GWR Train Driver talent pool

[Lmc1976]

If he going to be a depot driver or mainline? I know a while ago they had an influx for Plymouth and a lot were Depot Drivers.

He’s mainline, they offered him depot a while back after he passed his DMI but he declined.

 

[Jaytrains]

He’s mainline, they offered him depot a while back after he passed his DMI but he declined.

Lol he had the balls to decline, i respect that

 

[Stigy]

He’s mainline, they offered him depot a while back after he passed his DMI but he declined.

Risky business but worked out well. Lucky man

 

[G30RG3]

Surprising to hear there are externals starting on courses this year for Plymouth, both depot & mainline.

Some of us got invited into the depot talent pool after qualifying for the mainline pool. So now I'm effectively sat in both pools.

Applied 2019, DMI 2020, recently asked for an update and the email I got in reply stated, "Only internals for the upcoming 2022 courses, with no forecast for any future courses there after. We will contact you when courses come available."

The replies I get from GWR recruitment always seem to differ to what's on here. I don't know if I missed the boat by not scoring high enough, or just don't meet the criteria, ie not internal, not fitting minority group, etc

So much unknown and clock ticking towards expiry.

 

[Nonuts]

Surprising to hear there are externals starting on courses this year for Plymouth, both depot & mainline.

Some of us got invited into the depot talent pool after qualifying for the mainline pool. So now I'm effectively sat in both pools.

Applied 2019, DMI 2020, recently asked for an update and the email I got in reply stated, "Only internals for the upcoming 2022 courses, with no forecast for any future courses there after. We will contact you when courses come available."

The replies I get from GWR recruitment always seem to differ to what's on here. I don't know if I missed the boat by not scoring high enough, or just don't meet the criteria, ie not internal, not fitting minority group, etc

So much unknown and clock ticking towards expiry.

Unfortunately, any reply from HR usually leaves most people guessing. There's the generic emails... "When the pool is complete we'll contact people"...being one. Other times you may actually get a direct reply. There's the mixed messages in that some are told that the highest scoring regardless of internal or external are first out of the pool (I was told this) others are told that a lower scoring internal will trump a higher scoring external. Ultimately the needs of the business are discussed at every periodic meeting (roughly every 3 months I believe) and things change in between, the status of covid, projected retirements, amount of internals that pass the selection process, how many qualified have applied to a pool. When existing drivers will need Sim days and upskilling courses effects trainer availability to train new entrants. Also some depots have a preference between taking qualified drivers from elsewhere and prefer trainees to mold into thier ideal. You could be told on Monday that no courses are planned, by Friday there could be a course or two pencilled in! I've said before that, as much as it's a crappy position to be in, all anyone can do is wait and hope for the best. Further west are popular for those who are planning to retire in that area so transfers and applications are more for those depots.

 

[G30RG3]

0Unfortunately, any reply from HR usually leaves most people guessing. There's the generic emails... "When the pool is complete we'll contact people"...being one. Other times you may actually get a direct reply. There's the mixed messages in that some are told that the highest scoring regardless of internal or external are first out of the pool (I was told this) others are told that a lower scoring internal will trump a higher scoring external. Ultimately the needs of the business are discussed at every periodic meeting (roughly every 3 months I believe) and things change in between, the status of covid, projected retirements, amount of internals that pass the selection process, how many qualified have applied to a pool. When existing drivers will need Sim days and upskilling courses effects trainer availability to train new entrants. Also some depots have a preference between taking qualified drivers from elsewhere and prefer trainees to mold into thier ideal. You could be told on Monday that no courses are planned, by Friday there could be a course or two pencilled in! I've said before that, as much as it's a crappy position to be in, all anyone can do is wait and hope for the best. Further west are popular for those who are planning to retire in that area so transfers and applications are more for those depots.

Makes sense. Mixed messages indeed, I too was informed that the higher scores would be picked first. Most recent email stated internals over externals. First uplift was for mainline. Later I was informed only depot positions would come available.

I thought depot might be advantageous at one stage especially when the itinerary stated late 2021 /early 2022 uplifts. Plus I couldn't forsee transferees jumping in, with fully qualified drivers taking the lesser depot roles.

All in all a very convoluted process. Let's hope things change and those in extended waiting will have some news soon. Unlikely but hopeful.

All the best chaps

 

[Mabs]

Lol he had the balls to decline, i respect that

I would do the same. The results are now valid for 5 years. I would apply to other Tocs. Taking the Depot role and you could be stuck for 3 or 4 years.

