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GTR - Trainee Train Driver - Cambridge & Welwyn Garden City (12/01/24)

T

Tysoe

Member
Joined
2 Jul 2019
Messages
66
Tcastle15 said:
Hi there,

Thanks for the reply, and yes it was the initial GTR test. It was called the ‘stand alone’ test. So in regards to some of these online (mini)psychometric tests, I’ve sat through many like these before while applying for senior conductor roles, CSA/platform staff roles or other trainee driver roles etc. But after some research I found that there are books and study guides that you can review to help with being successful at some of these tests as although the SJT is about your judgement, I do believe there is a particular guideline you should follow when choosing the correct answer in the multiple choice (for example: knowing whether you should contact the signaller or the guard upon emergency breaking while driving a train)There are booklets and pieces of information out there that will help understand the reasoning behind the guidelines that should be followed on the railway and as a driver. I was just wondering as Im already using the how2become version of study materials, does anyone possibly have any other useful train driver study materials or guides that might help prepare when taking this test? Also how2become really helped me prepare when I attended the OPC in Watford last December for the stage 1 testing.

Kind regards,

Tom
Click to expand...
I think the SJT is a different type of test to the OPC test.

SJT is about how you personally react to a given situation. This comes down to your personal characteristics and judgement of a situation and is not about following the correct guidelines. How are you expected to know the correct procedure when you aren't a qualified driver?

The OPC tests are primarily about your physical ability to maintain concentration under pressure.

Go somewhere quiet and just pick the answer you think is best and which you think is least best. Prioritise safety and then customer service.
Unless you're grossly unsuitable for the job you'll do fine.
I wouldn't hang around though, you only have 72 hours from when you apply.
 
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RailUK Forums

Ladder23

Ladder23

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29 Oct 2015
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1,816
Ses16 said:
You’re fully free to apply for this toc. You’d only be barred if it was the same toc you failed the DMI at within a 6 month period. So put an application in asap.
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Brilliant thank you
 
B

BiggsSam

Member
Joined
23 Jan 2024
Messages
5
Location
Biggleswade
I have just heard back from GTR for the position and have been invited to do an online mini scaat test.

Does anyone have any recommendations as to how to prepare for this?

Is the mini scaat the same as the group bourdon test?
 
T

Termak

Member
Joined
13 Feb 2016
Messages
258
Location
Staffordshire
BiggsSam said:
I have just heard back from GTR for the position and have been invited to do an online mini scaat test.

Does anyone have any recommendations as to how to prepare for this?

Is the mini scaat the same as the group bourdon test?
Click to expand...
You can practice scaat on the group bourdon tool, if you have downloaded it.
 
SGD5891

SGD5891

Member
Joined
12 May 2019
Messages
80
diego1234 said:
Does GTR currently have some kind of arrangement with the government to recruit trainees over qualified drivers?
Click to expand...
I would say they must do! I have been looking for qualified vacancy to pop up for years as I moved out of London and spoke to various people from GTR recruitment and I just get the same answer, “only taking trainees for the foreseeable”. Don't get me wrong, I am glad there is opportunities to train people from scratch, but I was actually told by someone from recruitment to apply for a trainee vacancy when one comes up, and state on my application that I have been driving X Amount of years, and that totally baffled me. I did do it, however, and my application was unsuccessful. So, I really don't know why they don't recruit for qualified’s but things I have ‘heard’ are that they receive funding from the government to train people from scratch As part of an apprenticeship. I do not know how true this is though…..
 
A2Jon

A2Jon

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Joined
7 Oct 2023
Messages
7
Location
Tring
BiggsSam said:
I have just heard back from GTR for the position and have been invited to do an online mini scaat test.

Does anyone have any recommendations as to how to prepare for this?

Is the mini scaat the same as the group bourdon test?
Click to expand...
Which depot did you apply for? I applied for Welwyn and am still waiting to hear back.
 
tiptoptaff

tiptoptaff

Established Member
Joined
15 Feb 2013
Messages
3,029
SGD5891 said:
I would say they must do! I have been looking for qualified vacancy to pop up for years as I moved out of London and spoke to various people from GTR recruitment and I just get the same answer, “only taking trainees for the foreseeable”. Don't get me wrong, I am glad there is opportunities to train people from scratch, but I was actually told by someone from recruitment to apply for a trainee vacancy when one comes up, and state on my application that I have been driving X Amount of years, and that totally baffled me. I did do it, however, and my application was unsuccessful. So, I really don't know why they don't recruit for qualified’s but things I have ‘heard’ are that they receive funding from the government to train people from scratch As part of an apprenticeship. I do not know how true this is though…..
Click to expand...
The apprenticeship funding is the same for every TOC
 
B

BiggsSam

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23 Jan 2024
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Biggleswade
A2Jon said:
Which depot did you apply for? I applied for Welwyn and am still waiting to hear back.
Click to expand...
I actually applied for both - first the Cambridge but when the Welwyn one was advertised I put in for that too as it’s slightly closer to where I live.

I believe the one that I’ve heard back from is from the Cambridge application.
 
tiptoptaff

tiptoptaff

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Messages
3,029
SGD5891 said:
Ok, so there is more of an incentive to train someone from new? As oppose to taken on already qualified? Just seems very strange as to why there would not be movement for drivers as well as trainees
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They get a large chunk of funding for calling it an apprenticeship. They can't claim that same money when employing a qualified
 
C

choochoochoo

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6 Aug 2013
Messages
1,217
tiptoptaff said:
They get a large chunk of funding for calling it an apprenticeship. They can't claim that same money when employing a qualified
Click to expand...
I'm surprised the TOCs aren’t scrambling for more apprenticeship money.

