Any NHS staff left to become a train driver?

[pickle20]

Currently a nurse but considering leaving to become a train driver? Any other NHS staff who have done this? Is your shift pattern similar?

I don't mind working weekends and nights. It's the not getting paid for your breaks but working through them, feeling undervalued and unsafe at work due to understaffing. I dislike the culture and I don't find the RCN a good union. Looking for a completely new career. Is the grass really greener?

Thanks in advance

 

[4F89]

I'm not NHS, but my mum was. From what I see, there is no better job.

 

[TheVicLine]

You have a very strong drivers union in ASLEF.
You won't be working through your breaks or feel unsafe at work. I see that you are in Liverpool, the TOCs at Lime St work nights and weekends so you can expect some of that.
I can't comment on comparisons with the NHS but as a train driver you will generally work a 35 hour 4 day week, work is planned and rostered for you so you know what you will be doing months in advance. Overtime generally comes in the form of working one of your days off, it's there if you want it but not compulsory. You will work bank holidays if rostered to do so, so expect to work a few.

It depends what you are looking for in a career, if you have any specific questions I will try and answer them.

 

[loco-84]

Currently a nurse but considering leaving to become a train driver? Any other NHS staff who have done this? Is your shift pattern similar?

I don't mind working weekends and nights. It's the not getting paid for your breaks but working through them, feeling undervalued and unsafe at work due to understaffing. I dislike the culture and I don't find the RCN a good union. Looking for a completely new career. Is the grass really greener?

Thanks in advance

Not NHS but was in the fire service for 11 years I left two years ago to be a train driver, best decision I've ever made, go for it.

 

[broadgage]

The wages paid to train drivers certainly sound generous, and are well in excess of most NHS positions.
But despite the generous sounding wages, many train companies are struggling to recruit drivers or to retain existing train drivers. This suggests that the job may be less attractive than it sounds.

 

[TheVicLine]

The wages paid to train drivers certainly sound generous, and are well in excess of most NHS positions.
But despite the generous sounding wages, many train companies are struggling to recruit drivers or to retain existing train drivers. This suggests that the job may be less attractive than it sounds.

There are 1000's of applicants for drivers jobs when they are advertised, you've only got to look at the threads on here to see there are no issues with recruitment. The only issue with retaining drivers is that drivers will leave to go to a TOC with a higher salary or perceived better T&C's, so not leaving the driving grade simply moving between companies.

 

[John Bishop]

The wages paid to train drivers certainly sound generous, and are well in excess of most NHS positions.
But despite the generous sounding wages, many train companies are struggling to recruit drivers or to retain existing train drivers. This suggests that the job may be less attractive than it sounds.

Sorry, are you being serious?
many positions are oversubscribed by the hundreds and sometimes thousands, so I’ve no idea why you think TOCs are struggling to recruit.

 

[HLE]

The wages paid to train drivers certainly sound generous, and are well in excess of most NHS positions.
But despite the generous sounding wages, many train companies are struggling to recruit drivers or to retain existing train drivers. This suggests that the job may be less attractive than it sounds.

The job is less attractive than it sounds, a lot apply purely for the salary. Reality hits quickly. Easiest job to lose.

Yes, there is and always will be a shortage. The unions and a decent amount of drivers won't see their overtime cut.

But there is no shortage of applicants, and even those who pass the tests may not get a job on the back of it.

As for ex NHS, no harm in applying. All sorts of backgrounds on the railway, but with some TOCs its basically ex plod who are favoured, then everyone else including internals.

 

[DB]

As for ex NHS, no harm in applying. All sorts of backgrounds on the railway, but with some TOCs its basically ex plod who are favoured, then everyone else including internals.

Why ex-plod? Wouldn't have thought that was an obvious career path.

 

[dctraindriver]

The wages paid to train drivers certainly sound generous, and are well in excess of most NHS positions.
But despite the generous sounding wages, many train companies are struggling to recruit drivers or to retain existing train drivers. This suggests that the job may be less attractive than it sounds.

