Johncleesefan
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Ah of course. That's the big debate. I'm in the rmt and have heard ftpe and northern are on the brink of instigating this?
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First Great Western - Trainee Drivers
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skjonesfamily
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Tick toc tick toc :-x any news guys.
Johncleesefan
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When did u speak to HR last? I know its usually a brick wall but I'm gonna keep ringing them now at least every couple of weeks.
Last Aug when they sent that email to everyone. I know they are running behind time with training courses' but if they simply just emailed everyone that or kept us updated, then nobody would pester them. We are all in the same position and now need to plan the year. Do you book a holiday or not? Given there is no leave granted during the early stages of the training (understandable)
How about you?
...I'm starting to think this isn't actually going to happen, rather have the bad news now so I can (and sure most of you would) progress with your plans for 2015...
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This is absolutely killing me and I'm sure some of you have been waiting longer than me.... Certainly need to keep positive but it's so difficult. Looking ahead to the New Year my wife and I are looking at holidays but can't book anything because of the not knowing.....
To be honest, you may as well just go ahead and book them. I've put my life on hold almost a year now, I think its safe to say just live 2015, like you would any-other year. If you need to cancel holidays, then that's the case (some are fully or partially refunded)
I'm not going to contact them all the time as they will just send a generic response, however I will contact them in March for an update and to see where I stand (I would of been on hold a year)
It is disappointing, given the hard work, anticipation and patience given over the year, especially with an operator I'm keen to work for. Anything I hear from now will simply be a bonus...
Wish everyone on hold the best of luck!
Johncleesefan
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I have my wedding booked this year haha. That and planning our next child. We are just carrying on with life and preparing to alter thing should I get my start date
that makes me laugh for some reason?! In other words, you have a life to plan. Lol
Myself and others are aware of that. However with our 'hold' statuses expiring soon, looks like many of us will be heading for game over...
I honestly can't see them running out, the expiry will be 'delayed' just like the recruitment is!
Can you see the company looking around in a couple of months times (or whenever recruitment starts again) and thinking-
1/ Okay we had all these acceptable candidates on hold but their 6 months has expired so let's run another very expensive and long winded recruitment process!
Or
2/ right where the F### did I put that list of candidates we need them in now!
My money is on number 2!
irish_rail
On Moderation
Talking to a guy today, hes just been given a date of March to transfer over from LTV to HSS at Paddington.
The impression I got, was that things have started moving again, and I wouldn't lose hope just yet to all you wannabe drivers out there
The impression I got, was that things have started moving again, and I wouldn't lose hope just yet to all you wannabe drivers out there
Greaseball3220
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Quick question about prospective driver applicants, if someone passes stages 1 & 2 of the tests do they get just two bites of the cherry for the interview stage ?
or
once the assessments are passed can they have as many interviews as it takes to get the job ?
or
once the assessments are passed can they have as many interviews as it takes to get the job ?
Johncleesefan
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To my knowledge you have 2 stabs at the psychometric tests. The driver manager interview comes after and you can sit as much as u like/get offered the chance to sit
The CBI forms part of the tests so that would count as a fail.
The Driver manager interview doesnt so, although that company wouldnt take you on, another one might using those scores so you would only need to do the Managers interview again. This would not count as a fail no matter how many times you fail the DM interview, although if you fail a few of them you might need to brush up on your interview technique.
The Driver manager interview doesnt so, although that company wouldnt take you on, another one might using those scores so you would only need to do the Managers interview again. This would not count as a fail no matter how many times you fail the DM interview, although if you fail a few of them you might need to brush up on your interview technique.
No we don't...
I think it's going to be a case of just wait. My mate who is already in training from the last intake has spent 3months doing fronts and hasn't touched a control, other than a simulator in training. Not going to until March! As driver455 and mentioned previously in the past by myself (optimistically saying but got told I was wrong by another member) they are just behind. The ratio to trainees and DI is unbalanced so the DI are overwhelmed by trainees. We will just have to wait. I'm giving up on second guessing prospective start times. Wouldn't even surprise me if we don't start until Sept! (Hearing from them in the summer)
I'm carrying business on like usual and I'll make the changes when the situation arises. Fingers crossed!
