Avanti West Coast Trainee Train Driver Euston and Wolverhampton

[Octopus28]

Hi all , hope you are all well in these strange times. I applied for this and failed it, got the email through to confirm. I’m 49 in July do you think that was factored in to my score at all. Or is this not the case ?

No way, your age will not be factor! Your answer just might not have been suitable. Remember safety is always top priority when answering these things but not to the point where you’re not answering like a human with your own thoughts. They want to see a good balance between safety, customer service and common sense. Doesn’t mean you got it wrong completely. They might capped the scoring and you missed out by 1 mark. Just don’t let this knock your confidence, try again in 6 months and keep trying with other companies. Age is just a number

 

[Slinky252]

No way, your age will not be factor! Your answer just might not have been suitable. Remember safety is always top priority when answering these things but not to the point where you’re not answering like a human with your own thoughts. They want to see a good balance between safety, customer service and common sense. Doesn’t mean you got it wrong completely. They might capped the scoring and you missed out by 1 mark. Just don’t let this knock your confidence, try again in 6 months and keep trying with other companies. Age is just a number

Thanks buddy, yeah good to hear that’s not a factor. One thing I’ve read on this thread, which echo your words is that be yourself and honest and try not to put down what you want them to hear. If that’s the case, then that’s fantastic advice because I did tend to think of the train driver role when answering my job preferences which was probably a mistake then. Duly noted for future thank you

 

[Stigy]

Hi all , hope you are all well in these strange times. I applied for this and failed it, got the email through to confirm. I’m 49 in July do you think that was factored in to my score at all. Or is this not the case ?

At any stage age isn’t a factor, but at his stage especially, it’s unlikely your application has passed a human at all.

 

[baz962]

Hi all , hope you are all well in these strange times. I applied for this and failed it, got the email through to confirm. I’m 49 in July do you think that was factored in to my score at all. Or is this not the case ?

Not to get into it all too much , but I started with my toc just over two year's ago and that was one month before my 48th. I have heard of far older trainee's than I.

 

[Ana D]

Hi all , hope you are all well in these strange times. I applied for this and failed it, got the email through to confirm. I’m 49 in July do you think that was factored in to my score at all. Or is this not the case ?

Maybe you’ve done the mistakes I did in a previous application and online test.i didn’t read properly and I rushed through answering.

 

[Octopus28]

Thanks buddy, yeah good to hear that’s not a factor. One thing I’ve read on this thread, which echo your words is that be yourself and honest and try not to put down what you want them to hear. If that’s the case, then that’s fantastic advice because I did tend to think of the train driver role when answering my job preferences which was probably a mistake then. Duly noted for future thank you

It’s a tough industry to get into but you just have to make sure you keep on trying & learn where you possibly went wrong as you go! You’ll get your lucky break at some point, just don’t give up & get disheartened! We have all been there

 

[Jaytrains]

I doubt it’s anything to do with age mate, 49 isn’t too old to become a driver from what I have seen others say on here and I doubt they’re sitting through people’s applications manually at this stage. Just my guess anyway. Don’t let this stop you applying elsewhere, good luck!

Yeahh i think its more computerised

 

[Ana D]

Yeahh i think its more computerised

It is, it’s an algorithm.

 

[Dan61]

I've applied for Wolverhampton. Fingers crossed. I've previously don't both stage 1 and 2 with WMT at OPC but failed to meet enhanced Mark on the two hand test but managed to get to the enhanced Mark on all the others. So hopefully info get to that stage again I'm hoping to just retake the one test and not all.

 

[PlexiDriver]

As it's computerised, are those who are waiting just waiting to see what percentile they land in relation to everyone else, or is there a hard and fast pass mark?

 

[Octopus28]

As it's computerised, are those who are waiting just waiting to see what percentile they land in relation to everyone else, or is there a hard and fast pass mark?

I personally think it’ll probably be something like; let’s say there’s 100 points to be had, anyone who gets 69 and below automatically gets the failed email and then the remaining people who received 70+ will be sifted through and Avanti will take the cream of the crop.

That’s the way I’m guessing it’s done in a round about way.

 

[bruebunny]

As it's computerised, are those who are waiting just waiting to see what percentile they land in relation to everyone else, or is there a hard and fast pass mark?

I'm trying to remember if the OPC application had a CV attachment prompt, but I don't believe it did. I would imagine there are instant pass fail questions. If you pass those the rest is marked on a general grade. If you pass a threshold, I'm sure the next check is to confirm that you live within commuting distance requirements and if you have passed or failed the OPC test previously before they put those ones through to the next stage.
(This all speculation and pulled from my butt)

 

[DRS66421]

I’ve only ever done the SJE’s and I’ve done them multiple times for different companies and failed over the years! But I did the OPC and passed so don’t worry, the situational judgement exercises are used by companies to sift through candidates and get the cream of the crop your actual drivers OPC can only be done in a set environment with a OPC staff member monitoring you. These do not take a life off you x

Thanks.

 

[DRS66421]

The Visual Search Exercise does (although different people are tole different things even by OPC...), but the initial SJE doesn't (I say initial, because there's a few throughout the process. The one you take as part of the VSE obviously does count...If memory serves me, I think there is one at that stage?). Bear in mind only TOCs who test to enhanced standards use the VSE, so it only applies if the TOC you go for uses it, so if you fail twice you can still apply to TOCs/FOCs who test to the national standard.

Thanks.

 

[T-Karmel]

First of all l, I want to say I'm amazed by how supportive are people on this forum, it's just fantastic how you can cheer up others if they weren't successful. And that is on top of the help you're giving away in the matter of a subject.

And now to my question. How do I get to know if I passed my OPC up to enhanced level if TOC I've done it for didn't demand it, therefore I've only been told that I passed? I actually didn't know there were different levels till very recently.

