Rosie’s 25+ Years in Rail Contracting: Flexibility & Neurodiversity

BLOGBy Rullion on 22 May 2025

In today’s evolving workforce, partnering with organisations that understand your goals and genuinely support you makes all the difference. Rosie McAvoy, a long-time contractor in the UK rail industry, recently sat down with Rebecca Boniface, Senior Account Manager at Rullion, to share how her collaboration with Rullion has shaped her journey, personally and professionally. 

Her experience highlights how tailored flexibility and inclusive practices can empower neurodivergent individuals to thrive in major rail projects and beyond. 


Embracing Neurodiversity in Rail
 

Early Challenges & Diagnosis 

Rosie has been diagnosed as autistic and with ADHD. Like many neurodivergent professionals, she faced obstacles that others may not fully understand. 

Early in her career, Rosie struggled to find workplaces that understood neurodiversity. Without support, she felt like just another number. 

“I didn’t always get the support I needed early on in my career. It was difficult to navigate spaces that didn’t truly understand neurodiversity.” 

Finding Support with Rullion 

Everything changed when Rosie began working with Rullion. She found the flexibility and respect she had been missing, which allowed her to thrive. 
 
“Rullion has always made sure I feel valued and supported. I never feel like I’m just filling a role. My skills and contributions are recognised, and that makes a huge difference.” 


Why Contracting Works for Rosie
 

Freedom to Explore New Skills 

Contracting gave Rosie freedom, freedom to try new roles and expand her skill set. 
 
“Contracting has been ideal for me. It allowed me to move into a new industry, rail, without having prior experience. I started with roles I never thought I could do - high-voltage systems, pneumatic systems, even bogies - and Rullion supported me every step of the way.”  

High-Profile Projects: From Eurostar to West Coast 

Rosie has worked on major rail projects including the Eurotunnel Shuttle and West Coast Mainline, contracting through Rullion and contributing her expertise to leading firms like  Alstom. 

Rullion’s flexible approach helped her confidently tackle roles outside her comfort zone, while ensuring she had the right support at every stage. 
 
“Even though contracting can be seen as more precarious, I’ve never felt insecure. Rullion’s support has made all the difference.” 


Building Confidence & Inclusion
 

Open Conversations & Accommodations 

One of the biggest turning points in Rosie’s career has been her ability to openly discuss her neurodivergence at work. 
 
I’ve been able to talk about being autistic and my ADHD in the workplace - something I couldn’t do in previous roles. Rullion has truly supported me in being open about my differences, which has been a game-changer in my professional and personal life.”
 
Rosie is also an advocate for wider inclusion, supporting LGBTQ+ and women's groups, and encouraging greater gender diversity across engineering.

Thriving in a Neurodiverse Team 

By fostering a workplace that embraces neurodiversity, Rosie has felt empowered to contribute her best ideas - without masking or fear of judgement. 
 
“Being part of a team that values differences means everything. I can bring my full self to work and know that I’ll be respected.” 


Looking to the Future
 

When asked about her future plans, Rosie keeps things open, by design. 

“I don’t want to set anything specific. If a new opportunity comes along, I’d take it. That’s the beauty of contracting.” 

With an open mindset and adaptability, this has led to international job offers, from New York to Australia. But what stands out most is the satisfaction she’s found in her work. 

I’m content - and I never thought I’d get to that point. That’s a great feeling.” 


Why Rullion Works
 

Rosie credits Rullion’s human approach for helping her stay empowered and supported, no matter the challenge. 

It’s a big company, but I’ve never felt like a number. I’ve always had interpersonal relationships and understanding from the team.”  


Join the Rullion Network
 

Looking for your next opportunity?

The job market is evolving, but with the right mindset, skills, and support, this could be the perfect time to grow your career. 

Whether you're looking for a short-term contract, a long-term project, a full-time role, or a new direction in your industry, we're here to help you unlock your potential. 

To learn more about the rail opportunities we offer, visit our Rail Industry page. 