Johncleesefan
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aye, Thats all we can do at this moment. I have just found my DM interviewers email address beacause I had to email her some details back in june lol. Im gonna have a think of how Im gonna word it but il send her an email and see weather she responds
aye, Thats all we can do at this moment. I have just found my DM interviewers email address beacause I had to email her some details back in june lol. Im gonna have a think of how Im gonna word it but il send her an email and see weather she responds
That's very brave! Lol
Does anyone know how long the practical training lasts with the DI?
No harm in emailing I don't think. I emailed Mandy Thomas back in September and she was quite sound however just said that there is no news at the moment and when there is she would be in contact. I was thinking of emailing her again, however she will probz just tell me the same thing again so won't bother
Johncleesefan
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well i sent her an email after much thinking about it.
i saw it as more of a beneficial than something that will work against me. shows initiative lol.
anyway i hope she will respond today then hopefully i can shed some light
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
so i had an email back stating they hope to have vacancies in april/may time and she forwarded my email to the recruitment team to give a more detailed response.
i saw it as more of a beneficial than something that will work against me. shows initiative lol.
anyway i hope she will respond today then hopefully i can shed some light
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
so i had an email back stating they hope to have vacancies in april/may time and she forwarded my email to the recruitment team to give a more detailed response.
well i sent her an email after much thinking about it.
i saw it as more of a beneficial than something that will work against me. shows initiative lol.
anyway i hope she will respond today then hopefully i can shed some light
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
so i had an email back stating they hope to have vacancies in april/may time and she forwarded my email to the recruitment team to give a more detailed response.
Thanks for the update John. Thats good to hear. I noticed the word 'hope', so they are clearly just running behind with things and we will hear from them in due time. Which is a good sign.
Sure you will internal interviews taking place through to next month...I withdrew from going beyond an application with EMT depot driving on the account this is mainline and I work for the company as well as being positive something will arise
I was told First no longer favour talent pools and my understanding from emails is they will only keep people on hold for up to six months now however another person I asked (in HR) did not confirm or deny this
I was told First no longer favour talent pools and my understanding from emails is they will only keep people on hold for up to six months now however another person I asked (in HR) did not confirm or deny this
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Johncleesefan
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Internal interviews for trainee drivers?
I applied for the emt role bit this is what I what
So when do they instigate the 6 months from. I sat dm in June last year
I applied for the emt role bit this is what I what
So when do they instigate the 6 months from. I sat dm in June last year
Just a thought, what are the chances of FGW offering you to be trained at a depot not currently affected by the driver recruitment and then transferring to your chosen depot at a later date. Like I said this is just a thought as I live near Exeter, who I believe aren't on a recruitment drive, so may have spare DI's but my chosen depot is Bristol. I realise that some retraining would be required upon transfer, routes and traction, but surely it would be better to have a trained driver who has done their driving hours, waiting in the wings, at another depot, then to pack out a depot with trainees and struggle to get them through their training and fall behind schedule. My relocation would occur at some point, doesn't really matter whether it is sooner rather than later. Like I said, just a thought.
On another note, there did not seem to be a time limit on my on hold status, the email just said that the application would be actively retained for twelve months, it didn't say that the application would "expire" at some point and that I would have to reapply.
That all sounds reasonable but how long would the route learning take when you transfer to your intended depot?
The time savings wouldnt actually amount to much, plus the fact most West depots are in the same boat DI wise as there have been a lot of West drivers going over to HSS meaning they have all recruited a lot of trainees and so all have a shortage of DIs.
My advice is to just hang in there, it will happen when it happens.
Of course the big question is why you want to work at Bristol when you live near Exeter?
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