00:00:01 My name's Stevie, I work in train care section of ScotRail which is the vehicle presentation. It's cleaning the train's exterior, interior, you know, making a nice, clean environment for the passengers. My father left my mother when I was 12 years old and my young brother was only four years old so when I had the opportunity to leave school I left right away so I could get money into the house.
00:00:35 Very quickly I had to grow up. I knew I had to go out and work. My young brother was only four years old so he was only a toddler. So, I was sort of brought up as a father figure for him. It was very emotional at the time. But now these things happen in life so you've got to pick yourself up, dust yourself down. Now I've made a family for myself and I aim to do the best I can for them.
00:01:02 I worked 33 years for one company. It was a factory, it was making leather, you know, upholstery for cars, aeroplanes. Biggest majority I worked went to aeroplanes. Can I remember my first day? Yes, I was terrified. I left school on a Friday and I started a new job, I think it was a Thursday, it was the start of the week. So, there was no leisure time in between, it was just out and start work.
00:01:31 And working then as a 16 year old walking into the big wide world in the factory environment, it was very frightening. But it was, you know, again it was a good crowd of boys. The hours suited me, it was a local factory to where I stayed so there was no bus fares, train fares. No travelling. There was plenty of work at the time also. But it seemed to take a nose dive after 9/11. You know, not as many aeroplanes were buying the leather for the seats so I came to ScotRail because it was security.
00:02:07 Where the leather industry after 9/11, you could never be sure of a five day working week. I had family in ScotRail which spoke to me about the security of the job, how good the job was. You know, I remember the day I left the company, Andrew Muirhead's, and it was sad saying cheerio to people you've known for 30 years, 20 years, 10 years.
00:02:32 I had a lot of friends, but coming to ScotRail you made them just as quick. My hours are half past 10 to half five in the morning. I actually get more time with the family, you know, because when they come out of school at three o'clock, I've got them to10 o'clock before I have to leave for work. I've got a wee boy at 10 years old. My daughter's 16 so I've got my whole family back together again, you know, just after three o'clock which is great for me, great for the family.
00:03:03 In the short time I've been here, you know, I've started a team leading training which is something I've never did. You know, I was a machine operator in my old job but I never got any further than a machine operator. Whereas five months with ScotRail, they've started team leading which is an opportunity I would never have got in my old job. I would never have got it at my old job. So, ScotRail's gave me this opportunity and I'm going to grab it.
00:03:30 Regrets? My only regret is not joining ScotRail when I could've, earlier in my career. If I had moved five, you know, 25 years ago say, I don't know what I could've been doing now.
Steve Cummings
Steve Cummings
My name's Stevie, I work in train care section of ScotRail which is the vehicle presentation. It's cleaning the train's exterior, interior, you know, making a nice, clean environment for the passengers. My father left my mother when I was 12 years old and my young brother was only four years old so when I had the opportunity to leave school I left right away so I could get money into the house.
Very quickly I had to grow up. I knew I had to go out and work. My young brother was only four years old so he was only a toddler. So, I was sort of brought up as a father figure for him. It was very emotional at the time. But now these things happen in life so you've got to pick yourself up, dust yourself down. Now I've made a family for myself and I aim to do the best I can for them.
I worked 33 years for one company. It was a factory, it was making leather, you know, upholstery for cars, aeroplanes. Biggest majority I worked went to aeroplanes. Can I remember my first day? Yes, I was terrified. I left school on a Friday and I started a new job, I think it was a Thursday, it was the start of the week. So, there was no leisure time in between, it was just out and start work.
And working then as a 16 year old walking into the big wide world in the factory environment, it was very frightening. But it was, you know, again it was a good crowd of boys. The hours suited me, it was a local factory to where I stayed so there was no bus fares, train fares. No travelling. There was plenty of work at the time also. But it seemed to take a nose dive after 9/11. You know, not as many aeroplanes were buying the leather for the seats so I came to ScotRail because it was security.
Where the leather industry after 9/11, you could never be sure of a five day working week. I had family in ScotRail which spoke to me about the security of the job, how good the job was. You know, I remember the day I left the company, Andrew Muirhead's, and it was sad saying cheerio to people you've known for 30 years, 20 years, 10 years.
I had a lot of friends, but coming to ScotRail you made them just as quick. My hours are half past 10 to half five in the morning. I actually get more time with the family, you know, because when they come out of school at three o'clock, I've got them to10 o'clock before I have to leave for work. I've got a wee boy at 10 years old. My daughter's 16 so I've got my whole family back together again, you know, just after three o'clock which is great for me, great for the family.
In the short time I've been here, you know, I've started a team leading training which is something I've never did. You know, I was a machine operator in my old job but I never got any further than a machine operator. Whereas five months with ScotRail, they've started team leading which is an opportunity I would never have got in my old job. I would never have got it at my old job. So, ScotRail's gave me this opportunity and I'm going to grab it.
Regrets? My only regret is not joining ScotRail when I could've, earlier in my career. If I had moved five, you know, 25 years ago say, I don't know what I could've been doing now.
Steve Cummings works in the train care section of ScotRail as a Team Leader. He went straight into full time work from school, and remained at the same company as a machine operator for 33 years. It was difficult for him to leave behind the friends he'd made, but the only regret he has is that he didn't move to ScotRail earlier in his career.
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