Companies may struggle to retain drivers because they tend to move to another company. A few drivers moan but you won’t see many leaving the grade because as jobs go, it’s a very good one.

 

[wales79]

Currently a nurse but considering leaving to become a train driver? Any other NHS staff who have done this? Is your shift pattern similar?

I don't mind working weekends and nights. It's the not getting paid for your breaks but working through them, feeling undervalued and unsafe at work due to understaffing. I dislike the culture and I don't find the RCN a good union. Looking for a completely new career. Is the grass really greener?

Thanks in advance

Yes, me. Was a Registered Mental Health Nurse with the NHS. Yes, the grass is greener go for it. Be warned though, it is not the easier job it is just very different for instance depending were you end up, the shifts are horrendous, you’re on you’re own when things go wrong so you had better know what you are doing and the impact on you’re home and social life cannot be understated. Still the best move I ever made but not for everyone. The railway is understaffed also and relies on overtime so be prepared to be pestered, asked to stay on a few hours etc if things go wrong. It’s nothing to do with unions or drivers, in fact the union would rather see overtime elimated to avoid fatigue, it’s the companies because it’s cheaper to pay a little overtime to existing staff, it’s the nature of the business otherwise companies would have staff sitting about doing nothing, just in case. Where I worked in the NHS our team was brilliant and looked after each other, in work and out. You get that in the railway but it’s just different. I sometimes do regret leaving the NHS but on the whole it has worked out better. If you need more info just ask

 

[Islineclear3_1]

You also need to consider the pension scheme.

For how long have you paid into the NHS scheme? Have you looked into the railway scheme? Is it a national scheme or a TOC-specific scheme?

Being a nurse at the NHS is a secure job. You'll never be out of work. You need to balance this against the job security as a train driver. If you mess up in the NHS, you will more than likely retain your job (unless you do something so bad to cause suspension or eviction from the RCN. If you mess up as a driver; you will most probably be out on your ear. Then what would you do? What happens if your TOC goes bust? The longer-serving, more experienced drivers might have a better chance of moving on

 

[2L70]

As for ex NHS, no harm in applying. All sorts of backgrounds on the railway, but with some TOCs its basically ex plod who are favoured, then everyone else including internals.

Well Police are Used to rules and Regs as part of their job.

Some companies have signed up to the Forces Convenant, which means you could have the candidate who is the perfect match for the job ruled out in favour of someone who’s Ex Forces.

However most Ex Forces who come on are good at the job so it’s not an issue, just a handful who see the £££ and try to use their status to get it (pretty much like the number of Ex Army Officers who have become Members of Parliament)

There’s no struggle as mentioned above in filling Drivers positions. It’s easy to move companies, and the less desirable ones normally end up recruiting Trainees so there’s always a flow.

 

[baz962]

I would add that it's probably toc dependant. Seen the post above , saying about being pestered to stay on and I have never been pestered . I have finished work late by around 30 minutes , around 4 time's in two year's. As for impacting on family life , depends on a couple of things. I treat a workday as just that. You will know what rest day's you have , year's in advance. I don't plan anything on a workday. If something has come up , I have put in for a ad hoc day and I have only ever been refused one and that wasn't for anything important , just to use it up in December. Roster's just let me carry it over. Our place are really good at letting driver's swap shifts. It's an amazing career and although I don't know anything about working for the nhs , I would say go for it. It isn't for everyone , but no career is. Don't listen to the doom monger's on here .

 

[joshuan542]

The wages paid to train drivers certainly sound generous, and are well in excess of most NHS positions.
But despite the generous sounding wages, many train companies are struggling to recruit drivers or to retain existing train drivers. This suggests that the job may be less attractive than it sounds.

Hi, I work for the largest TOC in the UK, and I'm honestly unsure as to how you got to that idea? We recruit approx once per year for a small intake, the drivers retain extremely well the issue you have mainly is TOC transfer where drivers will want to drive elsewhere, for better salary or better units. Drivers simply tend to remain as drivers until their time comes to leave a career altogether.

 

[choochoochoo]

Yes, there is and always will be a shortage. The unions and a decent amount of drivers won't see their overtime cut.

