Katie McGrath – Route One Awards Rising Star 2019
A 25-year-old Engineering Development Manager at National Express West Midlands has been crowned national Rising Star of 2019 by the bus and coach industry.
Katie McGrath joined the bus company as a trainee in September 2016 after graduating from the University of Birmingham.
After just a year in the National Express engineering division, Katie had made such an impact that the company put her forward for the Route One award, which recognises under-30 talent within the industry and identifies the senior leaders of the future.
National Express Engineering Director Bernie Cassidy said: “We are all very proud of Katie. She really is our Rising Star. In the short time she has been with us, Katie has made a real difference. Her work developing intelligent data analysis systems is helping our engineering managers to dedicate more time to achieving customer-based results, rather than just spending time reporting.
“Katie’s work has already got results – helping drive down breakdowns and improve reliability by analysing data to identify mechanical defects that happen repeatedly.
“She is also unafraid to question the status quo in what is still quite a male-dominated environment.
“We know the Route One awards are judged against strict criteria which put great emphasis on excellence.
“Once Katie has some more formal learning in project management and maintenance engineering behind her, she will be a formidable force. Everyone at National Express West Midlands is looking forward to “what Katie does next”.
