Transpennine Express New Trainee Driver Vacancies

[PeteH]

Good evening all.

With the trainee salary being significantly lower in the first year, do FTPE, and other TOCs in general allow you to do part time work elsewhere in addition to the train driver training, in your spare time?

Shouldn't think that there will be an awful lot of that...

 

[Quickthorn]

No, if you indicate at the application stage that you are willing to re-locate then you will be processed and advanced to the next stage if successfull.

That's good news . Thanks for your help.

 

[Geargrinder]

Don't know where your getting Newcastle from. I can assure you there'll be no trainee positions there.

To Quote the advert on Firsts Website - "Thanks to committed investment in electrification, infrastructure improvements and new vehicles First TransPennine Express are currently recruiting for Trainee Train Drivers at our stations in Manchester, Blackpool, Newcastle and York..... "

 

[TheVicLine]

https://firstgroup.hua.hrsmart.com/ats/js_job_details.php?reqid=7111


Here's the link and it closes Friday. See if you can all beat the last one which had more than 5000 applicants

I think the start date for this one is June and that there are 10 places.

 

[Lincoln_biker]

Hi all,
This is going to be my first ever venture into the world of applying for Trainee Train Driver careers and I have a question to ask... My apologies if it seems silly, or if they've been answered elsewhere, but this is the first time I've looked beyond my current employer since I was taken on as an apprentice and am a bit out of touch!

I did a reccee of the application process whilst on my teabreak and found that the application is a 3 part affair. The first part seemed fairly obvious - DOB, ASL, education etc, but the second part was a "skills and experience" page. As page 1 is on a time limit and I'm currently on a smartphone, I thought I'd wait until I got home to do this application but it got me thinking... What do they mean by skills and experience? Is this the part where I'll have to link my current career and my extra curricular hobbies to the skills required within the role they offer? Can anyone thats applied offer any insight?

Good luck to all those who intend to apply LB

 

[sw1ller]

Hi all,

Quick question, i've just applied for this position for the manchester depot. All fully completed and not what but then i got an E-mail saying "thank you for applying for the QUALIFIED DRIVER position........

At first i crapped myself and thought i have just wasted A LOT of time but i double checked and i have applied for the TRANIEE DRIVER position as confirmed by another E-mail they sent just after the first.

What's troubling me is, the first e-mail says i have to complete a "TRANSFER OF SAFETY CRITICAL INFORMATION" form in the next 5 days. Is this an automated mistake by first or what.... I dont want to tell my work i'm looking for another job before ive even been selected for the first stage!! Can somebody either confirm that this is a mistake or give me some guidence on this please. Thanks

Dave
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Hi all,
This is going to be my first ever venture into the world of applying for Trainee Train Driver careers and I have a question to ask... My apologies if it seems silly, or if they've been answered elsewhere, but this is the first time I've looked beyond my current employer since I was taken on as an apprentice and am a bit out of touch!

I did a reccee of the application process whilst on my teabreak and found that the application is a 3 part affair. The first part seemed fairly obvious - DOB, ASL, education etc, but the second part was a "skills and experience" page. As page 1 is on a time limit and I'm currently on a smartphone, I thought I'd wait until I got home to do this application but it got me thinking... What do they mean by skills and experience? Is this the part where I'll have to link my current career and my extra curricular hobbies to the skills required within the role they offer? Can anyone thats applied offer any insight?

Good luck to all those who intend to apply LB

Yes, basiclly its asking for times when you have comunicated something to someone...... worked for long periods of time on your own ect. Its very straight forward, there is no time limit so you can have a good think.

 

[PeteH]

I dont want to tell my work i'm looking for another job before ive even been selected for the first stage!!

Given that it seems, usually, to take months to reach the final stages of selection and the medical following an application, I don't think this is something that should be bothering you too much, unless you have to give 6 months notice!

 

[sw1ller]

Given that it seems, usually, to take months to reach the final stages of selection and the medical following an application, I don't think this is something that should be bothering you too much, unless you have to give 6 months notice!

