New opportunities for mother of three with trainee bus driver program

• Vicki recently faced the challenges that many working mothers experience when re-entering the workforce after a career break
• Kinetic’s Women Up Front trainee bus driver program offered the training and support she needed to embark on a new career
• Vicki is one of 41 women who have joined Kinetic in Melbourne through the program in 2024

Like many working mothers who have taken a break to be the primary carer in their family, Vicki Freedman has faced some challenges re-entering the workforce.

Vicki worked for 10 years as an architect before taking a five-year break to raise her three children. But when she was ready to return to work, she quickly learned it wasn’t as simple as picking up where she left off.

“It was really hard to get back into the architecture field,” she said, “I would have had to re-register, re-sit all my exams and it would take me back to the bottom of the field.”

“After having children and all the years I had spent at home, it did feel like a setback. It was also hard to find work that would pay a decent wage, fit in around lifestyles and then be something that I liked at the same time,” she said.

Vicki explored other opportunities in fitness and health before taking a job in the pet cremation industry. Here, she discovered an interest in driving but sought a more social environment.

She said Kinetic’s Women Up Front trainee driver program inspired her to make the change to the transport industry, as it provided the community and supportive environment she was looking for, along with the ability to learn a new trade.

“The fact that Kinetic was offering the training to get your heavy rigid (HR) licence, and support you all the way through to getting on the road, that was a massive motivation to come and try it out,” she said.

“It’s really great to see that women are being encouraged to take on roles like this because back in the day, you just never would have thought of this as an option,” she said.

Vicki is excited to be part of a cultural shift that will see greater female representation in the industry as Kinetic aims to attract more women into the bus lane.

Within her first month at Kinetic, Vicki is now hitting the road independently and is excited to be doing her part for the community.

“It’s nice to be able to give back and help people get to where they need to be, whether it’s visiting family or medical appointments or school or work, it’s nice to have been an important part of their day.”

Vicki is one of 41 Women Up Front candidates who have joined the team in Melbourne this year.

Since taking custodianship of Melbourne’s Metropolitan Bus Franchise in January 2022, Kinetic has tripled the number of women in the business and plans to keep the momentum up as it strives for gender balance nationally.

To learn more about the Women Up Front - Trainee Bus Driver program and see the latest career opportunities, visit wearekinetic.com/sustainability/women-up-front

Further enquiries

Emmanuelle Brizuela
Specialist - Communications
0460 615 604
emmanuelle.brizuela@wearekinetic.com