A Southampton man has been named Young Rail Professional of the Year.

Harry Bateman, a business development graduate at Alstom in Eastleigh, was given the award for his work in diversity, inclusion, and mental health initiatives.

He has also created and developed Alstom's first UK and Ireland podcast series, which he hosts, edits, and produces.

The podcast explores the roles within the rolling stock manufacturer's 6,000-strong workforce and focuses on mental health and diversity.

Mr Bateman said: "I feel extremely honoured to have been named Young Rail Professional of the Year.

"It was an absolutely amazing night, made even more special by the fact that my family attended the event as well."

The 25-year-old joined Alstom in 2023 and has worked in various teams, including bid management, cost management, and business development.

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He has researched ways artificial intelligence can be used to improve efficiency, built Power BI dashboards to increase data visualisation, and provided technical aid in ongoing tenders.

Mr Bateman said: "Ever since joining Alstom in 2023, I’ve always felt like I could be myself and have been actively encouraged to do so.

"Without Alstom providing an environment where people feel safe and valued, we would not be in a position where colleagues want to get involved with initiatives such as the podcast."