GTR - Trainee Train Driver vacancies (07/12/20)

[Chuchu]

Hi Chuchu,
Sorry to hear you got a 'no' email today, as well as myself. Gutting email! Do you think it's possible to get a yes from GN or TL? The email stated that we would have to wait a min. of 6 months before applying for a similar role with GTR.

I have already got a no from Thameslink in December, but I heard nothing from GN. It does say 6 months, but I would believe that the 6 month rule will be valid for upcoming recruitment drives and not for the ones that you have already applied for.

 

[rail-info]

I have already got a no from Thameslink in December, but I heard nothing from GN. It does say 6 months, but I would believe that the 6 month rule will be valid for upcoming recruitment drives and not for the ones that you have already applied for.

I like your thinking... I'll keep positive for an email from TL to do the online tests.

 

[Chuchu]

I like your thinking... I'll keep positive for an email from TL to do the online tests.

Well, that's the only way forward. If it's not this TOC, then it could be another. I like to look at it this way, every kick in the back is a step forward so we'll keep on trying.

 

[kaydi]

There’s quite a lot of lines to get through. More than 25 I would say. Like the group bourdon, you need to pass at least half way through with very good accuracy. If you wizz to the bottom but have missed loads or clicked the wrong one, you will fail. Same if you don’t get down the page quick enough. It’s difficult to describe any different to how others have mentioned on.... but I will say, there’s no shapes. (In mine anyway, don’t know if they auto renew for each candidate so we can’t describe it for others lol) mine were just selecting between Upper and Lower case letters. The 3rd test I had to pick out an upper case letter (which was constant) whilst also picking the first letter of each line.

Thankyou for responding ,I tried to be as accurate as I could however I do feel that once you've got the accuracy covered then eventually you'll speed up I completed the test and have moved onto the next stage , do you have any recommendations on where I can get practice material for the group bourdon test or will the practice material they have provided me with be enough?

 

[Vola_c]

Thankyou for responding ,I tried to be as accurate as I could however I do feel that once you've got the accuracy covered then eventually you'll speed up I completed the test and have moved onto the next stage , do you have any recommendations on where I can get practice material for the group bourdon test or will the practice material they have provided me with be enough?

Drop me a message and I'll send you a link for some practice tests I got. Didn't cost a lot and they were fantastic. A great way to prepare properly.

 

[Thankful8]

My experience thus far seems quite different to many of you. I applied only for Southern mid December. My responses to the application questions were honest, yet extremely short and to the point. After hearing nothing in the weeks following submitting my responses I assumed I hadn’t made the first cut. Mid January, one month after applying, I was invited to complete GTR1 online testing. GTR1 completed one day before the deadline, received an invitation to complete the MiniScaat testing two days later. MiniScaat completed on the 26th and on the 27th I received an invitation to an assessment day at the start of February. From what I can tell there doesn’t seem to be an exact timeline to this process that’s shared by every candidate that we can use to set expectations.

 

[Byedriver]

I’ve failed the mini SCAAT test for southern (gutted) but I also applied for thameslink in December and haven’t heard anything back. Can I assume that I won’t hear anything back for thameslink now as I’ve failed mini SCAAT for southern?

 

[Bn98]

Assumptions are bad! As has been said many times, nobody truly (except MAYBE HR) knows the timeline and the recruitment process. As hard as it is, I would recommend against keeping your applications near the front of your thoughts - this will only lead to more stress than needed. I'd probably go so far to say as checking in here often will only add to your stress in terms of waiting to hear. People tend to post their SUCCESS rather than their failures, bear in mind the vast amount of applications GTR received across the roles. There will be thousands of people waiting to hear back for their applications still.

Don't panic Mr Mainwaring... It's difficult but be patient and try not to stress

 

[Byedriver]

Assumptions are bad! As has been said many times, nobody truly (except MAYBE HR) knows the timeline and the recruitment process. As hard as it is, I would recommend against keeping your applications near the front of your thoughts - this will only lead to more stress than needed. I'd probably go so far to say as checking in here often will only add to your stress in terms of waiting to hear. People tend to post their SUCCESS rather than their failures, bear in mind the vast amount of applications GTR received across the roles. There will be thousands of people waiting to hear back for their applications still.

