GTR - Trainee Train Driver vacancies (07/12/20)

[Charchar]

no way! That is crazy! I have a start date 6th March. What company did you apply for?

What company did you apply to?

 

[Luckyflames]

no way! That is crazy! I have a start date 6th March. What company did you apply for?

What company did you apply to?

Southern.

 

[Charchar]

Ok I applied great northern. Guessing they are waiting for their numbers of southern drivers to dip lower before taking on a new batch

 

[REO Nate]

You both seem to be accelerating through the process at lighting speed. Congrats. I applied Dec 20. Completed the whole process Feb 22. Awaiting a start date. Which may never happen. After reading posts in here.

I feel you mate

Applied Dec 2020 and completed process Oct 2021.

Hanging on in there and still hoping.

 

[lawtoni]

Hang in there guys. I applied in dec 2020, started with GN in Oct 2021.
I’m with my DI and a couple of months away from passing out
If you do get a start, it’s such a rewarding job, but demanding of huge levels of concentration.
Good luck to all

 

[Charchar]

Hang in there guys. I applied in dec 2020, started with GN in Oct 2021.
I’m with my DI and a couple of months away from passing out
If you do get a start, it’s such a rewarding job, but demanding of huge levels of concentration.
Good luck to all

When you are training Does the pay increase gradually as you pass modules or does it only increase once passed out?

 

[Luckyflames]

When you are training Does the pay increase gradually as you pass modules or does it only increase once passed out?

GN Southern & TL all differ

 

[Charchar]

GN Southern & TL all differ

Oh I am curious about great northern. Taking a pay cut has me wondering if it gradually rises or not

 

[lawtoni]

No. Flat rate of circa 32k until you pass out. Plus back pay to cover the difference between trainee and full wage for time spent waiting for a DI over 10 weeks. Payable when you pass out


Oh I am curious about great northern. Taking a pay cut has me wondering if it gradually rises or n

 

[Twotwo]

Like to add another thing. When you are with your driver instructor you can do rest day work to bump up your pay. Also if you have a driver instructor who is from a different depot you also get travel time allowance.

 

[Charchar]

No. Flat rate of circa 32k until you pass out. Plus back pay to cover the difference between trainee and full wage for time spent waiting for a DI over 10 weeks. Payable when you pass out


Oh I am curious about great northern. Taking a pay cut has me wondering if it gradually rises or n

ok. Currently work for LU and getting the trainee contract has me scratching my head as to what is on offer. Am I correct in thinking once qualified the holiday days goes up ?

Like to add another thing. When you are with your driver instructor you can do rest day work to bump up your pay. Also if you have a driver instructor who is from a different depot you also get travel time allowance.

This is very helpful to know thank you

 

[Chippy123]

Hang in there guys. I applied in dec 2020, started with GN in Oct 2021.
I’m with my DI and a couple of months away from passing out
If you do get a start, it’s such a rewarding job, but demanding of huge levels of concentration.
Good luck to all

Hi @lawtoni , out of curiosity how long did you have to wait for a DI? I started in July 2022, and finishing traction this week. So will be waiting for a DI from next week onwards. I’m Hornsey Inners and just trying to get an idea. Thanks

 

[Twotwo]

I waited 5 months but things seem to be getting better.

 

[lawtoni]

Hi @lawtoni , out of curiosity how long did you have to wait for a DI? I started in July 2022, and finishing traction this week. So will be waiting for a DI from next week onwards. I’m Hornsey Inners and just trying to get an idea. Thanks

4months but there are a good few more DIs these days

 

[Chippy123]

Thank you @lawtoni and @Twotwo that’s much appreciated. I’m assuming you both started in 2021?

 

[Robcuk]

Hi...asking for a friend. Does anyone know if the SJ test for a position at GTR an enhanced test? I know someone who failed the SJ test a few months back and wondered if he applied for other tocs would the GTR SJ failure stand in there way. Thanks for any advice/insights.

 

[Luckyflames]

Curious to know how many of us are awaiting a Southern course pending Medical ? With the recent news of 8/16 places for Shunter to mainline programme for Selhurst / Victoria & Brighton.

Which depot are you awaiting and how long have you been in the pool ?

 

[REO Nate]

Brighton - Since October 2021.

 

[Porter]

Curious to know how many of us are awaiting a Southern course pending Medical ? With the recent news of 8/16 places for Shunter to mainline programme for Selhurst / Victoria & Brighton.

