LNER - Apprentice Train Driver - Leeds & Doncaster (09/05/22)

[TreacleMiller]

Search questions that come up on the dmi from any company, that's basically what the video interview, a mini dmi.

You have 3 minutes to answer.

 

[SarahDee]

So after the video recorded interview should I receive an email of acknowledgement or anything? The emails have been regular after each test so seems odd to not have anything.

 

[ollie_hobbs]

So after the video recorded interview should I receive an email of acknowledgement or anything? The emails have been regular after each test so seems odd to not have anything.

Yeh this was the same for me, hopefully it's all ok. Have you submitted proof of Maths and English as well

 

[SarahDee]

Yeh this was the same for me, hopefully it's all ok. Have you submitted proof of Maths and English as well

That's good to know, thanks.

Yes submitted certificates for those.

Rushed my CV as thought the application could close at any minute and it's still open!

 

[TreacleMiller]

I got nothing through the portal at all after my video interview. I have a formal offer and a start date, rhe portal still thinks I am a candidate waiting for an interview.

To be clear I didnt get an acknowledgement that I had even completed the video interviews.

The system prior to the videos is automated. There are only one or two members of staff who are part time so reviewing that footage will take forever.

GCSE certificates are a normal part of the process.

 

[SarahDee]

I got nothing through the portal at all after my video interview. I have a formal offer and a start date, rhe portal still thinks I am a candidate waiting for an interview.

To be clear I didnt get an acknowledgement that I had even completed the video interviews.

The system prior to the videos is automated. There are only one or two members of staff who are part time so reviewing that footage will take forever.

GCSE certificates are a normal part of the process.

That's really helpful, thank you. I will put it to the back on my mind now until I hear either way.

Congrats on your offer and start date!

 

[Sparkynm]

I got nothing through the portal at all after my video interview. I have a formal offer and a start date, rhe portal still thinks I am a candidate waiting for an interview.

To be clear I didnt get an acknowledgement that I had even completed the video interviews.

The system prior to the videos is automated. There are only one or two members of staff who are part time so reviewing that footage will take forever.

GCSE certificates are a normal part of the process.

Hi that’s good to know.

Is the formal offer and start date you mention for this role or the job they advertised earlier this year?

 

[Bayum]

If only I weren’t on a shedload of controlled drugs

 

[_toommm_]

Thought I had my GCSE certificates but turns out I don't, and I don't have a spare £120 to expedite ordering them. Dammit.

 

[TreacleMiller]

Hi that’s good to know.

Is the formal offer and start date you mention for this role or the job they advertised earlier this year?

Earlier this year. Advert only went up recently...

 

[AG1994]

Thought I had my GCSE certificates but turns out I don't, and I don't have a spare £120 to expedite ordering them. Dammit.

You can most likely submit a free GDPR request to see what data your exam boards hold on you. There should be a section on their website to do it and all you need is your school name and dates studied etc. They’ll send you courses level, course title, and grades. They may be happy with that as interim proof.

I’d recommend doing it ASAP and requesting the data from all the big exam boards so you cover all bases and hopefully get it all ASAP. Would be annoying to wait a week to find your Maths GCSE was with a different exam board to what you thought.

 

[TreacleMiller]

Email them ans explain the situation. If they are genuinely passed and the certificates are lost its likely HR will give you time as long as they are in prior to the end date.

 

[simon.panter@b]

What are the behavioural and concentration tests at the initial application stage? Can I prepare for them?

 

[Traindriver99]

Email them ans explain the situation. If they are genuinely passed and the certificates are lost its likely HR will give you time as long as they are in prior to the end date.

Hello! Based on previous messages posted by you, it looks like you have got an offer from previous opening positions as a trainee train driver for Lner. Congratulations! In terms of the step called "competency based interview", did they ask you questions quite similar to the one found during the video interview? Questions such as "how to deal in emergency situations" or any other questions related with the roles you can find easily online? Or was that stage with even easier questions than the video interview stage?

