Does any TOC recruit qualified train drivers anymore??

[BTU]

I have noticed a trend to only recruit trainee train drivers, you very rarely if ever see TOC's recruiting qualified drivers any more.
Why is this? the cynic in me thinks they just don't want drivers who are maybe set in their ways or the old school BR driver bringing attitudes that they spread to the newer drivers or possibly they just want yes men and women who they can strip away their T and C's as they know they won't dare speak up.
I could be wrong but this is a worrying trend as people who have good records and are good drivers and employees are finding it harder to relocate due to this practice.

 

[43066]

This keeps being said on here, but I don’t see it? Google qualified train driver vacancies, as I just did, and you’ll find half a dozen or more active adverts across the country. My place has had several leave and several join recently.

 

[Efini92]

I have noticed a trend to only recruit trainee train drivers, you very rarely if ever see TOC's recruiting qualified drivers any more.
Why is this? the cynic in me thinks they just don't want drivers who are maybe set in their ways or the old school BR driver bringing attitudes that they spread to the newer drivers or possibly they just want yes men and women who they can strip away their T and C's as they know they won't dare speak up.
I could be wrong but this is a worrying trend as people who have good records and are good drivers and employees are finding it harder to relocate due to this practice.

I think it’s more that they all pay in to the apprenticeships fund so they want to get something back out of it.
There’s still plenty of qualified vacancies.
Avanti advertised last week for qualified’s.

 

[mybanez_08@hot]

From what I’ve seen Transpennine seem to advertise for Qualified Drivers

 

[43066]

I think it’s more that they all pay in to the apprenticeships fund so they want to get something back out of it.
There’s still plenty of qualified vacancies.
Avanti advertised last week for qualified’s.

As did FL, SE, TPE, GWR, EMR, Eurostar in the last few months. Ultimately the qualified driver market is a small (and ageing) market, which is why so many trainees need to be taken on.

Not sure there’s any truth in the idea that it’s harder for qualifieds to move than previously? There seem to be a lot of adverts currently.

 

[Efini92]

As did FL, SE, TPE, GWR, EMR, Eurostar in the last few months. Ultimately the qualified driver market is a small (and ageing) market, which is why so many trainees need to be taken on.

Not sure there’s any truth in the idea that it’s harder for qualifieds to move than previously? There seem to be a lot of adverts currently.

I’ve moved twice in the last 3 years so it’s definitely not stagnated.
Maybe it’s because TOC’s that would only previously poach have now started recruiting trainees.

 

[Economist]

Avanti were recruiting for qualified drivers a couple of weeks ago across the network, London Overground advertised for qualified drivers at Chingford a while back which I believe previously required an internal move from a different LO depot. My current TOC takes on qualifieds every now and again, they have a much bigger focus on trainees than they ever used to though.

The TOCs who seem reluctant to take qualifieds at the moment are LNER, GTR (all sub-brands), C2C, Northern and Merseyrail (who have long taken trainees only), if anyone can name any more, please feel free to add.

I get a sense that the DfT is trying to cut down on poaching, they seem to want they want privatised profits with government control plus having more trainees makes it easier for them to pursue a demographic diversity agenda. At the same time, ASLEF wants to end RDW, increase the number of subs and pursue the same diversity agenda. Personally, I think having the railway in the private sector should mean free and fair competition for both passengers (unfortunately difficult to achieve on many routes) and staff. We're one of the very few traditional working-class trades to have benefited from a move from the state sector to the private sector and I don't think that's quite how the powers-that-be quite intended things.

 

[Driver068]

The TOCs who seem reluctant to take qualifieds at the moment are LNER, GTR (all sub-brands), C2C, Northern and Merseyrail (who have long taken trainees only), if anyone can name any more, please feel free to add.

Agreed, LNER seem to be more for apprenticeships than Qualified Drivers as stated. Many believing that they wont any time soon due to apprenticeships scheme - However it remains to be seen how long that will last. The other you mention - Northern, yes until recently. They have currently advertised for Qualified drivers in Blackpool on TPE contracts.

 

[dctraindriver]

I have noticed a trend to only recruit trainee train drivers, you very rarely if ever see TOC's recruiting qualified drivers any more.
Why is this? the cynic in me thinks they just don't want drivers who are maybe set in their ways or the old school BR driver bringing attitudes that they spread to the newer drivers or possibly they just want yes men and women who they can strip away their T and C's as they know they won't dare speak up.
I could be wrong but this is a worrying trend as people who have good records and are good drivers and employees are finding it harder to relocate due to this practice.

XC looking for qualified drivers in Birmingham….. EMR were looking for qualified drivers recently as were TPE. Don’t think the set in their ways are as much as an issue as you mention as there’s a steady stream of newer drivers in most depots. It’s more likely companies making use of the apprenticeship way.

 

[irish_rail]

It seems the popular depots are generally trainees and apprentices only, whilst the less popular depots are open to Qualifieds. Take Avanti as an example. Recently recruiting for qualified at Euston Wolves Holyhead and Manchester, yet for trainees, add in Liverpool, Glasgow and Edinburgh, (all depots that virtually never recruit qualifeds).

 

[Horizon22]

I regularly sweep around the TOC recruitment sites and almost always there are positions for qualified drivers in some shape or form. So I’m not sure why seem to think this isn’t the case.

These roles do exist, and many of the adverts are open for long periods of time. It might be that these are the least popular depots so qualified drivers don’t want to transfer - and it’s a pretty stable grade - but equally there may also be some drivers relocating for personal or other reasons to all parts of the country.

 

[Redowen2005]

I don't think I've ever seen a time when there's been so many qualified AND trainee drivers advertised, especially within the freight sector.

I'm sure I've seen Greater Anglia, Cross country, Avanti, Grand Central, Transport for Wales, TPE, Freightliner, Colas, GWR all advertise for qualified drivers recently.