yes I failed it but I do know where I went wrong, do you have to be mechanical minded to be a train driver, I have been watching for the jobs with Northern for a while now and passed the application and WILL pass the DSI, can anyone tell me what comes next?
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You don't have to be an engineer, however you are expected to have a basic understanding of physics with regards to pulleys and levers etc. as a driver you will need to have the ability to fault find/rectify when your unit suffers from technical problems. Yes you may have maintenance on the phone at the time talking you through the steps, but that still requires a driver to have some understanding of how mechanical and electrical systems behave.
thankyou, i have no problem with physics as I have a degree in it, what I should have done was take a step back and read up a lot more, but the timescale to apply is very very short, are there many women drivers on the trains? sorry my head is full of questions!
I am not mechanically minded, I am a lady and I am a trainee train driver! I worked really hard on practising for the tests. Although some of the traction is hard for me to take in initially, a week or so later it falls more and more in to place. Hope this helps!
wheeltapper
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I failed the DSI test too.
If i'd have answered the statements any differently I would have being lying so I'm quite happy that the answer's I put reflected my work behaviour(same industry for 15 years, turn up on time and work well as a team). I am not sure how answering 18 seemingly random statements can be an accurate reflection on someone's attitude towards work, their dependability whilst at work or their ability to work as a team etc... but it looks like we'll have to pass tests like this to progress further in the future.
I wonder if all roles at Northern now use this kind of testing? the depot driving job at Leeds last November didn't.
If i'd have answered the statements any differently I would have being lying so I'm quite happy that the answer's I put reflected my work behaviour(same industry for 15 years, turn up on time and work well as a team). I am not sure how answering 18 seemingly random statements can be an accurate reflection on someone's attitude towards work, their dependability whilst at work or their ability to work as a team etc... but it looks like we'll have to pass tests like this to progress further in the future.
I wonder if all roles at Northern now use this kind of testing? the depot driving job at Leeds last November didn't.
Hi Louby. There are a lot of threads on the forum signposting people to useful resources. If you use the search facility in the top right hand side from the main careers page and search for "mechanical" or "psychometrics" you may find them. Can't remember the exact books I used but I know I've flagged them up on here before. One was How2Become A Train Driver but there were others that were equally if not more useful.
As someone who struggles with mechanics, of most help to me was a friend who has a good level of knowledge using household objects to help demonstrate levers, pulleys, pivots etc. etc. It helped me to visualise what happens if, for example, a cog turns one way and you need to work out which way another turns.
One thing I will say is that even a fitter from Leeds railway station struggled with the mechanics test, as did all of those who got through.
Hope this helps, sorry if it doesn't make much sense!
As someone who struggles with mechanics, of most help to me was a friend who has a good level of knowledge using household objects to help demonstrate levers, pulleys, pivots etc. etc. It helped me to visualise what happens if, for example, a cog turns one way and you need to work out which way another turns.
One thing I will say is that even a fitter from Leeds railway station struggled with the mechanics test, as did all of those who got through.
Hope this helps, sorry if it doesn't make much sense!
virginsurfer
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Dependability and Safety Instrument
The DSI has been specifically designed to identify potential employees who will have good attendance records and be effective and positive team members. They may also be relied on to produce good quality work as well as to be more customer focused and, in safety critical environments, less accident-prone.
The DSI is obtained from 22 statement pairs that assess aspects of personality that are related to employee dependability and safety.
The 22 statement pairs can be administered via paper-and-pencil, telephone or the Internet. It takes applicants, on average, 7 minutes to complete. Research supporting the DSI shows it to be a stable measure over time.
The DSI is designed to predict the likelihood of an individual displaying these behaviours.
Complying with Policies and Procedures
Sticks to company regulations
Takes safety seriously
Returns from breaks on time
Coping with Pressures
Never has a disagreement with colleagues, supervisors or customers
Keeps an even temper in all situations
Being Reliable
Rarely has time off
Is always reliable
Being Confident and Delivering
Is confident about their own abilities
Checks their work thoroughly for mistakes
Can handle situations of conflict effectively
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