They could make driver instructor/manager roles apprenticeships too.
 
tiptoptaff

tiptoptaff

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3,029
choochoochoo said:
I'm surprised the TOCs aren’t scrambling for more apprenticeship money.

They could make driver instructor/manager roles apprenticeships too.
Click to expand...
They can't, as you need 3years qualified driving before the RSSB will let you
 
B

Branston

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Location
Cambridgeshire
BiggsSam said:
I actually applied for both - first the Cambridge but when the Welwyn one was advertised I put in for that too as it’s slightly closer to where I live.

I believe the one that I’ve heard back from is from the Cambridge application.
Click to expand...
I put in for both as well. Welwyn just within the time limit, Cambridge well within.
I heard back about Cambridge for the mini scaat the other day. Impressed with the speed of response as done it this afternoon and heard back a few hours later to say I’d passed and to book assessment day. Options of 7th & 14th of Feb.
 
B

BiggsSam

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Biggleswade
KeviWill said:
I put in for both as well. Welwyn just within the time limit, Cambridge well within.
I heard back about Cambridge for the mini scaat the other day. Impressed with the speed of response as done it this afternoon and heard back a few hours later to say I’d passed and to book assessment day. Options of 7th & 14th of Feb.
Click to expand...
That’s very quick - I plan on doing mine on Sunday morning after doing some practice tests over the next couple of days.

Did you do much / any practice tests prior to taking the test?

I wonder if there is more than the 7th or 14th available? As I’m working both of those days and will have no chance of getting them off with such short notice.
 
B

Branston

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Cambridgeshire
BiggsSam said:
That’s very quick - I plan on doing mine on Sunday morning after doing some practice tests over the next couple of days.

Did you do much / any practice tests prior to taking the test?

I wonder if there is more than the 7th or 14th available? As I’m working both of those days and will have no chance of getting them off with such short notice.
Click to expand...
I took a look at the version that was created as part of the GB test on here and did it once there - but wife needed to take her computer for work and it doesn’t work on my laptop!
So just went for it this afternoon while I had an empty house.
Not sure as that’s the only 2 dates it offered me. I’ve gone for the 7th and going to go to work tomorrow and sort the day off.
Hopefully some other dates are available if you can’t make those
 
M

mclark87

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Sucks to find out you’re not going to get it from a forum but good luck to everyone else who made it through!
 
C

ChuChuMalone

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Does GTR send out rejection emails after you've done the SJTs? Or is it if you don't hear from them assume the worst?
 
W

Wearsunscreen

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26 Jul 2017
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My partner applied for the welwyn garden city one and has yet to hear. Was a slight
discrepancy with the dates on the application, stated closure was the 28th of January I believe but in the body of the email stated the 21st of January. Hopefully not fallen fowl of that as application was submitted on the 27th. Nothing heard as of yet, she did the little online reasoning test which I believe was part of the initial submission. Fingers crossed.
 
W

WeGoAgain

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NE Big Smoke
ChuChuMalone said:
Does GTR send out rejection emails after you've done the SJTs? Or is it if you don't hear from them assume the worst?
Click to expand...
No news is 'ok' news.

Wearsunscreen said:
My partner applied for the welwyn garden city one and has yet to hear. Was a slight
discrepancy with the dates on the application, stated closure was the 28th of January I believe but in the body of the email stated the 21st of January. Hopefully not fallen fowl of that as application was submitted on the 27th. Nothing heard as of yet, she did the little online reasoning test which I believe was part of the initial submission. Fingers crossed.
Click to expand...
I don't believe it's possible to submit if the advert is closed. - However if it's a situation whereby the application commenced before the closing date and was submitted after the closing date I don't know if my initial statement holds true.
 
Polar

Polar

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10 Jan 2013
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134
I know a few people who have recieved rejection emails for cambridge today.
I've been told they are looking for 20 ppl at Cambridge with a few coming from qualifed mainly ga drivers.
 
Shunter Bones

Shunter Bones

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16 Feb 2022
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Somewhere.
Polar said:
I know a few people who have recieved rejection emails for cambridge today.
I've been told they are looking for 20 ppl at Cambridge with a few coming from qualifed mainly ga drivers.
Click to expand...
I had my rejection email from Cambridge GTR today, oh well, better luck next time.
 
A2Jon

A2Jon

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Has anybody had any news back for the Welwyn applications?

I’ve had no news so far.
 
F

Finn88

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20 Jan 2022
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Harlow
Anybody know what the likely start date would be, either cambridge or welwyn?
If everyone would start together or in small groups throughout the year?

I've not heard anything back myself from the judgemental tests as of yet, I imagine they're still looking through applications and CVs. Looked to be around 100 applicants just through LinkedIn.
 
Polar

Polar

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134
Finn88 said:
Anybody know what the likely start date would be, either cambridge or welwyn?
If everyone would start together or in small groups throughout the year?

I've not heard anything back myself from the judgemental tests as of yet, I imagine they're still looking through applications and CVs. Looked to be around 100 applicants just
Click to expand...
I dont know about welwyn. Have heard 2 courses this year for Cambridge. They want them to help cover training for etcs.
 
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