No one is making them move job thoughAgreed - complete waste of time and (public) money and you’re simply not gaining anything remotely useful from it. The TOCs used to do all this training off their own back and still would if they didn’t have access to this scheme.
Completely the wrong way of looking at it in my view. You’re not a student, you’re being paid to learn to do a job, and the going rate for that has long been far higher than £18k. Keep in mind that many people coming into the job will have had previous careers and may well be taking a substantial pay cut to train, which can be difficult for those with families, mortgages etc., so comments like “I’m just grateful I’m earning more than £18k” might not go down too well with your course mates!
EDIT: if you’re at TPE and move up to £58k during training then that’s great, and is indeed a lot higher than most (all?) other TOCs will pay before you’re productive. That’s especially good for career changers as I know many really struggle on the training wages. Still doesn’t change the points in relation to the apprenticeship, though!
100%.
It's not a dislike. When I post I try to help and answer some or all the original poster questions. One of which was along the lines of. What are the differences and the correct answer is none. So I'm giving the op my answer as a qualified driver and it makes no difference. You do the same job for the same pay and conditions and it doesn't make you a better or worse driver. I have no problem with apprenticeships and would of done it if asked , although personally I'm glad I didn't have the extra work to do.
It is mad, I know if I get a role internally I'll be on protected salary which is better than initial trainee wage
I'll be claiming that time back as overtime on my log sheet, should really be done within work hours but if that is the catch up calls previously mentioned then I guess that's not necessarily possible unless you can arrange for it to be done when sat spare.
As long as I'm doing time sheets I'll be logging it, it's not the same as revising which I will do in my own time to supplement what I have learnt.
It's so not railway having to do anything after hours. Never known it before.
Too right. Would expect 12+2
Its exactly the same in many other industries
The difference between being a trainee and qualified in terms of the pecking order is quite vast I found. For example, your T&Cs aren’t generally as good as a trainee, and dictating to the trainers or management about what you will and won’t do is generally frowned up on.
I can’t believe they even have to do that now. I can only assume the several hundred thousand I hear some TOCs have allegedly received is the reason they have to go through this nonsense. I’d already been in the industry 14 years when I decided to apply for a trainee drivers position & would not have been impressed one bit. Those I speak to find the whole thing absolutely tedious.
That’s the thing though; as tedious as it is (because let’s face it, it isn’t beneficial to the trainees or their future, having a non-transferable qualification), those applying for trainee driver jobs aren’t really in a position to object. It is what it is, and if they don’t like it, hard luck. If I had to do it as a trainee I’d do it, without hesitation, because doing it and getting your key, is generally a far better option than objecting and making your life that little bit harder, or declining an offer of employment based on it and cutting your nose off to spite your face.
Oh I get that. I was asked at my interview if I would be prepared to be based at a depot 50 miles away & of course I said I would if that was the only way I’d get the job. I knew however that out of those joining already on the railway I was one of those with the longest service & that took priority over them & certainly those coming off the street so it was never going to come to that for me.
Same as I did in my current role, looks like they use a standard format which can be shoe horned into any industry
It’s soul destroying. I do feel for them having to do it in their own time especially when it’s absolutely pointless. Stuff like that drives me nuts & I’m so grateful I’ve never had to suffer it.
You have two candidates, both with similar times in position, both with immaculate records, both interviewed really well, 1 has the industry NVQ the other doesn’t who will you chose?
He literally just said both candidates have the same experience other than one having the NVQ.