Explore jobs built for your next move: https://www.rullion.co.uk/jobs/ 

Share

More like this

NEWS
Rullion joins Rail Forum to support rail recruitment

Rullion joins Rail Forum to support rail recruitment

Rullion has joined Rail Forum, strengthening its connection with the UK rail industry at a time when workforce demand, skills availability and project delivery pressures continue to shape the sector. The membership supports closer collaboration with industry partners and reflects a shared commitment to developing a skilled and sustainable rail workforce. James Saoulli, CEO at Rullion, said: “Rail has a major role to play in the UK’s long-term economic growth, and there is clear momentum behind the sector. Significant investment, increasingly complex programmes and growing workforce demand mean organisations will need strong delivery partners and access to specialist skills more than ever. Joining Rail Forum reflects our commitment to staying close to the challenges and opportunities shaping the industry and continuing to support rail organisations with the workforce expertise needed to keep critical programmes moving.” Rail Forum’s role in the UK rail sector Rail Forum is a national rail industry body representing organisations across the full supply chain. It brings together operators, suppliers and partners to collaborate on the issues shaping the sector, from skills and workforce development through to delivery and investment. Supporting industry collaboration and workforce development Joining Rail Forum allows Rullion to be part of the wider industry conversations around skills, workforce planning and project delivery. These challenges are becoming more interconnected, particularly as rail programmes rely on a mix of permanent teams, contingent labour and specialist suppliers operating across different stages of delivery. Strong collaboration between rail recruitment agencies, suppliers, and operators will be essential to support delivery and long-term growth. James Couchman, Rail Director at Rullion, said: “We are pleased to be joining the Rail Forum and welcome the enhanced visibility it provides. We look forward to developing valuable partnerships and exploring collaborative opportunities within the sector.” Rullion’s experience in rail recruitment Rullion has extensive experience delivering workforce solutions across the rail sector, including market-leading MSP and RPO solutions, with strength in rolling stock recruitment alongside rail infrastructure and operational support. Over the past two years, Rullion has delivered more than 1,100 placements, supporting clients to access the specialist skills needed to keep projects moving. Rullion’s experience in rolling stock recruitment continues to support some of the UK’s most complex fleet and maintenance programmes. Expanding access to rail talent across key markets Alongside its core rail recruitment solutions, Rullion continues to invest in initiatives that support long-term workforce development. This includes programmes such as Train to Deploy and early careers, which are designed to build new talent pipelines and address skills shortages across the sector. Rullion also supports international recruitment across key European rail markets, including Germany, the Netherlands and Ireland, helping clients access specialist skills where local availability is constrained. Joining Rail Forum reflects Rullion’s continued focus on supporting the rail sector’s evolving workforce needs. As investment and delivery demands increase, collaboration across the rail industry, workforce partners and wider supply chain will play an important role in building a more resilient and sustainable rail workforce.

By Rullion on 11 May 2026

NEWS
Rullion Appointed Stadler Rail RPO Workforce Solutions Partner

Rullion Appointed Stadler Rail RPO Workforce Solutions Partner

Rullion has been appointed as the exclusive RPO hiring partner for Stadler Rail in the UK, deepening a transport and rail recruitment relationship built across one of the sector's most diverse operator portfolios. The partnership now supports hiring across permanent, contract and fixed-term roles as Stadler continues to grow its presence across the UK network. The appointment covers recruitment for a range of skilled technical disciplines across Stadler's UK operations and customer contracts: Systems Technicians Modifications Technicians Warranty Technicians Stadler's UK footprint spans intercity and regional rail, urban metro systems and freight, including Greater Anglia, Wales & Borders, Merseyrail, Tyne & Wear Metro, Glasgow Subway and GB Railfreight's Class 99 fleet. Importantly, Stadler operates as a full-service supplier covering rolling stock manufacture through to in-service transport and rail fleet maintenance, and the RPO partnership is structured to support workforce needs across that entire model. Rullion's recruitment capability spans both mainline rail and urban transport networks. Find out more about our transport recruitment solutions. James Couchman, Rail Director at Rullion, said: "Stadler Rail has a significant and growing presence across the UK rail network, and being chosen as their exclusive RPO partner reflects the trust that leading rail organisations place in us to deliver in complex, safety-critical environments. The focus now is on supporting their long-term success by attracting high-quality transport and rail talent across the disciplines their teams need to maintain fleets and keep vital services running." The move to an exclusive RPO model reflects the confidence Stadler has placed in Rullion's ability to deliver consistently across varied and technically demanding environments. Stadler's spread across intercity, metro and freight means the work demands genuine breadth; each operating environment brings its own technical requirements and candidate profiles. That breadth is what sets Rullion's approach to RPO rail recruitment apart from generalist hiring. Rullion is the UK number one rolling stock recruiter, with more than 1,100 placements made over the last two years. Find out more about our rail recruitment solutions for rolling stock.

By Rullion on 07 May 2026