Thanks Major. Are the SHL tests the Numerical, Verbal reasoning or SJT?
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A career as a signaller
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Inductive and Deductive reasoning.
Thanks. New kind of testing then. Good luck.
It caught me by surprise when I first read through the brief. Cheers mate, good luck to you too.
LOM
Member
I have a couple of vacancies in the system at the moment and it is interesting to see the number of applications have shot through the roof in the last week or so. I think a lot of people must be worried about jobs with the lockdown and furlough scheme. It makes me realise how lucky we are in NR, insulated to an extent from economic pressures.
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MostlyHarmless
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I was thinking about this in the broader context too. I currently work in a School and consider myself lucky too. I suspect a lot of organisations that have had difficulty in recruiting in recent years will suddenly find themselves with lots of applicants from now on. This will certainly be the case where I live as the town relies very heavily on Gatwick airport for employment
I've been feeling very lucky lately too. It took just under a year of applying before I got the job offer in late Feb, and everything was finalised just as the covid kicked off over here. Due to start school on the 18th.
I've been self employed for the last 5 years as a plumber so I've had no income for the last 7 weeks, but it's kept me sane knowing there's a job for me to go into. It's another reminder to make sure I put everything into the school.
Questiontime
Member
Hi Danny,
I have applied for the same vacancy, my application is also sitting at 'application under consideration'.
I also have an application for a vacancy at York ROC where I am sat at 'test completed' having done the SHL tests for this vacancy. I submitted this application at the end of March.
Not sure how long it will be for an update, I should imagine it will be longer than normal with the current climate.
Hi QT, thanks for the update. I thought I’d ask given a few on here have seen activity on their applications for the same positions. Good luck.
Questiontime
Member
It was concerning me a little bit too, maybe we have been forgotten about.
Best of luck Danny.
Tom Quinne
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This will probably across bad, but I don’t feel lucky to be in the situation I am to be honest.
I, along with you I assume joined the railway many years ago when wages were crap. Have ridden the rollercoaster ever since, there’s higher paid jobs out there but with the risk of furlong and job losses at the will of profit hungry corporations.
We’ve worked hard to get where we, and remain here.
As people will have seen I’m more than happy to help people onto the job it’s fantastic place to work - but I fear the current situation will attract the good time/salary monkeys who only want the job, not the life that Railway is.
LOM
Member
That is very true mate, I have seen plenty of people join the railway for the money and cannot handle the reality of the job. I remember a new start (not my area) who told his LOM in his first week that he would not be working nights or weekends. Unbelievable but true.
That said the reason I posted yesterday was I was looking at CVs and felt sorry for a lot of applicants. If you are a barman or kitchen porter on a zero hours contract you are probably going to lose your job soon but to be honest would not really stand much of a chance of getting a signaller interview based on experience when up against the usual police/fire/ex forces applicants. Its a shame for these guys that the industry they work in is about to be completely wrecked for a least the next 18 months. How do you even begin to shortlist a vacancy that has 30 applications from people working in hotels and restaurants in addition to the usual type of candidates?
I have been a railwayman since the day I left school and it is easy to miss how bad things can be outside the railway bubble. Some of my friends with their own businesses are really struggling at the moment.
Moderators - sorry I realise I am derailing the thread with this so I will say no more and hand back over to the aspiring signallers-to-be...
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Tom Quinne
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My youngest lad is working towards the Royal Navy when he leaves school in a few years, ideally he’ll do his time build some real skills and experience so when he joins his cynical and inbittered old man on the railway he’ll have the right skills to impress and excel at the various stages of recruitment.
I can’t believe anyone would get into the role and have the cheeky to say I’m not doign nights or weekends! lol didn’t they see the 24/7 shift requirements on the job advert ! lol
I can’t believe anyone would get into the role and have the cheeky to say I’m not doign nights or weekends! lol didn’t they see the 24/7 shift requirements on the job advert ! lol
Chumba
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slightly off topic for signalling but forgive me. when I was a police trainer I had a new recruit in his first week at training school say the same, he didn‘t realise he would be expected to work nights and weekends. You can imagine my response ! He left the force the next day ! So yes I can believe it.
Allaboard78
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Strange question but does anyone know who provides the network rail uniform for signallers?
Tom Quinne
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You really have got to wonder how these people get so far as to actually get into school.
They’d be shocked the other things they’d be expected to do on the job! stand in the rain on scene guard for 10hrs needing a wee with no food or drink ! lol
Tom Quinne
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We get uniform ?!
No idea I’m afraid, but depending on area and LOM you can just wear your uniform t shift or polo - usually with smart jeans or at this time or year dark smart shorts.
LOM
Member
If you mean who makes it, Clad Safety for the casual gear and Alexandra for the smart stuff. PPE is by Ballyclare.
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Chumba
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yeap, sometimes they really hadn‘t understood what the job was, I had another who couldn’t believe it when he was sworn at! Just shows how people don’t pay attention to the job spec or requirements. For me at interview that would fail them, especially for a safety critical role like a signaller.
Tom Quinne
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Im glad I’m long gone from the job.
Allaboard78
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Allaboard78
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Tom Quinne
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Is this the first time this has happened...
LOL first for everything LOL
Just got an email back saying I have passed the required benchmark on the three assesment tests.
I wish I had had more urgency on the numerical test. The questions weren't overly hard, it just took me a while to figure out what the question actually was asking and before I knew it, I was out of time. Ended up not completing the last three questions.
Oh well, glad that's done. Seems like it's just a waiting game till the next stage.
I wish I had had more urgency on the numerical test. The questions weren't overly hard, it just took me a while to figure out what the question actually was asking and before I knew it, I was out of time. Ended up not completing the last three questions.
Oh well, glad that's done. Seems like it's just a waiting game till the next stage.
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Allaboard78
Member
Which job is that for?
Allaboard78
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I cant remember if I've asked this already, do you learn the bell codes in signaller school?
Saracen_83
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If you do AB at school then yes.TCB then no!
WL113
Member
I do really feel for those who are presently in the leisure industry and looking for another career. That industry has really been wiped out for the forseeable future and the vast majority of those affected will be young and on zero hours contracts. Yes compared to ex police, military etc their CVs won't be as extensive but they will still have points to offer. Someone who has worked bar or waited on is well used to working unsocial hours, far more unsocial than a signalling job will have! Also they will probably still have 30 or more years service to offer, compared with someone who has left the police (for example) with a pension already in the pot but still wants a well paid job for a couple of more years.
I have certainly seen a fair few who have come into the job purely for the money, no sooner have they passed out they are chasing the higher grades, that's fine, but some clearly have no interest in the job whatsoever, it is just about money.
Signalling is a fantastic job for someone who is interested. It is a pleasure to go to work and get very well paid for it. Why then do I know people who spend the whole shift moaning? I sometimes get sick of hearing it and tell them to put their notice in if they hate it that much.....
I have certainly seen a fair few who have come into the job purely for the money, no sooner have they passed out they are chasing the higher grades, that's fine, but some clearly have no interest in the job whatsoever, it is just about money.
Signalling is a fantastic job for someone who is interested. It is a pleasure to go to work and get very well paid for it. Why then do I know people who spend the whole shift moaning? I sometimes get sick of hearing it and tell them to put their notice in if they hate it that much.....
Allaboard78
Member
How do you know which you will do?
LOM
Member
Unless you find out which system(s) your box works beforehand you will be told when you start. There are a few bell codes used in TCB during emergencies or degraded working which you would be expected to learn but hardly anything compared with AB
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