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EMR - Trainee Depot Drivers - Derby and Nottingham Talent Pool

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Dynamonic

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https://jobs.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/vacancy.aspx?ref=2019-362

Trainee Depot Drivers - Derby and Nottingham Talent Pool

Drivers
Location: Derby and Nottingham
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: £29,345 to £39,126
Closing Date: Wednesday 15 January 2020
Reference: 2019-362

Please note the minimum age requirement to apply for this role is 21. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds. Women and ethnic minority groups are currently under-represented within our Depot Driver population and are encouraged to apply as we value diversity and are committed to ensuring equality across our organisation.

We’re now recruiting for Trainee Depot Drivers to join us in 2020 for our Nottingham and Derby depots! At East Midlands Railway, we are passionate about providing our people with the opportunity for continuing professional development. As part of this commitment we have played a leading role in the development of the new national Train Driver level 3 apprenticeship standard, which was published in June 2018 by Institute of Apprenticeships. Our Depot Train Driver programme has been designed to meet the requirements of the new level 3 standard and as a result you will be automatically enrolled on the apprenticeship when you join the Company.

As part of the Trainee Depot Driver team you will be responsible for moving our trains around the Depots. You’ll be responsible for Depot driving, shunting, light maintenance and other tasks such as fault finding and reporting. Ensuring you keep people safe, you will be trained in and follow the rules and production requirements of East Midlands Railway. You will also be responsible for checking that the train environment is up to our market leading standards.

As a Trainee Depot Driver you will be required to work 37 hours per week, this will be predominantly afternoons and night shifts across the 7 days of the week, with a minimum of 12 hours rest between shifts.

Natural progression in this role is to become the Mainline Drivers of the future. This is an exciting opportunity to begin a fulfilling career with East Midlands Railway.

Successful candidates will need to be responsible and committed to providing excellent service through efficiency, high standards and most of all, safety. Excellent communication skills are an essential attribute for Depot Drivers to ensure you are able to work closely with the team around you. You do not require any previous train driving or railway qualifications or experience but candidates must hold a Level 2 qualification in English and Maths in order to achieve the apprenticeship qualification. We will support you in achieving a Level 2 qualification in ICT if you do not already possess this.

You will be expected to undergo 4 stages of assessment as part of the recruitment process, which include OPC national driver testing, as well as successful completion of a driver medical.

The first stage of assessments dates are:

• Stage 1 – Driver testing part 1: 12th - 14th February

• Stage 2 – Assessment Day: Wednesday 26th February

• Stage 3 – Competency based interview: 9th - 13th March

• Stage 4 – Driver testing part 2: WC 23rd March

Please note further testing will take place throughout 2020 in order to ensure all those successful at application stage are assessed. The dates provided above may also be subject to change.

Training courses will commence at a number of dates throughout 2020 and 2021. If successful you will be placed into a Talent Pool and be offered a role when opportunities become available. The apprenticeship scheme is a year long qualification and you will train alongside other successful applicants at our Training Academy based in Derby.

The successful candidates will enjoy an incredibly competitive salary, and fantastic benefits including a defined benefit salary pension scheme, free travel for you, your partner and children on the East Midlands Railway network, discounted travel with other train companies, cycle scheme and a wide range of other perks available through the employee benefits app.

To apply please complete the online application form and upload your CV. As we operate a blind screening process please remove ALL personal information including your name from your CV.

If you want to know more you can check out our careers site www.eastmidlandstrailway.co.uk/careers
 
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Dynamonic

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I would just like to emphasise that if you want to become a passenger train driver based in Nottingham or Derby, then this is your ticket in, as EMR recruit their mainline drivers almost entirely from currently serving Depot Drivers.

Good luck to all of you who apply! :)
 
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Wellsinho

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Thanks Dynamonic! I just happened to have a look this morning on their website and found it. I failed a single scenario in the MMI in July so I'll have just cleared the 6 months if I apply again now and be fortunate enough to get through to sit it again.

Frankly I'm surprised that they're recruiting again so soon, what with how EMT were required to have a full staff compliment when the contract moved over, and what with the number of comments on here about the training academy waiting list being massive........ o_O
 

Dynamonic

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Thanks Dynamonic! I just happened to have a look this morning on their website and found it. I failed a single scenario in the MMI in July so I'll have just cleared the 6 months if I apply again now and be fortunate enough to get through to sit it again.