 

[TreacleMiller]

Thank you. You are correct. The "competency based interview" is a DMI. 6 scenario based questions, very similar to those on the video interviews.

 

[Traindriver99]

Thank you. You are correct. The "competency based interview" is a DMI. 6 scenario based questions, very similar to those on the video interviews.

If I have got right, the 6 scenario based questions are focused only in real scenario as a train driver, and not general scenario outside that, correct ? Also, can you choose to be interviewed only by audio or do they need to see the candidate by video? Thanks!

 

[TreacleMiller]

No, they are not train driver specific question. They are questions asking about your personal skills and experience. There are no "driver" specific questions like that for LNER and there wasnt any like that for TPE or Northern either. You may be asked why you want to be a driver, what challenges a driver faces etc. And questions about the company but thats it.

Search for threads about the DMI.

 

[Lenny1039]

No, they are not train driver specific question. They are questions asking about your personal skills and experience. There are no "driver" specific questions like that for LNER and there wasnt any like that for TPE or Northern either. You may be asked why you want to be a driver, what challenges a driver faces etc. And questions about the company but thats it.

Search for threads about the DMI.

Hi sorry to come in late but have applied today and through to interview. Im looking for a career change but probably need a little more info can anyone sign post me in the direction of a threat or someone who has been through the apprentice program in the last two years ?

Questions I have are as follows

1) where does training take place ?
2) what is the percentage pass rate ? How likely is it to qualify ?
3) how long does it take to increase pay ? Is there increments up to full final salary and long does it take to achieve them ?
4) how many consecutive days working are there then how many days off ?
5) can you earn overtime ?
6) is there career progression beyond driving ?
7) what is the salary pension contributions?
8) what is the retirement age ?

Sorry to be a pain in the bum I just can’t find the answers in the detail I want ! Thanks

 

[KP26]

Hi sorry to come in late but have applied today and through to interview. Im looking for a career change but probably need a little more info can anyone sign post me in the direction of a threat or someone who has been through the apprentice program in the last two years ?

Questions I have are as follows

1) where does training take place ?
2) what is the percentage pass rate ? How likely is it to qualify ?
3) how long does it take to increase pay ? Is there increments up to full final salary and long does it take to achieve them ?
4) how many consecutive days working are there then how many days off ?
5) can you earn overtime ?
6) is there career progression beyond driving ?
7) what is the salary pension contributions?
8) what is the retirement age ?

Sorry to be a pain in the bum I just can’t find the answers in the detail I want ! Thanks

Hi Lenny, I am a driver with LNER so can answer your questions (I went through the apprenticeship in 2020 and qualified early last year).

The the first 3 months of training take place in York in the talent academy above platform 9 at the station. With some odd days in either London/Leeds/Newcastle depending on simulator availability. After that training will be at your chosen depot shadowing a driver trainer.

Pass rate is very high! I’ve not known many not qualify. Just need to put the hard work in.

Salary during classroom training is roughly £30,000. Once you are driving trains with an instructor it rises to £40,000 then when you qualify and drive trains on your own it goes straight to the full salary which is currently £70,715 (without London weighting).

Consecutive days on varies on depot. However it’s usually 4/5 with 2/3 days off after.

Overtime is available. It’s paid at basic rate plus a set day off payment.

Career progression would be along the lines of driver trainer/driver team manager/classroom trainer (pretty limited).

Sorry I’m not sure on exact pension contribution but it’s a final salary pension scheme.

Retirement age is standard. However due to the great pension scheme and people doing many years in the job a lot retire prematurely.

Hope that helps!

 

[TreacleMiller]

Hi Lenny, I am a driver with LNER so can answer your questions (I went through the apprenticeship in 2020 and qualified early last year).

The the first 3 months of training take place in York in the talent academy above platform 9 at the station. With some odd days in either London/Leeds/Newcastle depending on simulator availability. After that training will be at your chosen depot shadowing a driver trainer.

Pass rate is very high! I’ve not known many not qualify. Just need to put the hard work in.