Don't panic Mr Mainwaring... It's difficult but be patient and try not to stress

Thanks, lovely reply.
Just hoping I can give it another shot with TL.

 

[Quin79]

I thought I'd contact HR to enquire re how they are progressing people through sift to testing etc. They have had over 20,000 applications and are randomly selecting applications which are individually being looked at. So this will obviously take time. Maybe this can help to dispel any myths etc. Has to be as others have said a patient waiting game people. Good luck

 

[Cassy j]

Hi is the sjt timed or is it just accuracy?

 

[Byedriver]

Hi is the sjt timed or is it just accuracy?

It’s not timed and not based on accuracy either. It’s personal to you, if your answers match what they are looking for you’ll be invited to complete a mini SCAAT. Good luck. Is it thameslink or southern your doing this for?

 

[Char93]

My experience thus far seems quite different to many of you. I applied only for Southern mid December. My responses to the application questions were honest, yet extremely short and to the point. After hearing nothing in the weeks following submitting my responses I assumed I hadn’t made the first cut. Mid January, one month after applying, I was invited to complete GTR1 online testing. GTR1 completed one day before the deadline, received an invitation to complete the MiniScaat testing two days later. MiniScaat completed on the 26th and on the 27th I received an invitation to an assessment day at the start of February. From what I can tell there doesn’t seem to be an exact timeline to this process that’s shared by every candidate that we can use to set expectations.

Hi!
My experience has been much the same as you I think. In my initial application my responses were just honest and short. I applied mid December and heard back early January. Then each subsequent Email came roughly seven days after I completed each test.
Now looking forward to attending the assessment day early February!

 

[Twotwo]

Does anyone know if they only accept enhanced passes only?

 

[Pickle1]

I’ve received an email to say I’ve passed both the GTR-1 and the MiniScaat but it’s said they’ve now got to check my details against the central database to see if they are completed to GTR standards. Did anyone else receive this? I’ve applied to Southern.

 

[Twotwo]

I’ve received an email to say I’ve passed both the GTR-1 and the MiniScaat but it’s said they’ve now got to check my details against the central database to see if they are completed to GTR standards. Did anyone else receive this? I’ve applied to Southern.

No, that's to check if you've completed the driver assesments and if its up to their standards.

 

[Skies2rail]

I’ve received an email to say I’ve passed both the GTR-1 and the MiniScaat but it’s said they’ve now got to check my details against the central database to see if they are completed to GTR standards. Did anyone else receive this? I’ve applied to Southern.

Congrats! I got this today also. Not sure if everyone is/was processed in this way however.

 

[SpamHammer]

I’ve failed the mini SCAAT test for southern (gutted) but I also applied for thameslink in December and haven’t heard anything back. Can I assume that I won’t hear anything back for thameslink now as I’ve failed mini SCAAT for southern?

Definitely don't assume this!

I applied for GN, TL and Southern back in December.

So far I haven't heard a peep from GN but have completed everything up to and including miniSCAAT for TL and Southern. Interestingly, I got a no from TL following the miniSCAAT but a congratulations from Southern and am now invited into the next stage of the process with them.

Although I doubt my miniSCAAT results were exactly the same for TL and Southern there must be something different to get a yes from one and a no from the other. What the difference might have been is anyone's guess, I can only say I did my best on both tests (which were identical).

Hi!
My experience has been much the same as you I think. In my initial application my responses were just honest and short. I applied mid December and heard back early January. Then each subsequent Email came roughly seven days after I completed each test.
Now looking forward to attending the assessment day early February!

I agree with you regarding answers to questions at initial application. My answers were as short, direct and honest as I could make them and I made it through that sift and am now awaiting a date to attend psychometric tests. I saw several posts on this forum theorising that you needed to write x amount of words at a minimum. In my experience that was nonsense and being accurate, brief and clear got me through that part.

Does anyone know if they only accept enhanced passes only?

Yes, enhanced passes only for GTR.

