So does that mean you can progress through the application stage without there being a place on the driver training or a job?
The current recruitment drive is to fill planned vacanicies for Drivers and Conductors between January 2014 and June 2014 and to build up talent pools.
Northern advertise them on thier site if there aren't enougth people in the talent pool for the depot the jobs are available at.
Here's how Northern HR explained thier application process to me a few months ago.
For instance: Three job vacancies come up at Leeds for drivers, but there is only one person in the talent pool, Northern will advertise the vacancies, put people through the application process and then upon getting the assesment results, will offer the jobs to the individual in the talent pool and the top two scorers in the application process.
The remaining successful applicants will be placed on hold or in the talent pool for upto six months in waiting for the next available course/Vacancy.
You may not be in the pool for long if a successful applicant fails thier medical or the references don't work out and the job is then offered to you as a result, you could also be offered a job at a depot close to where you have applied for.
The reason for this is so that they dont have to go through the hassle of advertising jobs and going through the application process everytime a vacancy arises, they can call upon previously successful applicants already in the Talent pool.
I applied for one of three vacancies at Skipton for a conductor role in April this year, passed my interview and assesments in June and was placed on hold because even though I had reached the required standard, there was only one place available on the July course for Skipton applicants, which someone else took, I was placed on hold for three moths in preperation for going on the September course, but this was cancelled.
I am now the only sucessful applicant from Aprils recruitment drive in the talent pool and HR told me on the 8th October that more than just me is needed for filling the current planned vacancies at Skipton for Conductors in 2014 and that is why they were advertised on 7th October.
I will remain in the talent pool until 28th February 2014, which will put me in the running for either the Janauary 2014 course or the April 2014 course.
Going by the post that 156441 has put up, I feel im in with a good chance and also anyone else who passes these current set of assesments for both the driver and conductor assesments.
I hope this helps and if i am incorrect on anything, someone already in the industry please free to correct me.