Which depot are you awaiting and how long have you been in the pool ?

Does that mean drivers who are currently shunters, switching to mainline for those depots? That's probably not good news for anyone awaiting those depots surely.

 

[KJCross1983]

On reading the Shunters to mainline driver. Looks like the shunters are going to be fast tracked and bypass everyone in talent pools.

 

[Chippychips]

Does anyone know if there's a London weighting for a Thameslink/GN driver? Or do all drivers (Kings Lynn, Cambridge, Brighton, London etc) recieve the same headline salary regardless of location?

I've heard there is a weighting, I've heard there isn't a weighting. I'm not sure what's correct and what's incorrect...

 

[whoosh]

Does anyone know if there's a London weighting for a Thameslink/GN driver? Or do all drivers (Kings Lynn, Cambridge, Brighton, London etc) recieve the same headline salary regardless of location?

I've heard there is a weighting, I've heard there isn't a weighting. I'm not sure what's correct and what's incorrect...

No London Weighting. WAGN used to have for Kings Cross drivers, but I don't think Thameslink did for Blackfriars (now closed as a traincrew depot) drivers. Either way, when pay was harmonised between the two parts under First Capital Connect, London weighting was abolished, so all traincrew depots whether TL or GN are on the same salary.

 

[joshuan542]

On reading the Shunters to mainline driver. Looks like the shunters are going to be fast tracked and bypass everyone in talent pools.

Correct, a portion of driving roles are now allocated to the progression programme within the company, so essentially it does reduce the number of externals joining courses so talent pools will take more time to be sifted now

 

[Chippychips]

No London Weighting. WAGN used to have for Kings Cross drivers, but I don't think Thameslink did for Blackfriars (now closed as a traincrew depot) drivers. Either way, when pay was harmonised between the two parts under First Capital Connect, London weighting was abolished, so all traincrew depots whether TL or GN are on the same salary.

Ah ok great. Thanks for the info

 

[Luckyflames]

Correct, a portion of driving roles are now allocated to the progression programme within the company, so essentially it does reduce the number of externals joining courses so talent pools will take more time to be sifted now

I would love to know how many external applicants are waiting in the talent pools.

 

[joshuan542]

I would love to know how many external applicants are waiting in the talent pools.

I dread to know the numbers myself, there is talk among some staff of course but it’s always a Chinese whispers situation on these things without the actual facts, the sad thing is it seems not a lot of talent pool occupiers get to the courses either and end up waiting for many years without contact, I know a fair few cases of this even internally

 

[Luckyflames]

I dread to know the numbers myself, there is talk among some staff of course but it’s always a Chinese whispers situation on these things without the actual facts, the sad thing is it seems not a lot of talent pool occupiers get to the courses either and end up waiting for many years without contact, I know a fair few cases of this even internally

I must admit. Bing in the pool
13 months myself and initial application in Dec 20. I’m resigning myself to maybe. It seems like just a pipe dream. After all the effort to succeed through the whole application process. No guarantee of a position. Oh well. Still proud of myself for getting through.

 

[Sly Sloth]

I’m not trying to spark an unnecessary debate but passing on what I’m hearing from route learners currently coming through school…. The courses seem to be split as 4 internal and 4 external. 4 of each sex. But there does seem to be a discrepancy in waiting time in talent pools between the sexes with men waiting considerably longer than women for course dates. Again to balance the argument there would be a 90/10 ratio of men to women applying so you’d expect 1 of the pools to be moving faster than the other!

 

[john71]

I must admit. Bing in the pool
13 months myself and initial application in Dec 20. I’m resigning myself to maybe. It seems like just a pipe dream. After all the effort to succeed through the whole application process. No guarantee of a position. Oh well. Still proud of myself for getting through.

I was in the pool as an external for about 21 months. Started in January. Don’t give up hope

 

[Driver_wife]

I’m not trying to spark an unnecessary debate but passing on what I’m hearing from route learners currently coming through school…. The courses seem to be split as 4 internal and 4 external. 4 of each sex. But there does seem to be a discrepancy in waiting time in talent pools between the sexes with men waiting considerably longer than women for course dates. Again to balance the argument there would be a 90/10 ratio of men to women applying so you’d expect 1 of the pools to be moving faster than the other!

Not necessarily true I waited longer than some of the men in my course - one external man in my course waited 3 years

So seems random..