Just get on the ladder?

[Snakes]

I have an opportunity to change career and like many I really want to be a qualified train driver! It looks like it's a really hard role to break into with a lot of competition, and talent pools that people seem to just sit in, and with no previous railway experience I wondered if I would be doing the right thing applying for any roles just to get ahead of external applicants?

I've got years of sales experience so would suit the on board hosting jobs (and one is being advertised now nearby) but it's not what I want in the long term. Do most drivers come from working up internally, or should I just wait and apply for the role I really want?

 

[Bromley boy]

I have an opportunity to change career and like many I really want to be a qualified train driver! It looks like it's a really hard role to break into with a lot of competition, and talent pools that people seem to just sit in, and with no previous railway experience I wondered if I would be doing the right thing applying for any roles just to get ahead of external applicants?

I've got years of sales experience so would suit the on board hosting jobs (and one is being advertised now nearby) but it's not what I want in the long term. Do most drivers come from working up internally, or should I just wait and apply for the role I really want?

I would say just apply for trainee train driver vacancies.

I would say 75% of new drivers at my TOC come in “off the street” People are still recruited into the grade from internal roles but not as often as used to be the case.

If the TOC recruits drivers internally they have to backfill the roles they vacate. There is also a strong school of thought that it is better to train people up from scratch, rather than bring in those with previous railway experience, who may struggle to go back to basics.

If you get a non driving role and apply internally you will still have to sit the same selection tests. There is a risk that, if unsuccessful, you would end up trapped in a job you didn’t really want.

Make sure you can demonstrate customer service, safety critical activities, responsibility etc from either your current job or your hobbies.

 

[trolleyman]

would depend on what part of the country you live in. at my TOC they only take on internal candidates as drivers, so I would advise getting your foot in the door. We have drivers from all back grounds, buffets, platform as well as guards. some even come from head office roles

 

[Snakes]

would depend on what part of the country you live in. at my TOC they only take on internal candidates as drivers, so I would advise getting your foot in the door. We have drivers from all back grounds, buffets, platform as well as guards. some even come from head office roles

Thanks for the replies, I'm near Cardiff, I've got a flexible night job at the moment so can just keep going with that and apply for anything that comes up, I noticed Arriva Trains Wales recruitment website has links specifically for internal trainee drivers, but no jobs! But that's what made me consider getting access to the internal jobs.

When the Arriva Trains Wales' contract expires I am hoping there may be a recruitment drive here, and the Welsh Assembly seem to be pushing a Metro system that hopefully brings more opportunity.

 

[cridhe teine]

When I made the move to Trainee Driver I came from the street, on my course it was 75% externals. It took a long time in the talent pool to get a posting, but it was definitely worth it. If you are willing to relocate there are more opportunities. Good luck.

 

[PudseyBearHST]

Why don’t you apply for trainee driver jobs then? Have you already tried?

 

[Evolution]

I have an opportunity to change career and like many I really want to be a qualified train driver! It looks like it's a really hard role to break into with a lot of competition, and talent pools that people seem to just sit in, and with no previous railway experience I wondered if I would be doing the right thing applying for any roles just to get ahead of external applicants?

I've got years of sales experience so would suit the on board hosting jobs (and one is being advertised now nearby) but it's not what I want in the long term. Do most drivers come from working up internally, or should I just wait and apply for the role I really want?

I've worked in sales and more recently Accountancy and I know when I told a few close friends that I'm considering becoming a train driver they were surprised.

When you have worked in a professional business type environment people are surprised that you want to do something that is considered "blue collar" and a few actually laughed at the idea and liken train driving to bus or lorry driving. It just doesn't have the prestige of say a Pilot.

If you really want to do the role then go for it but in the real world (outside of this forum) train driving isn't looked upon as a well respected career and you may find friends or colleagues look down on the role.

 

[AndrewE]

I've worked in sales and more recently Accountancy and I know when I told a few close friends that I'm considering becoming a train driver they were surprised.

When you have worked in a professional business type environment people are surprised that you want to do something that is considered "blue collar" and a few actually laughed at the idea and liken train driving to bus or lorry driving. It just doesn't have the prestige of say a Pilot.