Salary during classroom training is roughly £30,000. Once you are driving trains with an instructor it rises to £40,000 then when you qualify and drive trains on your own it goes straight to the full salary which is currently £70,715 (without London weighting).

Consecutive days on varies on depot. However it’s usually 4/5 with 2/3 days off after.

Overtime is available. It’s paid at basic rate plus a set day off payment.

Career progression would be along the lines of driver trainer/driver team manager/classroom trainer (pretty limited).

Sorry I’m not sure on exact pension contribution but it’s a final salary pension scheme.

Retirement age is standard. However due to the great pension scheme and people doing many years in the job a lot retire prematurely.

Hope that helps!

None of that has changed in 2022 from my contract. However the pension is not finally salary, at least not now. Its a salary sacrifice defined contribution scheme from what ive read.

 

[SarahDee]

• The Railway Pension Scheme is a first class occupational pension scheme.
• The Trustee Company ensures that your benefits are safe and secure.
• A website is available for you to access information on your pension.

The Railways Pension Scheme is the defined benefit (also known as "final salary") pension arrangement for rail industry employees or the Industry Wide Defined Contribution (IWDC) pension scheme . Our section of the pension scheme is East Coast Mainline Company.

This is from LNER website so should still be final salary. Contributions from your salary will be fairly significant I imagine. But it will be a very good pension.

 

[KP26]

None of that has changed in 2022 from my contract. However the pension is not finally salary, at least not now. Its a salary sacrifice defined contribution scheme from what ive read.

Ah I’m not sure if it’s changed then. I have been with LNER since 2018 (was in a different role before) and mine is final salary.

 

[TreacleMiller]

Just missed out it seems. Damn. Unless im reading my statement wrong but effectively the text is identical to my current pension.

 

[Traindriver99]

Hi Lenny, I am a driver with LNER so can answer your questions (I went through the apprenticeship in 2020 and qualified early last year).

The the first 3 months of training take place in York in the talent academy above platform 9 at the station. With some odd days in either London/Leeds/Newcastle depending on simulator availability. After that training will be at your chosen depot shadowing a driver trainer.

Pass rate is very high! I’ve not known many not qualify. Just need to put the hard work in.

Salary during classroom training is roughly £30,000. Once you are driving trains with an instructor it rises to £40,000 then when you qualify and drive trains on your own it goes straight to the full salary which is currently £70,715 (without London weighting).

Consecutive days on varies on depot. However it’s usually 4/5 with 2/3 days off after.

Overtime is available. It’s paid at basic rate plus a set day off payment.

Career progression would be along the lines of driver trainer/driver team manager/classroom trainer (pretty limited).

Sorry I’m not sure on exact pension contribution but it’s a final salary pension scheme.

Retirement age is standard. However due to the great pension scheme and people doing many years in the job a lot retire prematurely.

Hope that helps!

Hello.
I have just searched on Internet the salary for the other roles as a progression after being train driver for LNER, and it seems that roles such as train manager, driver trainer ect are paid around 40k per year, is that correct? If it is so, it would be unfair because the salary would drop dramatically from 70k to 40k, which might cause some issues into the financial family, especially with children... I hope that a train driver, if want one day to progress as a train driver manager or similar, the company would consider that they used to work as a train driver for years and they would maintain more or less the same 70k. I think a train driver driving fast train like LNER cannot perform properly until the retirement, as the speed of making decision at the age, let's say, of 25 is faster than at the age of 60. So at the age of 50 or even less I think that if some driver realise slower reaction than when he was 25, he might consider or move to slower speed trains or , again, working as a train driver manager or similar. I think LNER does not allow drivers to driver until age of 60. What do you think?

 

[Class2ldn]

Hello.
I have just searched on Internet the salary for the other roles as a progression after being train driver for LNER, and it seems that roles such as train manager, driver trainer ect are paid around 40k per year, is that correct? If it is so, it would be unfair because the salary would drop dramatically from 70k to 40k, which might cause some issues into the financial family, especially with children... I hope that a train driver, if want one day to progress as a train driver manager or similar, the company would consider that they used to work as a train driver for years and they would maintain more or less the same 70k. I think a train driver driving fast train like LNER cannot perform properly until the retirement, as the speed of making decision at the age, let's say, of 25 is faster than at the age of 60. So at the age of 50 or even less I think that if some driver realise slower reaction than when he was 25, he might consider or move to slower speed trains or , again, working as a train driver manager or similar. I think LNER does not allow drivers to driver until age of 60. What do you think?

