30 September 2026
"My mother taught me never to allow other people's expectations to define what I could achieve"
Nida Saleh
A University of Sunderland student is on track to continue making an impact through her ambition and her advocacy after becoming Pakistan's first female train driver.
Nida Saleh, who is studying MSc Engineering Management with AI at the University’s London Campus, discusses her journey, the barriers she faced, and her advocacy for greater gender equality in the transport and engineering sectors.
"In Pakistan, women are generally considered homemakers," says Nida. While her brother was learning to drive a car and quickly gaining independence, she wondered why it was so rare for women to do the same.
Determined to achieve her own independence, Nida had ambitions to build a career in engineering. She pursued a bachelor's degree from the University of Engineering and Technology in Lahore, Pakistan.
While she faced initial uncertainty about why she would want to work in such a male-dominated field, her family supported her.
She credits her mother for her success, saying, "In a society where women are encouraged to choose traditional roles, my mother taught me never to allow other people's expectations to define what I could achieve."
Nida worked hard and secured a job as a transportation engineer. Wanting to progress further, she then took on a role that would – quite literally - put her in the driver's seat, when she decided to become a train driver. She said, “I did the research, and I thought, why not me? I wanted to be an example to other women.”
After six months of training, Nida qualified in April 2025 and began working for Lahore's Metro system.
"To me, the best part of the job was being fearless, getting stuck in, and showing just how capable I am."
Nida's impact as Pakistan's first female train driver continues. She has assisted in training 20 female drivers, and on a recent trip to Pakistan, former colleagues told her that more women are pursuing careers in transport.
After making the change she set out to make, Nida's next stop was to develop her engineering skills even further at the University of Sunderland in London (UoSiL) where she is currently studying her MSc. She said, “I joined the University because I wanted to learn how to become a leader and keep encouraging that change.”
She expressed her ambition to move into an Operations Manager position, and work towards making the transport and engineering sectors more inclusive.
"I've learnt so much during my time here,” says Nida, who is also Student Ambassador and member of UoSiL’s SU Crew.
“All my lecturers have been so supportive, and through taking advantage of other opportunities like the Student Ambassador role and the Employability service, I feel so motivated and prepared to achieve my goals."