Minimum Age to work in the rail industry

91103eastcoast · 23 Oct 2013

Hi

I'm currently working on my A2 studies and interested in a career in the railway industry, but was wondering if there is a minimum age to work in the industry and what potential pathways there are in to the industry.

Thanks in advance

RailUK Forums

142094 · 23 Oct 2013

21 for anything safety critical. 18 for other jobs, mainly in the back offices. Potential pathways include straight from school into starting role where you can work upwards from there (a foot on the ladder basically). A lot of TOCs and other companies such as TfL and Network Rail have graduate schemes for those from university. A lot also have apprenticeships.

91103eastcoast · 23 Oct 2013

Thank you.

Sorry if it's a stupid question, but are driver and guard the only safety-critical roles, or are there others.

Oh, also, where are TOCs likely to advertise apprenticeships and graduate schemes?

AlexS · 23 Oct 2013

Driver, guard, train dispatcher, signaller, trackside workers, fitters, controllers - the list goes on and on really for safety critical staff!

Dieseldriver · 23 Oct 2013

It's 18 for most safety critical roles, mainline driver being 21.

Philip Elliott · 23 Oct 2013

Plenty of jobs available for 16 year olds.

Cherry_Picker · 23 Oct 2013

142094 said:
21 for anything safety critical. 18 for other jobs, mainly in the back offices. Potential pathways include straight from school into starting role where you can work upwards from there (a foot on the ladder basically). A lot of TOCs and other companies such as TfL and Network Rail have graduate schemes for those from university. A lot also have apprenticeships.

It's 18 for safety critical with a few exceptions (driver being the most notable)

We have a 19 year old guard where I work.

91103eastcoast · 23 Oct 2013

A big thanks to everyone for all their replies.

Sorry to be a pain, but another question...
Has someone/is it possible for someone to leave school and go straight into the rail industry, without further education(college etc) other than the training that comes with the job?

Cherry_Picker · 23 Oct 2013

Do you mean age 16 or without any qualifications from further/higher education? In both instances the answer is yes, though I've not seen many people under 18 on the railway.

Monty · 23 Oct 2013

I've yet to meet anyone who works on the railway and is under 18 years of age, and while it is indeed true you need no formal qualifications to get a job in the industry what I cannot stress enough is that potential candidates need life experience and have some kind of background in working with the general public.

As a young person straight out of school/college it is going to be very difficult to show to any prospective employer that you are someone who can interact with the public and has those vital people skills. Working in a pub for two years did wonders to my confidence and really helped me gain the skills I would need to work on the railway, it's what I would suggest to any young person who wishes to work for the railway but perhaps lacks the skills to do so.

91103eastcoast · 24 Oct 2013

Thank you. So it appears that if I want to get into the industry, I need some experience of working with people etc?

Oh, and another question: Is it advantageous to go and study something at a post-18 college before going into the industry, or is this completely irrelevant?

Bushy · 24 Oct 2013

Many Apprenticeships have entry at 16.
LU Apprenticeships are closed for this year (as will be most schemes as they are tied into the college year) but details here: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/jobs/17128.aspx.

NR Advanced Apprenticeship has a 17 entry.
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/1086.aspx

Depending on what area you are interested in there may also be opportunities with Contractors or Consultants.

Regards

Bushy

TheEdge · 24 Oct 2013

91103eastcoast said:
Thank you. So it appears that if I want to get into the industry, I need some experience of working with people etc?

Yes, yes, yes. As has already been said work in a pub. You'll get experience with people and hopefully a few conflict and good customer service stories to use. Also another one is working in a job with strict rules. I used agency work in a warehouse to show experience of working in a safe manner in a dangerous environment

91103eastcoast said:
Oh, and another question: Is it advantageous to go and study something at a post-18 college before going into the industry, or is this completely irrelevant?

Depends. If you want to go into a non operational job; HR, Accounts, Franchising, Corporate planning, that sort of thing then it probably will. If you want to go operational or lower level stuff then it might help with experience but the degree itself not too much. I have a degree but on my guards course were people younger with less qualifications (left school at 16) but had the life experience to make up with!

Class 92 · 24 Oct 2013

You could do some volunteering on a heritage railway to help gain extra experience?

43074 · 24 Oct 2013

Class 92 said:
You could do some volunteering on a heritage railway to help gain extra experience?