If you really want to do the role then go for it but in the real world (outside of this forum) train driving isn't looked upon as a well respected career and you may find friends or colleagues look down on the role.

However a neighbour of mine has joined the railway as a trainee freight driver in his 40s long after gettting a degree and then an entrepreneurial career as a small businessman. He recently told me he loves the job, can't believe his luck and thinks it is the best-kept secret in the country! Wishes he had known it was available when he was in his 20s (which it might not have been, actually, as the railway might have been declining then. I was lucky to start in the mid-70s when there was relatively little recruitment.)
Forget what people outside the railway think, once you are inside this world you will love it if you can accept the hours and their affect on your social life, you will make friends on the inside. If booking on and off all round the clock suits you then fine, if not (& I couldn't really cope with it) then migrate into a role where the hours suit you better and you can build on your experience.

 

[red2005]

I would say it depends how desperate you are to get the job compared to your current position. If you’re happy enough in your current job and think that it has enough about it to help you get through a recruitment campaign then just hang fire for the drivers jobs.

If you really want a change now but the vacancies aren’t there just get yourself in the industry in any way you can (preferably customer service/safety critical roles) if there’s guards jobs or dispatch roles available it'd only ever be beneficial to do those roles before applying for driving.

I don’t actually think there’s a set path to the driving grade if I’m honest, lots straight from the street and lots internal. The only thing most have in common is generally their background, lots of trainees have a mixture of customer service/safety critical/ military/emergency services/ engineering experience.

Me personally I’d get myself on the railway as quick as possible and gain more experience there and get yourself known, you could get a driving job on the first application but as frustrating as it is you could waste years of “railway time” waiting for one role like that..... if I was going to be waiting a while I’d prefer it to be within the same industry gaining lots of relevant experience in the process.

 

[red2005]

I've worked in sales and more recently Accountancy and I know when I told a few close friends that I'm considering becoming a train driver they were surprised.

When you have worked in a professional business type environment people are surprised that you want to do something that is considered "blue collar" and a few actually laughed at the idea and liken train driving to bus or lorry driving. It just doesn't have the prestige of say a Pilot.

If you really want to do the role then go for it but in the real world (outside of this forum) train driving isn't looked upon as a well respected career and you may find friends or colleagues look down on the role.

With all due respect I’d say that says more about those particular friends than it does anything else. Most non railway folk I speak to (friends or not) know that it’s definitely a respected grade and one that carries great responsibility.

Tell those friends to speak to experienced pilots about “prestige” I bet most pilots will tell them they’re flogged to death and it’s not what it was...... hence why lots apply to become train drivers.

 

[MidlandsChap]

If you the job appeals and dealing would be happy dealing with the public on a daily basis go for it.

However if you dont really want the job, and its solely to get a foot in, I would give it a miss and just apply for the trainee roles.

Pesronally I would be keen to work as a signaller to get some appropriate skills/experience, its just the longevity of the career that worries me, if driving never comes off.

 

[sw1ller]

ATW are 50/50 with recruitment. They do

If you the job appeals and dealing would be happy dealing with the public on a daily basis go for it.

However if you dont really want the job, and its solely to get a foot in, I would give it a miss and just apply for the trainee roles.

Pesronally I would be keen to work as a signaller to get some appropriate skills/experience, its just the longevity of the career that worries me, if driving never comes off.

I would agree with this. I find that a guard and a driver are two quite different people. I speak to quite a few guards at our place and they say they’d hate to be a driver. And I feel the same way about a guards job, I simply couldn’t do it. I will help anyone and I’m nice, but if I have to do that for more that 2 minutes it drives me mad. I just like to be left alone to do my job. (I really would hate DOO, luckily at least 15 years away for me).

If you get into a job on the railway you hate, your performance would show this and it could possibly ruin any chance of an internal or even external transfer to the driving grade.

Basically, I think there’s only one person on this thread that knows the answer to your question and that’s you. I think this forum would be pretty much split 50/50. The best advice has been given, don’t do a job you’d hate just to get your foot in, it won’t help.