I think your talking rubbish pal, plenty of drivers doing the same job at 60, 65 etc.
The 40k manager jobs are not driver managers they are local ops managers who do admin and stuff and generally aren't train drivers .

 

[Traindriver99]

I think your talking rubbish pal, plenty of drivers doing the same job at 60, 65 etc.
The 40k manager jobs are not driver managers they are local ops managers who do admin and stuff and gently aren't train drivers .

Isn't it risky for safety reasons to let a driver aged 60 or more driving a fast train like LNER? It is not a job like working in the office, and I think you need to be young in terms of reactions to even, which I think it is not easy for someone who is aged 60 or more driving a fast train, unless there is authomatic command like into a flight deck or an aircraft...

 

[Class2ldn]

Not at all, absolute rubbish, it has nothing to do with driving a fast train, are you trying to say people are capable of driving a slow local train but not a high speed train just because they are 60?? You're on another planet lol

 

[Traindriver99]

Not at all, absolute rubbish, it has nothing to do with driving a fast train, are you trying to say people are capable of driving a slow local train but not a high speed train just because they are 60?? You're on another planet lol

Well, they do investigations in many company if they think they do something wrong for no reasons and they fire very easily for certain profession, so I would not surprise if they would consider that, simply because they put the safety of the passenger as a first priority.

 

[TJ123]

Hello.
I have just searched on Internet the salary for the other roles as a progression after being train driver for LNER, and it seems that roles such as train manager, driver trainer ect are paid around 40k per year, is that correct? If it is so, it would be unfair because the salary would drop dramatically from 70k to 40k, which might cause some issues into the financial family, especially with children... I hope that a train driver, if want one day to progress as a train driver manager or similar, the company would consider that they used to work as a train driver for years and they would maintain more or less the same 70k. I think a train driver driving fast train like LNER cannot perform properly until the retirement, as the speed of making decision at the age, let's say, of 25 is faster than at the age of 60. So at the age of 50 or even less I think that if some driver realise slower reaction than when he was 25, he might consider or move to slower speed trains or , again, working as a train driver manager or similar. I think LNER does not allow drivers to driver until age of 60. What do you think?

As mentioned in a previous post the 40K train manager jobs are the guards on LNER with additional responsibilities not Driver Team Managers I believe at LNER they are on about mid 70k. The traditional route for a driver if they wanted to progress is normally Driver Instructor, Driver Team Manager, Operations Manager. There are other routes such as becoming a trainer at the training school or going into operation standards or different projects such as ERTMS.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 May 2022 ==

Drivers are assessed on a regular basis, nothing to do with how fast the train can go, even suburban, regional trains have complex route risks

 

[Shunted]

Hello.
I have just searched on Internet the salary for the other roles as a progression after being train driver for LNER, and it seems that roles such as train manager, driver trainer ect are paid around 40k per year, is that correct? If it is so, it would be unfair because the salary would drop dramatically from 70k to 40k, which might cause some issues into the financial family, especially with children... I hope that a train driver, if want one day to progress as a train driver manager or similar, the company would consider that they used to work as a train driver for years and they would maintain more or less the same 70k. I think a train driver driving fast train like LNER cannot perform properly until the retirement, as the speed of making decision at the age, let's say, of 25 is faster than at the age of 60. So at the age of 50 or even less I think that if some driver realise slower reaction than when he was 25, he might consider or move to slower speed trains or , again, working as a train driver manager or similar. I think LNER does not allow drivers to driver until age of 60. What do you think?

I think you should concentrate on getting on a course to be a driver which you appear to be trying to do before worrying about peoples ages, how fast trains are and getting muddled up with salaries!