 

[Ana D]

First of all l, I want to say I'm amazed by how supportive are people on this forum, it's just fantastic how you can cheer up others if they weren't successful. And that is on top of the help you're giving away in the matter of a subject.

And now to my question. How do I get to know if I passed my OPC up to enhanced level if TOC I've done it for didn't demand it, therefore I've only been told that I passed? I actually didn't know there were different levels till very recently.

You will know when they invite you to the real psychometric tests and on the day they will say if you passed at national standard or enhanced..at least that what they told me in the past. If you passed at national standard the tests you didn’t lose a life, you still on the game.thats because not all companies require an enhanced pass, so you may be lucky with other ones.

 

[Jaytrains]

You will know when they invite you to the real psychometric tests and on the day they will say if you passed at national standard or enhanced..at least that what they told me in the past. If you passed at national standard the tests you didn’t lose a life, you still on the game.thats because not all companies require an enhanced pass, so you may be lucky with other ones.

Who ever failed the online opc test can always re do the test without having to wait six months but it has to be with another toc..

Has anyone received an email saying they passed? And what the next stage is?

 

[Spike1985]

I took the OPC questionaire this morning,
Got an email more or less straight away saying sorry you dont meet the standards.

I thought the answers I gave were ok, some of the questions are quite ambiguious tho. Like a colleague asking to swap shifts, one of the options would made you come across as some sort of control freek ! Which was a bit strange.

When it asked for my address I was hoping for a box to tick to say I dont mind relocating which I dont, I have just spent the last 12 years in the army so relocating is nothing new to me and would of liked the option or the chance to explain this to a potential future employer.

We go again

 

[Ana D]

I took the OPC questionaire this morning,
Got an email more or less straight away saying sorry you dont meet the standards.

I thought the answers I gave were ok, some of the questions are quite ambiguious tho. Like a colleague asking to swap shifts, one of the options would made you come across as some sort of control freek ! Which was a bit strange.

When it asked for my address I was hoping for a box to tick to say I dont mind relocating which I dont, I have just spent the last 12 years in the army so relocating is nothing new to me and would of liked the option or the chance to explain this to a potential future employer.

We go again

Text me if you need help for The future. I’ve done so many mistakes in the past , I learned from it. I rushed, I didn’t think , I didn’t read properly, im not a train driver yet but I know exactly what o have done wrong. And never give up.

 

[T-Karmel]

You will know when they invite you to the real psychometric tests and on the day they will say if you passed at national standard or enhanced..at least that what they told me in the past. If you passed at national standard the tests you didn’t lose a life, you still on the game.thats because not all companies require an enhanced pass, so you may be lucky with other ones.

Thanks for that!

When it asked for my address I was hoping for a box to tick to say I dont mind relocating which I dont, I have just spent the last 12 years in the army so relocating is nothing new to me and would of liked the option or the chance to explain this to a potential future employer.

It just looks like none of the TOCs allows relocation for Trainees, as they all states "within one hour commute, non-negotiable".

 

[baz962]

Thanks for that!



It just looks like none of the TOCs allows relocation for Trainees, as they all states "within one hour commute, non-negotiable".

Some do . In fact my toc definitely does

 

[DA1]

It just looks like none of the TOCs allows relocation for Trainees, as they all states "within one hour commute, non-negotiable".

I don’t know many, I know SWR allow relocation as I have to relocate but they’ve recently advertised campaigns at the beginning of the year so I’m not sure they’ll be hiring until atleast the end of the year/into next year.

 

[Octopus28]

For anyone wishing to apply....the jobs have gone off the Avanti careers website now

 

[Spike1985]

Text me if you need help for The future. I’ve done so many mistakes in the past , I learned from it. I rushed, I didn’t think , I didn’t read properly, im not a train driver yet but I know exactly what o have done wrong. And never give up.

Thanks for the reply I was going to pm you but couldnt see an option to on your profile
Where do you think you have gone wrong??

 

[Ell887]

Removed

 

[Charliew24]

I've been getting a blank "Tell us about you" section to. Anybody found a way to fix it?

Me too. Did you manage to fix it?

 

[Slinky252]

It’s a tough industry to get into but you just have to make sure you keep on trying & learn where you possibly went wrong as you go! You’ll get your lucky break at some point, just don’t give up & get disheartened! We have all been there

Thank you all for your responses much appreciated. I’ll keep plugging away and hope to get in one day but I know it’s Uber competitive and for obv good reason. Thank you Stigy, baz962 and Ana D also

 

[Red1980]

I know all TOCs/FOCs are different in terms of how they train their trainees, but from what I've heard from trainees at other TOCs and how they train their staff, no one TOC or FOC is any more difficult than the next. At the end of the day, all trainee drivers have to be trained in rules and traction which is naturally intense.

I suppose you'd have to take numerous things into account before that can be determined as factual. For example some TOCs show far less leeway in your training that alone makes things far more difficult....that's before you take into account complexity of different routes and different traction.

I know for a fact my current TOC was far more intense than the last one in terms of their training and what was expected.

 

[Jaytrains]

I suppose you'd have to take numerous things into account before that can be determined as factual. For example some TOCs show far less leeway in your training that alone makes things far more difficult....that's before you take into account complexity of different routes and different traction.

I know for a fact my current TOC was far more intense than the last one in terms of their training and what was expected.

How many tocs have you trained at? And what’s your current toc?

 

[C J Snarzell]

From discussions I have on other threads, applications for TOCs are generally scanned through computers that are not read by human eyes. As everyone is aware, trainee driving roles attract applications in three or four figures and HR's cannot possibly deal with them all. I believe Avanti's HR are based at the Crewe Talent Academy and are only a small team.

CJ