Frankly I'm surprised that they're recruiting again so soon, what with how EMT were required to have a full staff compliment when the contract moved over, and what with the number of comments on here about the training academy waiting list being massive........ o_O

It's a big year for EMR, with extra services planned, driver retirements coming and both new/refurbished traction fleets coming in at both Derby and Nottingham, which, as you can imagine, requires EMR's entire driver workforce to be removed from their normal duties to be trained on over a period of time. This will create plenty of gaps which need filling, particularly while all the planned training is going on. The Training Academy will certainly be a hub of activity over the coming couple of years! ;)
 
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Brilufc

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Thanks for the replies to clarify where mainline drivers are located. Is anybody on the forum already in the talent pool for EMR trainee driver roles?
I guess for me personally the goal is to become a train driver and would be more than happy to relocate to achieve that goal. The only thing that concerns me is how long could you be in a talent pool for before getting offered a driver role. Do they recruite a certain amount of drivers per year or is it only when needed so could potentially be in a talent pool for years.
Lots to think about and consider.
 

Dynamonic

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Thanks for the replies to clarify where mainline drivers are located. Is anybody on the forum already in the talent pool for EMR trainee driver roles?
I guess for me personally the goal is to become a train driver and would be more than happy to relocate to achieve that goal. The only thing that concerns me is how long could you be in a talent pool for before getting offered a driver role. Do they recruite a certain amount of drivers per year or is it only when needed so could potentially be in a talent pool for years.
Lots to think about and consider.

EMR normally hold big recruitment drives for Depot/Service Drivers once a year for start dates over the following two years, hence Talent Pool positions typically have two year validity. You will either be offered a role within two years or will need to apply again. Thankfully though, in my experience, EMR HR are very good at not ‘over-recruiting’ and will obviously endeavour to get you on a course if successful. I waited six months for a start date back when I was successful, but I do know people who had to wait the full two years (or even just a couple of hours in some cases). Patience is key, and the start date call can come out of the blue, at any time when you least expect it! :lol:
 
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Kevlar

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Nothing ventured, nothing gained and being in a talent pool with all OPC assessments passed is a lot better than not being in a pool.
 

Ptrains

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I'm in the talent pool :D it's been a long process that I guess is designed to not only test capabilities, but also commitment...
Initial job application was towards the end of of 2018, finally got the email saying I've been accepted into the talent pool in mid November. Other than an email from HR asking for copies of my GCSE results I've heard nothing yet, but it's early days. They've told me that they will keep in touch every 6 weeks or so, but from what I've read on other posts it could be fair wait due to training needs for (I think) the Kettering depot.
 

AjA

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I'm in the talent pool :D it's been a long process that I guess is designed to not only test capabilities, but also commitment...
Initial job application was towards the end of of 2018, finally got the email saying I've been accepted into the talent pool in mid November. Other than an email from HR asking for copies of my GCSE results I've heard nothing yet, but it's early days. They've told me that they will keep in touch every 6 weeks or so, but from what I've read on other posts it could be fair wait due to training needs for (I think) the Kettering depot.

Congratulations, do you mind me asking....does sitting waiting in the "talent pool" mean you're sitting by the phone waiting, or do you continue your current job before you applied and hand in your notice once you get notification?
 

Dynamonic

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Congratulations, do you mind me asking....does sitting waiting in the "talent pool" mean you're sitting by the phone waiting, or do you continue your current job before you applied and hand in your notice once you get notification?

As hard as it may be, it’s important to live life as normal whilst you’re in the Talent Pool until you get a phone call with a firm start date, as you don’t know how long you’ll be in the Talent Pool for.
It’s important you do not quit your current job or otherwise put your life on hold when offered a Talent Pool place, as that in itself is not a firm job offer.
It literally is a case of carrying on as normal until you get that phone call, which could take up to two years to happen.
 
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CloudDriver

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All those who have passed the OPC assessments, are you still applying to other TOC for Driver roles or is it recommended to stay loyal to one talent pool?
If people are applying for others, surely the talent pool candidates diminish quite quickly?
 

Dynamonic

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All those who have passed the OPC assessments, are you still applying to other TOC for Driver roles or is it recommended to stay loyal to one talent pool?
If people are applying for others, surely the talent pool candidates diminish quite quickly?

