A career as a signaller

[Sunset route]

16 hour shifts...... yes please!

Ooh, I'd love 16 hour shifts, working week would be short as hell, definitely better than the shocking 8 hour roster I'm on now.

I never said anything about a 16hr shift, but I did say some are pushing a 16hr working days including the comute at either end. In simple terms 2hrs to get to work, a 12hr shift and 2hrs to get home from work and then repeat until you’ve worked either the 3 or 4 rostered shifts for that week.

 

[gareth386]

I never said anything about a 16hr shift, but I did say some are pushing a 16hr working days including the comute at either end. In simple terms 2hrs to get to work, a 12hr shift and 2hrs to get home from work and then repeat until you’ve worked either the 3 or 4 rostered shifts for that week.

I see what you mean. Cheers

 

[Alan smith]

Hi guys i recently applied for a grade 2 and was sat at application under consideration for a few weeks, a couple of days ago the vacancy was withdrawn but now has changed again to application under consideration for assessment 2 any ideas why that would
Happen??

Application under review
02-Aug-2018 13:15:06
Application Accepted 03-Aug-2018 07:02:05
Application Under Consideration 03-Aug-2018 09:29:33
Invited to Test 03-Aug-2018 12:12:23
Test Completed 06-Aug-2018 15:26:49
Test Completed 07-Aug-2018 06:02:37
Application Under Consideration 16-Aug-2018 10:49:54
Application Withdrawn 18-Sep-2018 17:09:18
Application under consideration for assessment 2 21-Sep-2018 13:53:49

 

[Sinistah]

Anyone going York signal school December 10th?

 

[Seishin]

Hi guys i recently applied for a grade 2 and was sat at application under consideration for a few weeks, a couple of days ago the vacancy was withdrawn but now has changed again to application under consideration for assessment 2 any ideas why that would
Happen??

Application under review
02-Aug-2018 13:15:06
Application Accepted 03-Aug-2018 07:02:05
Application Under Consideration 03-Aug-2018 09:29:33
Invited to Test 03-Aug-2018 12:12:23
Test Completed 06-Aug-2018 15:26:49
Test Completed 07-Aug-2018 06:02:37
Application Under Consideration 16-Aug-2018 10:49:54
Application Withdrawn 18-Sep-2018 17:09:18
Application under consideration for assessment 2 21-Sep-2018 13:53:49

Exact same here and had another one go from Application Under Consideration for Assessment 2 back to Test Completed today.....not that I’m checking obsessively!!!

 

[SignallerJohn]

Exact same here and had another one go from Application Under Consideration for Assessment 2 back to Test Completed today.....not that I’m checking obsessively!!!

It’s natural to check twice a day, everyday, when the email pings you will instinctively hope it’s that.

Everyone in this thread has witnessed the slowish recruitment process, it’s kind of a meme at this point.

 

[Sinistah]

Hi guys,
I heard there is a maths and English exam that must be passed as part of week 9 of signal school. You will be exempt from this if you have your gcse certificate to show you have passed at a-c standard.my question is does anyone know much about the type of tests that will be carried out. Is it quite informal such as a 10-15 minute test where you answer a few questions using your calculator or is it a full on 1hour maths and English based exam in he same format as the ones you would do at gcse/olevel. I’ve completed a levels and a degree but over 10 years ago and have moved home twice so not sure I will find any evidence that I got an a-c at gcse which was over 15 years ago

 

[Worldwide]

Hi guys,
I heard there is a maths and English exam that must be passed as part of week 9 of signal school. You will be exempt from this if you have your gcse certificate to show you have passed at a-c standard.my question is does anyone know much about the type of tests that will be carried out. Is it quite informal such as a 10-15 minute test where you answer a few questions using your calculator or is it a full on 1hour maths and English based exam in he same format as the ones you would do at gcse/olevel. I’ve completed a levels and a degree but over 10 years ago and have moved home twice so not sure I will find any evidence that I got an a-c at gcse which was over 15 years ago

You can get copies of old certificates:

https://www.gov.uk/replacement-exam-certificate

 

[Sinistah]

You can get copies of old certificates:

https://www.gov.uk/replacement-exam-certificate

Thank you. Anyone done the exams at the course?

 

[Cerebral]

Thank you. Anyone done the exams at the course?

On your 2nd day of induction (Friday morning usually), you will do some English and Maths tests assessments again online like the ones you do before you join. If you have evidence you can forget week 9. You will have to do them in week 9, but there is no real pass or fail they tell you to just get on with learning the course and if you are weak in those subjects they will work with you (Babcock) to help develop those skills during your apprenticeship.

Having the evidence will save you grief, if not it is still not something to overly worry about.

