For all those looking for a trainee driver position

[Dave1987]

Anyone looking for a trainee driver position with GA

http://www.greateranglia.co.uk/about-us/jobs/view/24

 

[Alan1310]

Depot driver

 

[Dave1987]

Yes but still a driving position and you normally get mainline within 3 years or so and with competition for driving positions so fierce!

 

[SPADTrap]

Posted my application earlier!

 

[TDK]

Yes but still a driving position and you normally get mainline within 3 years or so and with competition for driving positions so fierce!

Normally isn't just good enough, with the new European directive on working hours being implimented there will be many vacancies for main line work, I would wait.

 

[SPADTrap]

Normally isn't just good enough, with the new European directive on working hours being implimented there will be many vacancies for main line work, I would wait.

Care to elaborate?

 

[Dave1987]

Considering most TOC's promote drivers in house or poach drivers from other TOC's I still feel getting your foot on the ladder in the driving grade is always a good plan, and like I said before competition for trainee positions is so fierce beggars cant be choosers. But hey that's just what I think.

 

[notadriver]

Depot driving doesn't guarantee you a mainline driving job. You'd face competition from other internals such as conductors and platform staff. Of course at GA this maybe different.

 

[Dave1987]

Depot driving doesn't guarantee you a mainline driving job. You'd face competition from other internals such as conductors and platform staff. Of course at GA this maybe different.

Er yeah at GA on GE platform staff and conductors etc have to become depot drivers before they can go mainline. You don't face any competition from them for mainline links at all! When mainline drivers retire or come off driving the most senior depot driver takes their link.

 

[Silv1983]

Er yeah at GA on GE platform staff and conductors etc have to become depot drivers before they can go mainline. You don't face any competition from them for mainline links at all! When mainline drivers retire or come off driving the most senior depot driver takes their link.

An unusual work structure by the company - not heard of any other TOCs doing this? In Northern usually mainline drivers revert to depot driving for one reason or another.

 

[Dave1987]

An unusual work structure by the company - not heard of any other TOCs doing this? In Northern usually mainline drivers revert to depot driving for one reason or another.

Yup that's exactly how it works.

 

[E&W Lucas]

Considering most TOC's promote drivers in house or poach drivers from other TOC's I still feel getting your foot on the ladder in the driving grade is always a good plan, and like I said before competition for trainee positions is so fierce beggars cant be choosers. But hey that's just what I think.

This has been covered many times before; that statement is simply untrue. There's TOC's that hardly ever recruit, and all will recruit a qualified driver ahead of a trainee if they can. However, you have only got to read this forum, to recognise that plenty, if not most of trainees, are external.

GA's development process is pretty much unique. Unless you have reasons why you have to consider them, ie you can't move, I wouldn't go near it. Why spend 3 plus years shunting, with no guarantee of a driving job, when a credible candidate can get an immediate vac somewhere else?

 

[Dave1987]

This has been covered many times before; that statement is simply untrue. There's TOC's that hardly ever recruit, and all will recruit a qualified driver ahead of a trainee if they can. However, you have only got to read this forum, to recognise that plenty, if not most of trainees, are external.

GA's development process is pretty much unique. Unless you have reasons why you have to consider them, ie you can't move, I wouldn't go near it. Why spend 3 plus years shunting, with no guarantee of a driving job, when a credible candidate can get an immediate vac somewhere else?

That is simply untrue as well! LM of which a close family relative is management in recently put on a drivers course. They advertised in house first so all their guards and so forth that wanted to become drivers had the first pick and I believe they filled the course with internal candidates. He said they prefer to promote in house because then the trainees all have railway experience and they know what they are like ie they dont turn up late all the time.

How can you possibly say why be a shunt driver for 3 years when you can get mainline straight away else where? There are 500 applicants for every trainee position!! Why shouldnt someone get there foot in the door as a depot driver which IS a proper driving grade and is recognised by ASLEF. Do 3 years on the shed, get some experience and then get a mainline job when it is their turn. Ppl will maje their own choices about whether to apply but the selection process at GA is assessing your potential to be a mainline driver. In fact the first part of your training is doing 2 weeks in the driving cab with a mainline driver to see whether being a driver is for you or not.

Beggars cant be choosers and being a depot driver is a foot in the door to the driving grade.

 

[notadriver]

I understand what you are saying Dave but at a TOC I know well conductors and external applicants have been chosen over shunter drivers. I don't this is to do more with politics than anything else. In fact i know a shunter driver who went back to his previous job as a conductor as the pay was about the same and it was far less boring.

 

[Dave1987]

I understand what you are saying Dave but at a TOC I know well conductors and external applicants have been chosen over shunter drivers. I don't this is to do more with politics than anything else. In fact i know a shunter driver who went back to his previous job as a conductor as the pay was about the same and it was far less boring.

