Trainee train drivers wanted...

[demic]

My reply seems a little flippant now I’ve re read it in the cold light of day without a Leffe fug. Apologies it was meant to be tongue in cheek.

The mk5’s are awful and still riddled with faults, in fact the last rake has only just been accepted into traffic some 4yrs late. Given the current COVID situation I think only 2 or 3 sets are required daily (most are on the Scarborough turn backs) hence them being sat around idle. Nothing to do with finances.

Paying trainees full whack after 8 weeks is pretty inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.

[wobman]

demic said:

My reply seems a little flippant now I’ve re read it in the cold light of day without a Leffe fug. Apologies it was meant to be tongue in cheek.

The mk5’s are awful and still riddled with faults, in fact the last rake has only just been accepted into traffic some 4yrs late. Given the current COVID situation I think only 2 or 3 sets are required daily (most are on the Scarborough turn backs) hence them being sat around idle. Nothing to do with finances.

Paying trainees full whack after 8 weeks is pretty inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.

It's still a rare thing in the industry, good on the aslef reps that got the deal.

[Chicken Chaser]

Just completed the application and tests. Will have to see how things pan out.

[Vickers_VC10]

Chicken Chaser said:

Surely those roles will be filed internally. I know the railways like to look after their staff. Anyone with First group who can comment on what it's like working for them?

Yes there are train drivers here from First group

[Chicken Chaser]

Is it a nice environment to work?

[Vickers_VC10]

Chicken Chaser said:

Is it a nice environment to work?

Private message me lol.

[demic]

Chicken Chaser said:

Is it a nice environment to work?

I wouldn’t be to fussed about that, just concentrate on getting your key then the world is your oyster. Competition is so fierce these days that you can’t afford to discount a TOC/ FOC on what some one in a mess room/ forum etc said.

[CouncilFerrari]

Chicken Chaser said:

Just completed the application and tests. Will have to see how things pan out.

Did you hear anything? I submitted my application and completed the tests around the same time, and had an email Monday saying I'd been successful and they'd be in touch with dates for the psychometric testing.

[Chicken Chaser]

CouncilFerrari said:

Did you hear anything? I submitted my application and completed the tests around the same time, and had an email Monday saying I'd been successful and they'd be in touch with dates for the psychometric testing.

Yep, I'm in the same boat. There must be several hundred still in the game at this stage I would imagine.

[CouncilFerrari]

Chicken Chaser said:

Yep, I'm in the same boat. There must be several hundred still in the game at this stage I would imagine.

That's excellent, congratulations! I'm told it's a decent achievement to get this far.

Are you in for York, too?

[ChocolateFrog]

demic said:

ChocolateFrog said:

Not until the 4th year at Northern.

8 weeks, I wish.

Thank your colleagues who were there at the time for voting that one in so they could have a couple of extra quid a month. Some trainees who had started on the old t&c’s where you’d be on full rate after 2yrs were told they’d now only get full money after 4. They lost out on tens of thousands of pounds. Pretty poor show all round really.

The first years wage of £23k is a bit painful. About £1400 a month, and if the current government has their way there'd be student loan repayments on some of that too.

I'm in a lucky position that I don't have a mortgage (at the moment) but even without that I don't have anything left at the end of the month.

It's the lowest wage I've earned since the year after I graduated in 2007.

Still, payrise in Jan, it can't come soon enough.

[Chicken Chaser]

CouncilFerrari said:

That's excellent, congratulations! I'm told it's a decent achievement to get this far.

Are you in for York, too?

Yes I am. I've also been told it's an achievement however unless I get to the end, then it's not really any acheivement.

[Len20]

Freightliner are looking for trainees at various locations across the UK, fill your boots.

https://www.freightliner.co.uk/careers/roles/train...

Edit: closed after 48h, got to be fast these days.

Edited by Len20 on Wednesday 3rd November 21:14

[Len20]

For anyone interested;

East Midlands Railway are after trainee depot drivers at Nottingham and Derby.

https://jobs.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/vacancy.asp...

Hull trains are also advertising for trainee mainline drivers in Hull.

https://www.firstgroupcareers.com/vacancy/hull-tra...

[audikentman]

If you are in the South East

https://careers.southeasternrailway.co.uk/members/...

[a l e x]

I'm currently going through the application progress for a trainee role. Is there anyone who has been through similar recently who wouldn't mind a couple of PMs with a few questions...?

[Len20]

a l e x said:

I'm currently going through the application progress for a trainee role. Is there anyone who has been through similar recently who wouldn't mind a couple of PMs with a few questions...?

I'm due to start a trainee role next year so feel free to send me a PM.

Also have a good read if the sticky threads in this forum https://www.railforums.co.uk/forums/railway-jobs-c...

Also this thread has some useful information. Which company are you applying to?

[audikentman]

a l e x said:

I'm currently going through the application progress for a trainee role. Is there anyone who has been through similar recently who wouldn't mind a couple of PMs with a few questions...?

Did mine many moons ago.

But accuracy needs to be 100% for the dot test
.
I beleive they have stopped doing the mechanical tests as too many failed on it.

Edited by audikentman on Tuesday 14th December 20:24

[wobman]

There's been a dumbing down of the mechanical side of the drivers role by HR departments as too many applicants have been failing, for me it's an important element of being a train driver.
I disagree with this agenda but HR departments over rule the driver managers nowadays and as a result we have had more trainees failing than ever before !

[wobman]

Len20 said:

I'm due to start a trainee role next year so feel free to send me a PM.

Also have a good read if the sticky threads in this forum https://www.railforums.co.uk/forums/railway-jobs-c...

Also this thread has some useful information. Which company are you applying to?

I use that forum and a word of warning about many of the posters, they hate traincrew. As long as you bear that in mind and ask the right questions it's a valuable source of information.

The toc I work for are in the midst of a big recruitment drive and its been a bit chaotic due to covid, so trainees have had large delays after finishing the school elements before getting DIs.
It's a case of being patient the the poor trainees effected but it's worth the wait.