 

[Twotwo]

Definitely don't assume this!

I applied for GN, TL and Southern back in December.

So far I haven't heard a peep from GN but have completed everything up to and including miniSCAAT for TL and Southern. Interestingly, I got a no from TL following the miniSCAAT but a congratulations from Southern and am now invited into the next stage of the process with them.

Although I doubt my miniSCAAT results were exactly the same for TL and Southern there must be something different to get a yes from one and a no from the other. What the difference might have been is anyone's guess, I can only say I did my best on both tests (which were identical).


I agree with you regarding answers to questions at initial application. My answers were as short, direct and honest as I could make them and I made it through that sift and am now awaiting a date to attend psychometric tests. I saw several posts on this forum theorising that you needed to write x amount of words at a minimum. In my experience that was nonsense and being accurate, brief and clear got me through that part.


Yes, enhanced passes only for GTR.

Yeah I did the SJT for both GN and Southern and im sure my answers were excatly the same and I got a yes from GN and a no from Southern

 

[Chuchu]

Yeah I did the SJT for both GN and Southern and im sure my answers were excatly the same and I got a yes from GN and a no from Southern

This and also what @SpamHammer said, confirms my doubts regarding the NO that I received for miniSCAAT. I thought that for sure I did ok and their response was too fast. There must have been other factors that decided the response that I've got. One of the top of my head would be the 50 min that it takes me to get to Victoria. Probably others were closer ...

 

[Cassy j]

Was the sjt the same for all the companies

 

[Byedriver]

Definitely don't assume this!

I applied for GN, TL and Southern back in December.

So far I haven't heard a peep from GN but have completed everything up to and including miniSCAAT for TL and Southern. Interestingly, I got a no from TL following the miniSCAAT but a congratulations from Southern and am now invited into the next stage of the process with them.

Although I doubt my miniSCAAT results were exactly the same for TL and Southern there must be something different to get a yes from one and a no from the other. What the difference might have been is anyone's guess, I can only say I did my best on both tests (which were identical).


I agree with you regarding answers to questions at initial application. My answers were as short, direct and honest as I could make them and I made it through that sift and am now awaiting a date to attend psychometric tests. I saw several posts on this forum theorising that you needed to write x amount of words at a minimum. In my experience that was nonsense and being accurate, brief and clear got me through that part.


Yes, enhanced passes only for GTR.

Thank you so so so much for this reply! It’s really given me some hope! I applied for TL and Southern back in December also. Hopefully when thameslink get back to me is good news and I can give it a 2nd shot with them! Congratulations on passing the mini SCAAT for southern and good luck with the next stage.

 

[Hustlequeen]

I thought I'd contact HR to enquire re how they are progressing people through sift to testing etc. They have had over 20,000 applications and are randomly selecting applications which are individually being looked at. So this will obviously take time. Maybe this can help to dispel any myths etc. Has to be as others have said a patient waiting game people. Good luck

Hi did you contact them via email or phone? Could I have the contact info please

 

[Char93]

my Assessment day is next Friday, so I only have 1 week to practice!
I hope this will be enough time!

 

[gm3724]

I’ve received an email to say I’ve passed both the GTR-1 and the MiniScaat but it’s said they’ve now got to check my details against the central database to see if they are completed to GTR standards. Did anyone else receive this? I’ve applied to Southern.

I received the same email yesterday. Hoping an invite to an assessment day will arrive soon

 

[35mmags]

I received the same email yesterday. Hoping an invite to an assessment day will arrive soon

I also got this email Well done to everyone who got through to the assessment day, but also well done to anyone who made it through the first few sifts. They still chose you out of tens of thousands of people, and there were good reasons for that. So don't give up, and keep looking out for more jobs!

 

[Pickle1]

Those with invites to assessment centres, which toc did you apply to?

 

[Bidders34]

Mine was southern

 

[35mmags]

Those with invites to assessment centres, which toc did you apply to?

Southern for me too, didn't apply to any others as I'm a bit far from the depots.

 

[Melmatrixx2]

Those with invites to assessment centres, which toc did you apply to?

Thameslink for me