This - not only have I become more confident since I started volunteering at the GCR*, but you also learn basic bits of railway rules and regulations whilst on the job, showing the ability to work to strict rules and regulations.

Work experience also is worth doing. I did it with EMT in July and it was well worth it IMO.

* GCR - Great Central Railway

91103eastcoast · 25 Oct 2013

I'll have a look at doing some work experience then, or working in a pub/other customer facing role.

Thank you to everyone for your replies and advice, you've been great.

Mojo · 25 Oct 2013

I worked with a 17-year-old (she was the daughter of a driver) as a Customer Service Assistant at a station for a major Toc.

91103eastcoast · 25 Oct 2013

That intrigues me..

Does having contacts in the industry help at all?

Someone told me:

'It's not what you know, but who you know'

Is that statement applicable?

Cherry_Picker · 25 Oct 2013

91103eastcoast said:
That intrigues me..

Does having contacts in the industry help at all?

Someone told me:

'It's not what you know, but who you know'

Is that statement applicable?

It's true in all walks of life to a certain extent.

However, I will say that the number of people who have siblings/children working on the railway with them is certainly noticeable but it doesn't mean that vacancies are rigged against people who have no family connections or friends within the industry. A lot of it is simply that the railway is a good place to work and people in the industry are known to advise their nearest and dearest to pursue a career in it too.

455driver · 25 Oct 2013

The easy answer is that there isnt an easy answer.

It all depends what job you are applying for but you basically need to be able to show that you can work to rules, good with customers, cope with weekend/shift work, be flexible, etc.

Once you tick all/most of these then you should at least get past the papaer sift.

91103eastcoast · 26 Oct 2013

Thanks everyone for your time, your posts have been very helpful.

sarahj · 27 Oct 2013

TBH, if your going for a job on the railway that requires shift work, etc. Get some experience outside the railway until your perhaps about mid 20's. then apply. A lot of the younger staff find it hard as while all their friends are out and about, or at the pub. Your going to work. or, they are going out, your at work early next sunday morning. They are drinking, you want a drink, but turn up the next day with a hangover, then byeee. You will then start to resent the job. Not 100% true all the time, but I've seen it happen.

So my advice, is get some real life experience,get it out of your system. then join up.

BTW, I'm not saying we are all boring old farts who spend every night with a good book and a cup of tea. But its good to get the sillyness of being 18 out of your system. You have the rest of your life to be sensible.

Dieseldriver · 27 Oct 2013

I started at 18 and can only agree with what you just said! If I'm honest, as much as I love my job, if I could change anything it would be to have started a few years later!

CatfordCat · 27 Oct 2013

A few thoughts -

There are legal restrictions on working hours for people under 18 - this will rule out the more extreme shift work in some railway jobs, leaving aside any qualifications for 'safety critical'

The 'working in a pub' option (in terms at least of serving booze) also isn't legally open until you're over 18. I think you can be a waiter in a pub/ restaurant at 16, but the licensed trade isn't really my specialism!

Working in a shop will get some public facing / cash handling experience which may be useful.

But as others have said, many TOCs do run an apprentice scheme recruiting 16+ school leavers - this can include customer facing / station type roles, not just the technical sort of trades that were traditionally 'apprenticeship' based. The exact scheme will vary from one TOC to another, the ones I'm aware of tend to work on the basis of recruiting a 'class' of apprentices each year, rather than open recruitment through the year, so may be worth enquiring of any TOCs local to you what's available.

Realistically speaking, it's going to have to be a TOC that is close to home - travel to work time tends to be taken into account when making recruitment decisions, and getting a tenancy on your own at 16 is going to be awkward, and questionable whether it's affordable on an apprentice pay rate.

Kaltias · 31 Oct 2013

I was 16 when I started for a mainline TOC, so it is possible! Started out in station support and after a year I went from the temporary role to a permanant Travel Consultant, and I'm still there now whilst at university doing a science degree. The hardest bit about it is feeling like you're being looked down on by your colleagues and customers, I think...

However, a few of them have realised that youth has worked well in my stead and I'm great at remembering routing, ticket types, restrictions etc. as well as constantly having my head in the Manual. I feel like the railway needs some young blood! It's great fun and challenging at times but I feel like it has worked well for me and I really don't want to leave when I get my degree.

91103eastcoast · 1 Nov 2013

Thanks all for your replies, all of you have given great advice and in some cases been an inspiration!

Minimum Age to work in the rail industry

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