Yes thats fine, what is the form they sent me all about though?? And why do they want it back in 5 days??? I need to know if this is a mistake e-mail they have sent out as i am by no means a quialified driver....... yet. (bit of optimism there)

Thanks

 

[WestRiding]

These vacancies are very disheartening, and prevents experienced rail industry people applying for alternate careers within the railway. £18000 for the first year is a massive cut for someone wishing to change roles. Result of privatisation.

 

[Bubba]

The cut in salary would be my biggest problem but I am in a lucky position where I am single and have no children. So I could move back in with the parents and rent my house out whilst I qualified.

But, thats a long way off! Application submitted...good luck everyone.

 

[notadriver]

18k is more than what a bus driver gets without overtime in those areas!

 

[Quickthorn]

These vacancies are very disheartening, and prevents experienced rail industry people applying for alternate careers within the railway. £18000 for the first year is a massive cut for someone wishing to change roles. Result of privatisation.

It would be a £3k pay rise for me.

Forgot to add: Good luck, everyone.

 

[PeteH]

I'm 'resting' between jobs at the moment, so anything's good.

Not going to get too deeply in to politics, however, some might opine that the low-ish training pay is what makes the qualified driver's pay that much better.

The pay's very similar to joining the military - albeit one's accommodation is rather cheaper on base than in civvy street.

 

[NI 271]

It would be a £3k pay rise for me.

Forgot to add: Good luck, everyone.

It would be a 5-figure pay cut for me, but I'm pretty sure I would find a way of coping for a year if I was going to get a £22k pay rise thereafter...

Sadly making an arse of my reactions test last week means I can't apply (despite not failing) until July at the earliest.

 

[KT530]

Shouldn't think that there will be an awful lot of that...

lol, thanks for that PeteH!

On a serious note, do you think they will permit working elsewhere, say 1 day per week, to top up the training salary?

 

[notadriver]

Basically - no.

 

[KT530]

Evening All

A couple of questions re the FTPE Trainee Driver Positions - if someone in the know could provide any info?

1) In the application process, are you able to choose which Depot you are applying for, i.e. Manchester?

2) Regarding the Shift/Rota system once trained, how early are the typical early shifts and how late would a typical late shift finish, and are there any 'nights' as such, that work right through the night? It would be Manchester Depot I would be interested in

3) Are there particular routes that are operated from Manchester Depot? Would this include any in the South network to Doncaster & Cleethorpes, or are these all covered from Sheffield?

Any help would be very much appreciated.

 

[Nuttytoffee]

Just applied.........good luck everyone!

 

[The stig]

Do any of you have any tips for completing the online application form? Any advice greatly welcomed and accepted. This would be my boy hood dream, I'm now 38!!

 

[sw1ller]

Evening All

A couple of questions re the FTPE Trainee Driver Positions - if someone in the know could provide any info?

1) In the application process, are you able to choose which Depot you are applying for, i.e. Manchester?

QUOTE]

Yes, it asks you if you want Blackpool, Manchester, somewhere else or Newcastle! sorry to be vague, its been a few hours since i applied but i asked for the manchester one.

 

[KT530]

Evening All

A couple of questions re the FTPE Trainee Driver Positions - if someone in the know could provide any info?

1) In the application process, are you able to choose which Depot you are applying for, i.e. Manchester?

QUOTE]

Yes, it asks you if you want Blackpool, Manchester, somewhere else or Newcastle! sorry to be vague, its been a few hours since i applied but i asked for the manchester one.

Thanks sw1ller, can you upload a CV instead of completing the form, or do they want you to do both?

 

[Bert and Ernie]

Evening All

A couple of questions re the FTPE Trainee Driver Positions - if someone in the know could provide any info?

1) In the application process, are you able to choose which Depot you are applying for, i.e. Manchester?

QUOTE]

Yes, it asks you if you want Blackpool, Manchester, somewhere else or Newcastle! sorry to be vague, its been a few hours since i applied but i asked for the manchester one.

Can you tell us what the questions on the second page please

 

[sw1ller]

Thanks sw1ller, can you upload a CV instead of completing the form, or do they want you to do both?