 

[Twotwo]

I would do the same. The results are now valid for 5 years. I would apply to other Tocs. Taking the Depot role and you could be stuck for 3 or 4 years.

It's 5 years for GWR but a lot of other tocs only accept within 2 or 3 years. But I agree he deffo had balls and it paid off. In my previous toc, we all joined as shunters ( as that was the way in) with the hope of going mainline, but since they started doing street to seat and having so many people ahead of me in seniority, I decided to go elsewhere for a trainee role as my assessments was close to expiring (think gtr accepts within 2 of 3 years) My colleagues are still waiting for a mainline course and their assessment results are invalid as most have done the tests over 2 or 3 years ago now so they are 'stuck'.

Best of your luck with your DMI.

 

[Mabs]

It's 5 years for GWR but a lot of other tocs only accept within 2 or 3 years. But I agree he deffo had balls and it paid off. In my previous toc, we all joined as shunters ( as that was the way in) with the hope of going mainline, but since they started doing street to seat and having so many people ahead of me in seniority, I decided to go elsewhere for a trainee role as my assessments was close to expiring (think gtr accepts within 2 of 3 years) My colleagues are still waiting for a mainline course and their assessment results are invalid as most have done the tests over 2 or 3 years ago now so they are 'stuck'.

Best of your luck with your DMI.

I currently work for SWR and I got my DMI next week with GWR.

Would you recommend I call SWR HR and let them know I have passed all the assessments? If other tocs recognise the results for 2-3 years, It might be better to apply at other tocs aswell.

 

[WombleGuard]

I currently work for SWR and I got my DMI next week with GWR.

Would you recommend I call SWR HR and let them know I have passed all the assessments? If other tocs recognise the results for 2-3 years, It might be better to apply at other tocs aswell.

A mate did the same and had to choose between as both First Group

 

[Stigy]

I would do the same. The results are now valid for 5 years. I would apply to other Tocs. Taking the Depot role and you could be stuck for 3 or 4 years.

If you take the depot job though, you’d not have to retake the psychometric assessments regardless (usually) and it’s natural progression within GWR to go mainline in a few years. A few years on £40k ish a year, plus gaining operational experience along the way, is far more secure than applying to other TOCs, who may a) get you to resit the psychometric assessments (regardless of when you last sat them) or b) not even reply to your application.

Also, with depot driving under your belt, chances are applying for other TOCs would be easier too, if you chose not to stay with GWR.

 

[FGW_DID]

If you take the depot job though, you’d not have to retake the psychometric assessments regardless (usually) and it’s natural progression within GWR to go mainline in a few years. A few years on £40k ish a year, plus gaining operational experience along the way, is far more secure than applying to other TOCs, who may a) get you to resit the psychometric assessments (regardless of when you last sat them) or b) not even reply to your application.

Also, with depot driving under your belt, chances are applying for other TOCs would be easier too, if you chose not to stay with GWR.

Even with the Manos at Reading Depot for whom automatic progression to Mainline isn’t a thing (they still have to apply for a trainee position with everybody else), they don’t have to resist the Psychometrics as long as their Rules are in date. A successful application is straight to DMI.

 

[PlexiDriver]

Does anyone know if there is much movement in the Paddington Pool or if there is likely to be anything in the future?

I got on talent pool in April 2021.

 

[Jaytrains]

Does anyone know if there is much movement in the Paddington Pool or if there is likely to be anything in the future?

I got on talent pool in April 2021.

I asked the same question the other day..

I dont think anyone knows

 

[Stigy]

Even with the Manos at Reading Depot for whom automatic progression to Mainline isn’t a thing (they still have to apply for a trainee position with everybody else), they don’t have to resist the Psychometrics as long as their Rules are in date. A successful application is straight to DMI.

Yeah, this is the case with most depot driver type roles as long as they’re driver grades, but I put “usually” as a sort of caveat as I know there’s always one or two operators who do things differently. For example, at SWR they made depot drivers resit their psychometric assessments every three years (according to a friend who was a depot driver before going mainline). This seems bizarre as that’s not really the purpose of psychometric tests.

 

[Twotwo]

If you take the depot job though, you’d not have to retake the psychometric assessments regardless (usually) and it’s natural progression within GWR to go mainline in a few years. A few years on £40k ish a year, plus gaining operational experience along the way, is far more secure than applying to other TOCs, who may a) get you to resit the psychometric assessments (regardless of when you last sat them) or b) not even reply to your application.

Also, with depot driving under your belt, chances are applying for other TOCs would be easier too, if you chose not to stay with GWR.