Lol I dont think life of a conductor is ever boring is it? Chatting to some of ours, boy have they some stories to tell! All I can say is at GA all mainline links when they become vacant are filled by the most senior Depot Driver at that depot. The only exception to this is when a mainline driver wants to transfer depots but again it goes on seniority, i.e when a mainline driver puts in a depot transfer request he/she goes in at the bottom of the list for mainline links and will only transfer once the depot drivers at that particular depot who are more senior than him/her her at that depot have mainline links themselves. I makes it very fair, and also means every depot driver will go mainline at some point (as long as they dont choose to stay in the depot which some have done)

 

[NLC1072]

I understand what you are saying Dave but at a TOC I know well conductors and external applicants have been chosen over shunter drivers. I don't this is to do more with politics than anything else. In fact i know a shunter driver who went back to his previous job as a conductor as the pay was about the same and it was far less boring.

Some conductors are actually paid more than depot drivers on GA!

 

[Dave1987]

Some conductors are actually paid more than depot drivers on GA!

That is true but in the long run they will get paid way more than guards. It the long game lol

 

[deltabravo]

Right, I may just be a humble train cleaner, but here is my input...

At the depot I work at, a driver I was speaking to told me at that particular depot, most trainee drivers had previously been Conductors.

BUT

The driver in question joined as an external candidate, so I think it is fair to say that their are no guarantees how a TOC may recruit.

 

[Mix107]

I can see both points of view. Depot driver is a definitely a great way in to gain valuable experience. But at the same time some TOCS like GA advertise externally for mainline driver positions on the West Anglia side as well. I'm one of those privileged few currently in training since Nov, but we do have 2 guys going to Norwich as depot drivers too.

On the WA side we as mainline drivers shunt in sidings/depots on various turns, because there aren't dedicated depot drivers. So will add to the variety for sure. Yes if you go depot driver route you will get on the mainline in time, depots like Ilford I think it's several years where as Norwich is around a year currently. All depends on vacancies as drivers retire or move TOCS.

For me it came down to the fact depot driver money was too bigger drop on current salary and the location of the depots on the WA are nearer home. But don't knock the opportunities, great way in and lots to learn in Ilford yard as I found out on a depot visit last week. Good luck to all those that do apply (last day today) and remember the depot driver vacancies come up more often than mainline ones.

 

[badassunicorn]

I think at Current, DD's at Ilford wait approx 1-2yrs before going mainline, however, with Crossrail coming into existence in a couple of years who knows what might happen! As previously stated, they don't recruit mainline drivers on GE, its always depot drivers who go up to it.

 

[kebo]

Anyone looking for a trainee driver position with GA

http://www.greateranglia.co.uk/about-us/jobs/view/24

I was wondering if anyone had applied for the above role and if so have they heard back yet?

 

[frontosa]

I was wondering if anyone had applied for the above role and if so have they heard back yet?

It took me 5 months after applying to get invited to the assessment!

 

[kebo]

It took me 5 months after applying to get invited to the assessment!

Frontosa thanks for your reply and good luck with your assessments!.

I managed to apply on the closing date which I think was the the 7th dec by post special delivery but haven't anything yet which isn't unusual for toc's I guess I will find out in the next few weeks or so.

I have passed all assessments with FCC but have been sitting in a Holding pool for 8 months so decided to apply for this role as a way of getting my foot in the door, as I am starting to feel like its not going to happpen at FCC.

I am based in London but did say I was prepared to relocate as the advert said this was acceptable...but more than likely it will go against me,anyway regardless I will keep chipping away until I get a break.

 

[Beveridges]

In fact I know a shunter driver who went back to his previous job as a conductor as the pay was about the same and it was far less boring.

Coming from a different TOC, it is strange to hear how Greater Anglia treat the Depot Driving grade. It seems like a grade no one wishes to stay in for the long term as it is underpaid for what you do, and is used as a stepping stone to getting a Mainline Drivers job. The Depot Drivers role should be a seperate grade in itself and a decent alternative to Mainline, and in other TOC's most people in the DD grade chose to stay there and turnover is low. Don't know why GA is completely different. I couldn't believe how GA DD's are on less than Guards and with similar T&C's. In Northern for example the DD grade is on £7k more than Guards plus better T&Cs. Also, DD roles are far from boring- especially at the bigger depots.

at a TOC I know well conductors and external applicants have been chosen over shunter drivers

How applicants get chosen can be based on a different things which varies between TOCs. Most important to some TOCs is cost of replacing. It will cost far more to replace a DD than a Guard. In my TOC all you need to do is pass an interview and some DD's who wanted to go Mainline have done it in 1 year. Others prefer to stay in the DD role. DD is not considered a better or worse job than Mainline in my TOC as both jobs have different pros and cons.

 

[SPADTrap]

I've applied and haven't had anything back yet! Fingers crossed!