Can you tell us what the questions on the second page please

You must complete the online app as it keeps the process fair and they get the questions they want answerd, answerd. I also uploaded my CV.

Questions on second page are the generic babble.... "tell us a time when you had to comunicate something to somebody" "tell us a time when you worked on your own" "tell us a time when went on a training corse".. theres about 10 but i dont recall them all i'm sorry. There is no time limit on the 2nd and 3rd pages i dont think but i had it all done within 3 hours so i could be wrong.

 

[penninedriver]

lol, thanks for that PeteH!

On a serious note, do you think they will permit working elsewhere, say 1 day per week, to top up the training salary?

I wouldnt of thought so, training is Mon-fri 9-5ish and there's a lot to learn so will probably use a bit of your spare time as well. Good luck
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Yes thats fine, what is the form they sent me all about though?? And why do they want it back in 5 days??? I need to know if this is a mistake e-mail they have sent out as i am by no means a quialified driver....... yet. (bit of optimism there)

Thanks

The form they sent you is what a qualified driver would need to get his current employers to complete confirming the drivers history and record, ie. any incidents etc that may have accured confirming what you put on the app is correct. Hope this helps
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Evening All

A couple of questions re the FTPE Trainee Driver Positions - if someone in the know could provide any info?

1) In the application process, are you able to choose which Depot you are applying for, i.e. Manchester?

2) Regarding the Shift/Rota system once trained, how early are the typical early shifts and how late would a typical late shift finish, and are there any 'nights' as such, that work right through the night? It would be Manchester Depot I would be interested in

3) Are there particular routes that are operated from Manchester Depot? Would this include any in the South network to Doncaster & Cleethorpes, or are these all covered from Sheffield?

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Earlies can range from anything 3.15am ish onwards, lates can finish well past midnight and there are nights, some depot work and some driving jobs. At Manchester they sign picc to lime street, airport, picc to York and either hull or Scarborough.
Good luck
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Thanks penninedriver.

I notice that FTPE run trains during the night so to speak around Man Airport - what are the shift patterns like, i.e. what proportion would be early/lates/nights?

Thanks

Mainly blocks of alternating earlies and lates say with a week of nighys every 6/7 weeks or so. Depots vary and its only a rough indication. Tpe do run services 24hrs a day as well hence the night work.

 

[KT530]

Thanks very much for the info

 

[KT530]

One more question... If one of us are lucky enough to be offered a position, how long before we would be able to apply for an internal transfer to another TPE Depot after being qualified, ie for the Southern route?

 

[kebo]

I just recieved this from first group with regards the attachment they asked us to fill in which is aimed at qualified drivers.

Thank you for your application for the position of Trainee Train Driver [First TransPennine Express] at Various Locations with First.

Please disregard the ATOC form you were asked to complete as part of your application.

Once the closing date has passed and the short listing process has been conducted we will be in contact with a further update.

Please accept our apologies for any confusion.

Yours sincerely,

FirstGroup Central Resourcing Team

 

[Sammy h]

I was planning on applying for the Tweedbank vacancy, I believe you can only apply for one at a time? Am I correct? Thanks

 

[PeteH]

I was planning on applying for the Tweedbank vacancy, I believe you can only apply for one at a time? Am I correct? Thanks

I think one can only apply for one depot within a franchise at a time. That was certainly the case with Northern when I tried them, I can't remember what the case was with my Greater Anglia application - it was by post and I didn't hear a dickie bird back from them.

I did have 3 applications in with First Group franchises at one time: FCC, FTPE, and FGW. On each of the FG applications I needed to select a depot initially; during the FGW interview and subsequent 'phone calls I was asked again which depot I would prefer.

 

[kleb15]

I was planning on applying for the Tweedbank vacancy, I believe you can only apply for one at a time? Am I correct? Thanks

I live in York, I applied for that on a whim, got knocked back straight away cos of where I live, and now can't apply for the FTPE vacancy cos it was less than 3 months ago, so my advice to you mate if you live in England, just apply for the FTPE jobs instead, there's more available too, plus like I say, I think unless you live Newcastle Carlisle way you might not be considered for the Tweedbank job.