alexander744
Member
Any one else had a call and start date?
-
Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
EMR - Trainee Depot Driver - Nottingham & Derby (04/01/23)
- Thread starter Zontar
- Start date
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
wizardstoenail
Member
Nope, absolutely nothing.
alexander744
Member
agh thought it was only me lol
Matt123
Member
No call or start date. A few texts over the last couple of months saying basically ‘we haven’t forgotten about you’
wizardstoenail
Member
Any updates from anyone? Last day of November tomorrow.
bigledge95
Member
Had an email on the 14/11 saying they haven’t had all of the requirements for 2024 as of yet. Updates to follow etc
EMAA
Member
Morning all. Still no news? I was told in December they would be in touch early January. But still nothing. Wondered if anyone else had heard more than that. Cheers.
TangoDelta
Member
I still haven’t heard anything since before Christmas.
wizardstoenail
Member
Still nothing, I got the same email about early January. I'm starting to get concerned.
Laurenann
Member
.
Last edited:
dorisadmirer
Member
Aye, me too. Been waiting for stage 2 resit results for a couple of weeks. not sure what's going on as found out really fast last time
Laurenann
Member
`
Last edited:
dorisadmirer
Member
I was on the 11th of jan, finally cracked today and emailed!
Adzlib
Member
So have people failed the opc tests and then retaken them in the same process?
dorisadmirer
Member
Yep, I failed the mmi June last year and was given a date for a resit in Jan so if I fail this I'm out forever! Was this your first go at stage 2?
Last edited:
Adzlib
Member
Yeah first time going through the driver process but that's positive for everyone if people have resit assessments means they have more demand than passes hopefully
Termak
Member
Everyone got an email today?
wizardstoenail
Member
Yeah yesterday I got the dreaded email.
Adzlib
Member
Yeah me too frustrating... Think it's just made it worse when they say you will defo be on a course now this...Yeah yesterday I got the dreaded email.
You could be in the talent pool for up to 2 years, so if you’ve only just got in I’d get your lilo out & enjoy your time in the pool
I’m In the talent pool but unlikely to get on a course in 2024, so January 2025 would take me to nearly 18 months in the pool.
Obviously you know you can be in for up to 2 years but the tone of the communication since July has very much been, you’ll be on a course next year and you should find out in the next few weeks/months
Obviously you know you can be in for up to 2 years but the tone of the communication since July has very much been, you’ll be on a course next year and you should find out in the next few weeks/months
Adzlib
Member
I am the same mate my concern is what date did the time in the pool start... As in from passing opc 2 or from the date they email you.
I know the train industry is like this but it's frustrating when they tell you Youl be on a course 2024 at the latest
Termak
Member
I'm an internal candidate, I heard a rumor that not many depot drivers want to move on to mainline.
18 months or more in the talent pool is not uncommon, things have moved quickly in the last couple of years due to the catch up from Covid & gearing up for the new trains to arrive.
The pace has now returned to normal & this is why they don’t usually give out dates etc other than saying you’ll be in the pool until a vacancy arises.
The rumour that depot drivers don’t want to go mainline is simply untrue, there are currently no vacancies for mainline drivers (depending on location) so they can’t move up. Again, it’s not uncommon for people to work on the depot for 2/3 years before moving up to mainline so be prepared for this, after all the position you applied for is trainee depot driver.
The pace has now returned to normal & this is why they don’t usually give out dates etc other than saying you’ll be in the pool until a vacancy arises.
The rumour that depot drivers don’t want to go mainline is simply untrue, there are currently no vacancies for mainline drivers (depending on location) so they can’t move up. Again, it’s not uncommon for people to work on the depot for 2/3 years before moving up to mainline so be prepared for this, after all the position you applied for is trainee depot driver.
EMAA
Member
Thanks for this. In your experience, how common is it for the 2 years to run out and not be offered a place on a course? That’s my biggest worry. I’m happy to wait.
I'd echo Reb'd comments, the vacant driver positions on the mainline side have been filled with around a dozen depot drivers who've moved up in the past year - and their positions have been filled with the last 2/3 courses. There's certainly no great numbers of depot drivers reluctant to go mainline.
I was in the pool for 22 months, so don't give up hope.
I was in the pool for 22 months, so don't give up hope.
It comes and goes. I've been a guard for a good number of years and I've seen depot drivers progress in as little as 6 months and as much as 2 years. I'm sure you'll get a course date before the pool runs out, they've spent a lot of time and effort assessing and recruiting you. Stay positive.
I don’t know of & not heard of, anyone not getting a place on a course once they are in the talent pool.
Varying lengths of time to come out of the talent pool & get on a course, but they will get you on eventually.
It costs them a substantial amount of money to put you through OPC testing & recruitment, so it’s not in there interest to not give you the job once you’ve completed it all.
Thousands apply & only afew get all the way through, they want to keep the few!
It is not like a normal recruitment process/job offer though, & this is where the frustration comes in. Normally once recruited & offered the job, you’d hand in your notice & start the job asap. Here, you need to wait for that vacancy to arise, who knows when, but you’ve done the hard part & that call to start will come!