Trainee train drivers wanted...
Discussion
demic said:
Are there ever vacancies at the "ordinary" passenger train operating companies? Or are they snapped up by friends and relations of the existing drivers?The Mad Monk said:
Are there ever vacancies at the "ordinary" passenger train operating companies? Or are they snapped up by friends and relations of the existing drivers?
If you look at the previous page there were at least 3 links posted with trainee positions for what you describe as ‘ordinary’ passenger companies.Friends and relations thing went out years ago when psychometric tests ran by an external body were introduced.
The Mad Monk said:
demic said:
Are there ever vacancies at the "ordinary" passenger train operating companies? Or are they snapped up by friends and relations of the existing drivers?The ‘friends and family’ thing is from a bygone age where there were programs for existing staff to nominate and encourage family members of friends as they couldn’t recruit from elsewhere as the job was seen as dirty, poorly paid with long unsociable hours and with limited scope for advancement. Recruitment in the old days to BR or LUL was very challenging as basically no one applied and recruitment campaigns were never ending.
The job has changed massively in the last thirty years or so with decent wages and conditions, decent trains and good security which are very attractive nowadays and so those who would have never given a second thought to driving a train are now putting in applications and conversely train companies have become very picky in the person they want to take on (the tests are particularly tricky).
Some companies like LUL will focus on internal employees first but even they have run external campaigns when they’ve needed a lot of drivers in a hurry or not enough internals are passing the tests to meet predicted demand.
The Mad Monk said:
demic said:
Are there ever vacancies at the "ordinary" passenger train operating companies? Or are they snapped up by friends and relations of the existing drivers?I think TPE are looking to recruit soon.
Chicken Chaser said:
I'm a medical and references away from a new career on the railway, just keeping fingers crossed all is well and I can be on the course in a few weeks time! Got some questions for a few TOC drivers if anyone wants to take a few PMs.
Congratulations, that's great news. Is this for the TransPennine job that you applied for last year? Edit: Just read through the thread and I see that it is. I only ask as I was in for the same job but I didn't receive a notification to attend the assessment day. I guess they whittled the numbers down further and I didn't make the cut.
2nd Edit: and as if by magic, an email arrives
Edited by CouncilFerrari on Wednesday 26th January 15:13
Chicken Chaser said:
I'm a medical and references away from a new career on the railway, just keeping fingers crossed all is well and I can be on the course in a few weeks time! Got some questions for a few TOC drivers if anyone wants to take a few PMs.
Well done! Now the horror of “The Booth” awaits
Feel free to fire away with any questions.
We might be colleagues soon...The Mad Monk said:
demic said:
Are there ever vacancies at the "ordinary" passenger train operating companies? Or are they snapped up by friends and relations of the existing drivers?All recruitment is done via HR now freinds & family, wonky handshakes don't mean anything nowday otherwise I would never have got the job, I knew no one on the railway until I started.
Chicken Chaser said:
I'm a medical and references away from a new career on the railway, just keeping fingers crossed all is well and I can be on the course in a few weeks time! Got some questions for a few TOC drivers if anyone wants to take a few PMs.
Oh, if you do please put it here you've PM'd too, otherwise there is a good chance i'll miss it 
Chicken Chaser said:
I'm a medical and references away from a new career on the railway, just keeping fingers crossed all is well and I can be on the course in a few weeks time! Got some questions for a few TOC drivers if anyone wants to take a few PMs.
Feel free to drop me a message if you wish. I'm a DI at a fairly sizeable TOC.
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