freight Group Awards took place on Saturday the 7th of September and are the leading awards within the industry, celebrating the achievements made by those who keep freight on the move throughout Britain and also marking efforts to support the environment by taking goods off of the road and onto rail.

Molly works within the Nuclear Transport Solutions rail division at DRS’s Kingmoor depot in Carlisle, where her outstanding work and commitment to encouraging other young people to work in rail engineering impressed the judges.

Molly said: “I was absolutely thrilled to have just been nominated, but to come home with a trophy was really special.”

“I want to thank all of my colleagues, who have been nothing but supportive since I started, and want to encourage any young people out there who might be thinking of a career in engineering, I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.”

Julie Nerney, interim managing director for rail at NTS, added: “We’re very proud of Molly and what she has achieved at DRS she’s an example to us all.”

“It’s not just Molly’s exceptional work and attitude that’s fantastic, but she takes time out to visit schools and speak to the next generation about their future career options and to encourage them into taking up STEM vocations.”

“I know everyone at the depot and across NTS will be as thrilled for Molly as I am, and I can’t wait to see how she develops her career in the future.”