 

[Borocarl88]

Hi,
Same as what Cerebral said, however if you are required to do the Maths and English, this is will be done when your away from Signalling School, I cant quite remember if thats how it is moving forward for everyone, but it certainly is for my group. The people who needed it were meant to do it in week 9, however they got told it will happen at a later date.
There is a bit of shake up happening with Babcock with the apprentiship side of things.
So I dare say a new format will happen soon.

Hi guys,
I heard there is a maths and English exam that must be passed as part of week 9 of signal school. You will be exempt from this if you have your gcse certificate to show you have passed at a-c standard.my question is does anyone know much about the type of tests that will be carried out. Is it quite informal such as a 10-15 minute test where you answer a few questions using your calculator or is it a full on 1hour maths and English based exam in he same format as the ones you would do at gcse/olevel. I’ve completed a levels and a degree but over 10 years ago and have moved home twice so not sure I will find any evidence that I got an a-c at gcse which was over 15 years ago

 

[Saracen_83]

Hi,
Same as what Cerebral said, however if you are required to do the Maths and English, this is will be done when your away from Signalling School, I cant quite remember if thats how it is moving forward for everyone, but it certainly is for my group. The people who needed it were meant to do it in week 9, however they got told it will happen at a later date.
There is a bit of shake up happening with Babcock with the apprentiship side of things.
So I dare say a new format will happen soon.

I’m currently on the course and been told we sit it week 9, however if we fail, we can still pass out and that we then just resit this after the course has finished but before the apprenticeship ends.... also told it does not affect your job at all if you fail....

 

[headshot119]

I’m currently on the course and been told we sit it week 9, however if we fail, we can still pass out and that we then just resit this after the course has finished but before the apprenticeship ends.... also told it does not affect your job at all if you fail....

Are you at York? And if so what week are you in?


They're definitely not something to worry about, and they don't affect if you have the job or not at the end of the course.

 

[Borocarl88]

Exactly what Headshot119 has said.

Have you finished Signalling School yet Headshot119?

I have...completed it mate!

Are you at York? And if so what week are you in?


They're definitely not something to worry about, and they don't affect if you have the job or not at the end of the course.

 

[choochoobacca]

Couple of question related to pay (Have seen lots about it elsewhere throughout this extremely useful thread, but can't remember it all so forgive me if this has already been answered)

1 - Do signallers get the 'general performance related pay' bonus? Is this yearly? And what sort of figure is 'normal?'

2 - Seen lots about expecting between 5-10 grand on top of base salary, for enhancements etc. Is this a fairly safe amount to expect, even for the lower - mid grade positions? Also is this 5-10 including the general performance related pay bonus?

Many thanks for any answers,

 

[SignallerJohn]

2 - Seen lots about expecting between 5-10 grand on top of base salary, for enhancements etc. Is this a fairly safe amount to expect, even for the lower - mid grade positions? Also is this 5-10 including the general performance related pay bonus?

Many thanks for any answers,

I’m sure someone can post a pay matrix in here from 2018 onwards. But the general jist with night enhancements, Sunday turns and rest day worked you will accrue 5-10. This is depending if you want to work rest days. A big factor being how manned your box might be, if you have vacancies you will have more opportunities to do more rest days.

The 5-10 being quoted is like I said, nights, Sunday’s and RDW. Signallers are obsessed with money so expect to have a pay matrix thrust into your face.

 

[Tom Quinne]

We get a general performance bonus each year yes, it was about £450 this year if i remember rightly.

The much quoted £5,000-10,000 on top is booked Sunday’s and Night premium, that would be for Grade 6 upwards and roughly.

Some locations don’t have turns that attract night premium or work Sunday’s so be aware of this before banking on the extra.

RDW can go through peaks and troughs, some months it can be literally thrown at you and then some it’ll be booked hours.

We have no impact or effect on our bonus either.

 

[nom de guerre]

We get a general performance bonus each year yes, it was about £450 this year if i remember rightly.

Not sure if this varies from route to route, but our 2018 bonus was over double this. Easily the highest sum I've received, although I gather the bonus did occasionally top £1K back in the day (well before I started).

 

[nom de guerre]

2018 pay matrix (hopefully) attached

As Tom has mentioned, the main 'guaranteed extras'* to look out for are:

- Sundays
- Saturday night turns (an additional x0.5 rate/hr on top of basic pay for any hours worked between 0000 - changeover time on Sunday)
- Night shift premium (Already factored in to some shifts on the spreadsheet)
- Regional allowances (particularly in/around London)
- Bank holidays: If you're rostered to work, you can choose between HROP (x2.5 rate) or LROP (x1.5 rate plus a Complimentary Leave day); if you're not rostered to work, you can choose either HROP (a flat day's pay) or LROP (a C/L day).