If ASLEF had their way there'd be no overtime and just more drivers to cover the work. It's already happened at my TOC where they've deskilled the depots so we can't drive half the traction/routes that we used to do. So it is much harder to pick up rest day work from other depots.

It's fine in the long term, as the jobs will become easier as the TOCs will do their best to use all the available drivers, but in the short term whilst there is vacancies, the workload during a day can be horrendous to ensure the timetable is met.

 

[whoosh]

Currently a nurse but considering leaving to become a train driver? Any other NHS staff who have done this? Is your shift pattern similar?

I don't mind working weekends and nights. It's the not getting paid for your breaks but working through them, feeling undervalued and unsafe at work due to understaffing. I dislike the culture and I don't find the RCN a good union. Looking for a completely new career. Is the grass really greener?

Thanks in advance

Although hospitals are shiftwork, they are likely to be 0700-1900/1900-0700 or 0600-1400/1400-2200/2200-0600 etc - , they won't be 03:24-11:39 or 18:50-03:19 (as an afternoon shift as well - not in a week of nights!).
They are a bit all over the place with start and finish times - so a lot more variation than you'd be used to in a hospital.

Plenty of ex-Police, ex-Fire service, and I've known a few ex-Paramedics as well, all now as drivers. One of the latter now works for Eurostar as a driver.

For the vast majority of them the pay for train driver was welcome, but not their main reason for changing careers. They cited unhappiness at feeling undervalued just like you.
ALL are happy with their decision to have come on the railway.

I reckon you should go for it.

 

[Coach Carter]

You also need to consider the pension scheme.

For how long have you paid into the NHS scheme? Have you looked into the railway scheme? Is it a national scheme or a TOC-specific scheme?

Being a nurse at the NHS is a secure job. You'll never be out of work. You need to balance this against the job security as a train driver. If you mess up in the NHS, you will more than likely retain your job (unless you do something so bad to cause suspension or eviction from the RCN. If you mess up as a driver; you will most probably be out on your ear. Then what would you do? What happens if your TOC goes bust? The longer-serving, more experienced drivers might have a better chance of moving on

Unless you work for an open access toc or an foc then the company going bust would have no baring on you or your job. The government operator of last resort would be put in place to keep everything running until they find another franchise to run it or the government takes it back into state ownership. Everything would carry on.

 

[4F89]

Unless you work for an open access toc or an foc then the company going bust would have no baring on you or your job. The government operator of last resort would be put in place to keep everything running until they find another franchise to run it or the government takes it back into state ownership. Everything would carry on.

Even then, you have a very sought after qualification, so long as clean record, should be able to find another job quite quick

 

[TheVicLine]

The unions and a decent amount of drivers won't see their overtime cut.

It's part of ASLEF's charter to have zero hours overtime and more people employed in the train drivers grade.
The union want us to work less hours, not more!

 

[matt_world2004]

The wages paid to train drivers certainly sound generous, and are well in excess of most NHS positions.
But despite the generous sounding wages, many train companies are struggling to recruit drivers or to retain existing train drivers. This suggests that the job may be less attractive than it sounds.

This is because of a lack of committment to training by the TOCs . Training is expensive so they do the bare minimum to run a timetabled service. Relying on goodwill overtime to fulfill some duties. There would be no shortage of applicants who (with training) could do the job if the railway trained sufficient staff.

Unless you work for an open access toc or an foc then the company going bust would have no baring on you or your job. The government operator of last resort would be put in place to keep everything running until they find another franchise to run it or the government takes it back into state ownership. Everything would carry on.

Railway pension schemes are not TOC dependent either. If the TOC goes bust most railway staff will not lose their pension

 

[Stigy]

Why ex-plod? Wouldn't have thought that was an obvious career path.

Transferable skills/calm under pressure/come across well at interview/some good interview and application form examples.

It’s not just police, but any emergency service really. It’s not even just emergency services. Any role where you’ve had a safety critical job etc transfers well. That’s not to discourage others of course, as loads of former teachers/office workers/retail staff are also recruited. Some admitedly have an easier process though.