Whilst there is nothing to stop you applying for other driver roles whilst waiting in the Talent Pool, it should be noted that should a TOC require you to resit the OPC driver assessments to achieve a higher ‘Enhanced’ score, the new score will replace the old score. Because of this, if you score lower or fail an assessment, you risk being removed from the Talent Pool entirely with EMR and being sent back to square one.

Personally, it’s not a risk I’d personally be willing to take. Besides, with the length of time recruitment often takes, you’d probably be out of the Talent Pool on a course or not far away from that , whilst you’re still going through the process with another TOC! :lol:
 

Ptrains

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Exactly as has been said, the Talent Pool is just a waiting room, not a job offer as there's still the medical and reference check to go. In my case, other than a few friends I've not mentioned it just in case I don't get the job. Until that employment contract us signed anything could go wrong.
At the stage 2 driver testing day we were advised about the risks of applying to multiple TOCs and that if you mess up on the day, your once beautiful pass will be replaced with a fail, screwing up both of applications.
 

CloudDriver

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In that case its probably not advisable to apply for a company that requires an 'enhanced' pass if you haven't got one, however its a good idea to apply to those that dont...
 

Dynamonic

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Maybe just to allow extra time for incomplete applications to get finished. There almost certainly isn’t a shortage of applicants. :lol:
 
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Ewie13

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Hi - has anybody who applied this time round received any updates from EMR since fridays closing date?
 

UPS1550

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Just got my rejection email 0100,so you should start hearing shortly, good luck everyone
 

Papa

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I made about 6 applications before I even got through my first sift. Every time I got rejected I looked at my application to see what I could have worded differently to focus more on what I did specifically to demonstrate the competency they wanted and how I could relate it better to the role of a train driver. Now I am in a talent pool almost 18 months after first deciding I wanted to be a train driver. Perseverance when competing against so many people is key to getting into this industry and set backs are definitely the norm rather than the exception.
 
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Got an email this morning informing me that I've been shortlisted for the role, this is my 4th time of trying. As Papa said above I've checked through my application and tried to improve on it each time, looking at what they want for the role and how to incorporate that in to my responses, adding a little more detail. Don't give in!!
I'm guessing it gets a lot harder from here though, got to wait now for further information on the next stage of the process!
 

Lopez

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Got my rejection email early hours too. Passed stage 1 late 2018 then failed at the stage 2 assessment day last year so resubmitted exact application that got me through the sift last time, but got rejected - such is life I suppose.
 

Kevlar

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My friend got rejected as well with a strong application. I think that they were tougher this time.
 

Dynamonic

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Well done to all of you who have made it to Stage One! The ball is very much in your court now, and you have every chance of going all the way through the process if you dedicate yourself totally to it.
Just work hard, and revise, revise, revise and you will go far! :D

For those of you that didn’t make it this time, don’t lose heart! Look through your application and find out where you can improve for next time, for which there WILL be a next time. It takes many people multiple attempts to secure these highly sought after roles, so never give up! The dream only ends when you say it does.

Good luck! :)
 

KyleJMilne

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What's the criteria in terms of maths and english grades, my understanding was a grade C, (or level 2 as I believe its called now) is required , I know of a person that is a depot driver that got through with a D grade (level 1), given the chance to get the required grade via a 3 day course , is this common practise?
 

Dynamonic

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What's the criteria in terms of maths and english grades, my understanding was a grade C, (or level 2 as I believe its called now) is required , I know of a person that is a depot driver that got through with a D grade (level 1), given the chance to get the required grade via a 3 day course , is this common practise?

GCSE grade C would be acceptable, yes.

When the apprenticeship was first introduced in 2018, EMR would support you in achieving any of the required Level 2 qualifications in English, Maths and ICT.
Prior to the apprenticeship scheme being introduced, no formal qualifications were required for the role.

It appears that EMR have now tightened up the qualification requirements by stating that only the gaining of a Level 2 ICT qualification will be supported. This is likely because, a) Many older candidates may have no formal ICT qualifications and, b) The attempt to gain multiple formal qualifications on top of your Driver training is a lot of hard work.

Another thing to keep in mind is that some people were put into the Talent Pool before the apprenticeship scheme began, but started after.
 
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