LNER Trainee Driver Jobs (18/03/2020)

[387star]

weren't a load of trainee not taken on not long ago when it was virgin east coast? hopefully some who lost out then get another chance?

 

[Owen2323]

I'm a little surprised to see so many people getting knocked back so early on the online tests!? When TPE were recruiting I'm sure some people were suggesting that speed was a factor as well as accuracy - what are people's thoughts on this?

 

[Ludus]

Just applied, instant rejection email after failing the SJT... I never understand these things sometimes, each answer was answered with safety as the number one priority. Never know how to improve if they don't tell us where we've gone wrong, unless they are actually expecting us to drive if we haven't slept and don't want us reporting intoxicated colleagues to line managers?

Wasn't too fussed anyway, not sure HST is for me, but frustrating either way!

Good luck to anyone that progresses further!

 

[TBDDesiro]

Application In, done the test no rejection yet?

 

[Cyclist]

I'm a little surprised to see so many people getting knocked back so early on the online tests!? When TPE were recruiting I'm sure some people were suggesting that speed was a factor as well as accuracy - what are people's thoughts on this?

I undertook this test on the assumption there was no time limit and failed it. Not sure.

 

[Duns2208]

I was one of the VTEC lot who didn’t get a role, applied again but immediate rejection after SJE, like others I don’t know where I go wrong on these, everything safety first and have in the last 4 years passed 4 of them (as they’re all similar) but failed 2 also. I guess they don’t give feedback as we’d all then pass. Hopefully those successful have better outcome than when VTEC were running it and best of luck

 

[C J Snarzell]

I'm very surprised that LNER have advertised this role in light of everything that is going on.

I wouldn't think HR's will be organising assessment days until further notice.

I reckon everyone who gets passed the first stage of the application will probably be in for a long wait.

CJ

 

[heedfan]

I was one of the VTEC lot who didn’t get a role, applied again but immediate rejection after SJE, like others I don’t know where I go wrong on these, everything safety first and have in the last 4 years passed 4 of them (as they’re all similar) but failed 2 also. I guess they don’t give feedback as we’d all then pass. Hopefully those successful have better outcome than when VTEC were running it and best of luck

I'm in exactly the same boat as you. Frustrating. Best of luck to everyone

 

[railwanabe]

Application In, done the test no rejection yet?

Those that did not get rejection email what type of answers did you choose for after long nights sleep? Unapproachable Driver? Etc

 

[Ludus]

I'm very surprised that LNER have advertised this role in light of everything that is going on.

I wouldn't think HR's will be organising assessment days until further notice.

I reckon everyone who gets passed the first stage of the application will probably be in for a long wait.

CJ

I'm also surprised, I don't expect anyone will be getting an assessment date until the end of this year at best. I have no idea why they chose now as the best time to release applications, you'd think they would have held them off until later in the year when things are a little more certain. Strange...

 

[na281093]

I'm also surprised, I don't expect anyone will be getting an assessment date until the end of this year at best. I have no idea why they chose now as the best time to release applications, you'd think they would have held them off until later in the year when things are a little more certain. Strange...

Maybe they’re advertising now as they know they will have a huge amount of time to really go through the paper sift and weed out the best CVs and applicants for whenever the assessment days begin again.

 

[JonnyBoxer]

I received the rejection e-mail as well following the on line test. I thought I had taken a safety based approach - but who knows. I did a very similar on line test with another TOC recently, taking the same approach and was passed onto a second test afterwards.

Best wishes and good luck to all those who have progressed.

 

[Ludus]

I received the rejection e-mail as well following the on line test. I thought I had taken a safety based approach - but who knows. I did a very similar on line test with another TOC recently, taking the same approach and was passed onto a second test afterwards.

Best wishes and good luck to all those who have progressed.

There does appear to be a high fail rate with this SJT, I've never seen so many people fail one. I've also never had issues with SJT's in the past and this is the first one I've failed myself.
This is the problem when they don't give you any feedback, maybe we're not failing the SJT but something else is causing the rejections outside of the SJT? When they don't give any reason as to why you failed it's impossible to know what to change and how to improve next time. Sometimes it does feel like a massive waste of time.

IMO SJTs are completely flawed by design. They present you scenarios and ask you what you would do when we're not even qualified to have an opinion. If they want my honest answer, I would respond to each situation as I was trained and following company rules and procedures. That's the only right answer and without the proper training, how are we supposed to know?