Think this is right but feel free to correct any boobs.

*Obviously this depends on whether your location works Sundays and/or nights...

 

[choochoobacca]

I’m sure someone can post a pay matrix in here from 2018 onwards. But the general jist with night enhancements, Sunday turns and rest day worked you will accrue 5-10. This is depending if you want to work rest days. A big factor being how manned your box might be, if you have vacancies you will have more opportunities to do more rest days.

The 5-10 being quoted is like I said, nights, Sunday’s and RDW. Signallers are obsessed with money so expect to have a pay matrix thrust into your face.

We get a general performance bonus each year yes, it was about £450 this year if i remember rightly.

The much quoted £5,000-10,000 on top is booked Sunday’s and Night premium, that would be for Grade 6 upwards and roughly.

Some locations don’t have turns that attract night premium or work Sunday’s so be aware of this before banking on the extra.

RDW can go through peaks and troughs, some months it can be literally thrown at you and then some it’ll be booked hours.

We have no impact or effect on our bonus either.

Not sure if this varies from route to route, but our 2018 bonus was over double this. Easily the highest sum I've received, although I gather the bonus did occasionally top £1K back in the day (well before I started).

2018 pay matrix (hopefully) attached

As Tom has mentioned, the main 'guaranteed extras'* to look out for are:

- Sundays
- Saturday night turns (an additional x0.5 rate/hr on top of basic pay for any hours worked between 0000 - changeover time on Sunday)
- Night shift premium (Already factored in to some shifts on the spreadsheet)
- Regional allowances (particularly in/around London)
- Bank holidays: If you're rostered to work, you can choose between HROP (x2.5 rate) or LROP (x1.5 rate plus a Complimentary Leave day); if you're not rostered to work, you can choose either HROP (a flat day's pay) or LROP (a C/L day).

Think this is right but feel free to correct any boobs.

*Obviously this depends on whether your location works Sundays and/or nights...

Thanks very much guys! Much appreciated !

 

[Tom Quinne]

Regards to Comp Days personally I’ve asked our rosters clerk to default me to LROP, they do mount up through the year.

I believe (I could be wrong) it works out financially better to take LROP than HROP?

 

[nom de guerre]

Me too. I'd much rather have an extra eight days' C/L than slightly more pay, taxed at 40%.

I suppose it depends on your grade, shift pattern and priorities. A G2 working 8s (i.e. already receiving at least 26 days' A/L and likely to be some way shy of the 40% tax bracket) might value extra money more than extra A/L.

 

[GingerRH]

If you’re only getting £5000-10000 PA extra from Sunday’s and nights then you’re on a **** roster.

7 week G5 roster for a 2 man panel is just over £12,000 with nights/Sunday’s.

RDW is a whole new entity and is totally dependant on location.

 

[Tom Quinne]

Someone at my old ROC worked out a G7 would be on £51,000 with the extras, a G9 would be on £55,000 again with the extras.

Based on a 12hr roster.

 

[nom de guerre]

If you’re only getting £5000-10000 PA extra from Sunday’s and nights then you’re on a **** roster.

Slightly simplistic, no?

I'm a higher grade than the example you mention, and I don't think I earned more than £10K extra from booked Sundays and nights last year - mainly because since moving onto my current 28-line 12hr roster I'm booked fewer Sundays than previously (an average of 1.5 per period, compared to the standard 2/pp I used to get).

Less Sundays, less guaranteed extras but it's easily the best roster I've worked.

 

[Tom Quinne]

Relief man with no booked Sunday’s

 

[f1nch26]

I received an email the other day regarding the position I applied for....the actual advertised post has gone to someone on a secondment, but they’re possibly creating a couple of other posts in the next couple of weeks. Fingers crossed they do! I’m hoping that they wouldn’t go to the effort of doing assessments and interviews if they weren’t going to need people!

 

[Tom Quinne]

It’s a positive sign they’ve emailed you mate.

 

[f1nch26]

It’s a positive sign they’ve emailed you mate.

Hope so! I wasn’t sure whether or not it’s just a generic email that all applicants will have received or not...

 

[signal2112]

I received an email the other day regarding the position I applied for....the actual advertised post has gone to someone on a secondment, but they’re possibly creating a couple of other posts in the next couple of weeks. Fingers crossed they do! I’m hoping that they wouldn’t go to the effort of doing assessments and interviews if they weren’t going to need people!

Hi mate
I received the same email but didn’t mention about the position going to a secondment just said was taken, did u get to interview for the original position?i didn’t.
I seen a new job come up not too far from the original position 2-3 days ago do u think that is one of them, I’m unsure wether to apply as they did say they would just forward my application.