I agree, I would have played it safe and taken the depot ops role. My previous job I applied for a shunter and did that for about 18 months and sow no progression within the next year or so I applied elsewhere for a trainee role. It deffo helped me get this role plus the rules was a lot easier for me second time around as we covered everything as a Shunter except SLW, TBW and ESW and few other things.

 

[PlexiDriver]

I asked the same question the other day..

I dont think anyone knows

Ah that sucks. When did you do your DMI?

 

[Mabs]

I just got an email from SWR that they have no movements for Feltham and I will have to wait. Also GWR accept my results for 5 years but SWR only accepts them for 3 years. Even though both companies are part of the First Group.

I will just have to give my best for the GWR DMI next week and take it from there.

 

[officewalla]

Hi everyone,

I’ve had the great news of being given a start date in January for Oxford station.
I was just hoping someone could shed some light on what I can expect during training? Length, timings, time off etc.

thanks!

Have you started yet? I have finished rules and start traction next week. Should start handling at Oxford early March.

 

[Stigy]

I just got an email from SWR that they have no movements for Feltham and I will have to wait. Also GWR accept my results for 5 years but SWR only accepts them for 3 years. Even though both companies are part of the First Group.

I will just have to give my best for the GWR DMI next week and take it from there.

Yes, SWR has always been 3-years, and differs from GWR probably solely because it’s been the case long before SWR was introduced and Stagecoach were still the parent company.

It may change, similarly to how their recruitment portal is now with the other 90% of FirstGroup, but to be honest, 3 years or 5 years may be irrelevant to SWR as there’s never any shortage of applicants, so from a business point of view, they equally may not give it much thought I guess.

 

[Vulgaris]

I’m in the Exeter st David’s pool and have been since January 2020. Is there a separate pool or process for Depot driver then??

Hi Lee, just curious about what your position is? as I am in that talent pool and will be finally starting on the 21st of Feb! are you on this course with me or still waiting for that phone call?

 

[Class2ldn]

Well after waiting nearly 2 years for an interview for Gloucester for a qualified job, the advert has now been pulled , spoke to recruitment and no vacancies planned at this depot.
Not impressed at all.

 

[Stigy]

Well after waiting nearly 2 years for an interview for Gloucester for a qualified job, the advert has now been pulled , spoke to recruitment and no vacancies planned at this depot.
Not impressed at all.

That’s why they use talent pools unfortunately. It doesn’t help the applicant, but means the business can easily pluck people out for interview when they need to. Equally if the business needs change, they can just leave you treading water.

 

[MostlyHarmless]

Does anyone know if there is much movement in the Paddington Pool or if there is likely to be anything in the future?

I got on talent pool in April 2021.

Things are moving but its slow I'm afraid. I was told that it's 2 trainees every other month for Paddington at the moment.

 

[Jaytrains]

Things are moving but its slow I'm afraid. I was told that it's 2 trainees every other month for Paddington at the moment.

Woow

 

[Kauntrilla]

I heard from a member of staff there will be no more courses after feb till 2023? Anyone else heard anything about it?

 

[Danetime]

I heard from a member of there will be no more courses after feb till 2023? Anyone else heard anything about it?

It all depends on what depot you have applied for and again things can change but when I was on the phone with HR it sounded like some depots in the South West either have 1 or 2 training courses this year. Feb 22 and one later in the year I believe November if I remember correctly. I was under the impression that if I couldn't make this start for St Davids then the next would be later in the year and failing that Feb 23.

However while at the medical I was speaking to someone about Plymouth and they were told Plymouth would only have one intake this year and if they didn't pass the medical the next training for Plymouth was Feb 23.

Again nothing concrete but just bits of information I picked up while going through the medical and onboarding process.

*edited because I thought it was still 2021

 

[Horizon22]

I heard from a member of there will be no more courses after feb till 2023? Anyone else heard anything about it?

That seems very unlikely. There are gaps at quite a few depots, particularly in the East.

 

[Kauntrilla]

That seems very unlikely. There are gaps at quite a few depots, particularly in the East.

I truely hope u r right mate.

 

[Nonuts]

There are courses planned (and filled as far as I'm aware) and ongoing this year. I've also heard that any new trainees would be offered late '22 early '23 courses but who really knows. There's still adverts for qualified drivers for a lot of depots (as there has been since 2018) so maybe they'll fill the immediate shortfall with them!?

Last year we heard that our depot would have 8-10 new trainees in the next two years but recently it's sounding more like 2!