 

[Bubba]

They present you scenarios and ask you what you would do when we're not even qualified to have an opinion.

Sort of agree with what you are saying, though I guess part of it is trying to understand how you think based on your current life experience regardless of whether you have railway training.

 

[JonnyBoxer]

Hi

I’m quite new to the whole process of trying to become a train driver and reading through posts and guidance on these forums there appears never to be a rhyme or reason to these things (clearly there is - somewhere).

Onwards and upwards...

 

[dan4291]

Another one who's failed the SJT straightaway, after getting quite far along with another TOC!

 

[Ludus]

Sort of agree with what you are saying, though I guess part of it is trying to understand how you think based on your current life experience regardless of whether you have railway training.

Of course, some scenarios are better than others. However as an example, this one asked you what you would do and who you would contact if there was a hole in a fence next to a high-speed line or what would you do if your onboard emergency systems activated, how do you fix this and who do you contact etc... these are just ridiculous things to ask an applicant, there's only one correct answer to each scenario and that will be taught to you during training, so no matter what your personal opinion is, you do what you were trained to.

 

[Driver068]

In terms of LNER stance with this process i am gonna assume the plan was to advertise these roles for this time of year months ago and with the outcome of covid19 happening at the same time. So i guess its been planned in advance.

Also id be assuming this recruitment drive is in preperation of maybe December 2020 and/or May 2021 timetable changes, meaning extra services and replacement of drivers.

There has to be some sence of moving along with things and life goes on as there is still a need for drivers so recruiting them whilst keeping the risks low as possible for infection is a hard balancing act. But needs to be done.

 

[Twotwo]

Some of them questions would have been difficult to answer if you don't have a railway background. I.e who to contact if a safety system was faulty and can't remember the tests but it wasn't as easy as I thought it'd be.

 

[Driver068]

I hope those who wanted to apply have done so already.
Vacancy has just closed

Good luck

 

[deanmachine]

I hope those who wanted to apply have done so already.
Vacancy has just closed

Good luck

So I'm guessing that means at least some people would have passed? Finished mine about 30 minutes ago, rejected immediately.

 

[Ludus]

I hope those who wanted to apply have done so already.
Vacancy has just closed

Good luck

Still showing live on the site for me?
https://lnerjobs.co.uk/jobs/vacancy/trainee-driver-0401/419/description/

 

[Driver068]

Is that through your account or going through LNERs home page. Ive just double checked in case i was wrong but im not finding it on their careers page.

Apologies if miss communication but im not finding it

 

[Juliet Barvo]

Instant rejection email as per above. At least they're not keeping us 'hanging on' like usual toc applications.

I know of more than one Qualified Driver, amongst the highest scoring in the Country on the Psychometric Tests, know the Rulebook word for word, with perfect assessments once qualified, incredibly caring for their customers, but they always fail those Situational Judgement Tests.

Makes you wonder.

 

[na281093]

Applied myself and instantly rejected. Seems a strange one they must have some kind of automated system where if you don’t hit a certain high score it sends out a rejection email. I have passed and failed SJTs before but I’ve never been rejected within a minute of completing a test.

 

[xtradj]

Another fail here. Despite as you all say taking the safety approach.

It would be interesting to take the opposite approach if I had the chance again. Surprised actually. Unless of course they are looking for the smallest percent of people ie getting more or less 14/15 exactly correct

 

[Cyclist]

Unless of course they are looking for the smallest percent of people ie getting more or less 14/15 exactly correct

I think they have indeed probably set a very very high benchmark. Wouldn't surprise me if they've even set it at 100%.

 

[Ludus]

Judging by the amount of fails here, a 100% requirement looks likely...

 

[JonnyBoxer]

Judging by the amount of fails here, a 100% requirement looks likely...

Wouldn’t that make the single test in itself, without any train driving experience or training not a good reflection of a candidate’s all round ability. Or is it mitigated by the shear volume of applicants LNER will no doubt receive for these position(s).

 

[xtradj]

Wouldn’t that make the single test in itself, without any train driving experience or training not a good reflection of a candidate’s all round ability. Or is it mitigated by the shear volume of applicants LNER will no doubt receive for these position(s).

I imagine most of these roles were filled internally last month and the external process is looking for a select few only. The amount of apps they will get they know they can be as hard as possible on pass rates

 

[xtradj]

I think they have indeed probably set a very very high benchmark. Wouldn't surprise me if they've even set it at 100%.

I think you are right here