Network Rail Advanced Apprenticeship.

[Sparky-]

Dear All,

I have applied to the Network Rail Advanced Apprenticeship for this year.

I have passed the situational judgement test, the online test and been to the assessment day. I am now waiting to find out if I have recieved an offer, reserve or no offer.

Please could any current or ex apprentices & NR employee's involved in the apprenticeshop scheme please give me any advice at this stage or tell me a bit about your time on the apprenticeship?

Thanks in advance.

ATB,
Sparky-

 

[Sparky-]

Hi there,

I have now been put on a reserve list for the Network Rail Advanced Apprenticeship.

The email I recieved was as follows:-

Candidate ID Number: [redacted]

Dear [redacted]

Thank you so much for taking the time to attend a assessment centre with Network Rail.

Unfortunately, the competition for this scheme was exceptionally strong and, after much consideration, we’re not going to be able to offer you a definite place on the scheme for this year.

However, because we have been so impressed by your overall performance, we’d really like to add your details to our reserve list in case a position does become available. This means that if a place becomes available, (for example, if someone withdraws their application), we will contact you again to make an offer of a place on the scheme to you.

As you know all of our apprentices need to receive security clearance to live and work at our training centre in Gosport. In order to help speed up the process should we be able to make you an offer, you will shortly receive an email from the Defence Business Service (DBS) to begin this process. Please be advised that this is no guarantee that you are going to be given a place on our Apprenticeship scheme and will only help speed up the process should we make you an offer.

You should aim to complete the application form within two weeks of receiving the notification from the DBS. Please also check your “junk mail” area frequently, especially if you have a Hotmail account, in case the email has been directed there (as the sender is not known to you). Their email address should start with “DBS-NSV”.

We have attached some instructions to help you complete this security check.

If you don’t want a place on the reserve list, just let us know by emailing us at [email protected]; otherwise we’ll assume that you’re happy for us to hold on to your details.

We’d be more than happy to give you feedback on your interview performance. If that’s something you’d be interested in, you’ll need to contact the recruitment team at the same address within three weeks of receiving this email. Please include the following information:

• Your name
• Your candidate ID number
• The programme you applied for
• The date of the event you attended

We will then send you an email to book yourself in for a feedback session..

Whilst we won’t be able to accept any new applications from you for this year’s Advanced Apprenticeship Scheme, we’d welcome your application for 2016/17 if you’re still interested in joining us.

You can also explore our other opportunities here:

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/careers/

Once again we would like to remind you that you have done very well in reaching this stage of the selection process and we hope we will be able to bring your application to a positive outcome for you.

Thanks again for your interest in Network Rail and we wish you every success in your future career.

Kind regards,

Advanced Apprenticeship Scheme Recruitment Team
Network Rail
0845 300 1432
[email protected]

I would like some advice on anything I can do to get through, this is very important to me as a career step and anything that may get me on the offer list would be great. Advice please? I have emailed them asking for feedback.

Yours,
Sparky-.

 

[Raty1]

I am also on the waiting list and if its any help I was asked to take some ID to a local centre earlier in the week due to my passport being out of date at the assessment day. They said at the time it would be ok and wouldn't ask me to take it if I wasnt needed. So I'm all worked up again now I may be offered something but still don't know yet. So like me just keep your fingers crossed.

 

[Sparky-]

I am also on the waiting list and if its any help I was asked to take some ID to a local centre earlier in the week due to my passport being out of date at the assessment day. They said at the time it would be ok and wouldn't ask me to take it if I wasnt needed. So I'm all worked up again now I may be offered something but still don't know yet. So like me just keep your fingers crossed.

Yeah, I'm living in hope. I'm half way through the DBS NSV check.

 

[Drewsy]

Hi folks

I've applied for this years intake (2016) and have also been put on the reserve list.

I was wondering how you got on ? Did you get offered a position ? Did you have to wait long ?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Anyone ?

 

[alxndr]

Back in 2013 it took 2-3 weeks to hear back from the interview, finally offered a place from the reserve list several months later if I remember correctly. It was quite a long drawn out process. I know they've rejigged the application process a bit since then, so the timings to hear anything may well have changed by now.

Good luck, I should be passing out in the next week or two as long as all the paperwork adds up and still very glad I did it.

 

[Drewsy]

Thanks Alxndr. . .so there is still hope !

 

[trainmania100]

Unfortunately I failed on the online test I am now in an IT apprenticeship

 

[Drewsy]

That's good you have something else lined up though

Received an email today to complete DBS.

 

[eurostarman]

deleted deleted deleted

 

[Drewsy]

Thanks eurostarman will do (if I get offered a place !)

 

[ZombieLaydee]

How did it go? Im starting the advanced apprenticeship scheme this year and it would be great to know some other people when I get there in September.

 

[Karun]

Hi, I have a telephone interview for the advanced apprenticeship scheme, could anybody give me some tips, and example questions, will be very much appreciated. Thank you.

 

[ZombieLaydee]

When is your interview? My phone interview was quite basic and followed the format of other network rail phone interviews (like the graduate scheme) that i found the questions for online. Questions I remember were, Why the rail industry and why network rail. Very generic basic questions and no competency based ones (they save that for the assessment centre). Its very short and sweet, basically just screening before you actually interview with anyone at network rail. It all depends what the competition is like for your particular area, Ive met some people that are really top notch apprentices and didnt get their first choice because the competition was so tough. Good luck, let us know how you get on.

 

[Karun]

When is your interview? My phone interview was quite basic and followed the format of other network rail phone interviews (like the graduate scheme) that i found the questions for online. Questions I remember were, Why the rail industry and why network rail. Very generic basic questions and no competency based ones (they save that for the assessment centre). Its very short and sweet, basically just screening before you actually interview with anyone at network rail. It all depends what the competition is like for your particular area, Ive met some people that are really top notch apprentices and didnt get their first choice because the competition was so tough. Good luck, let us know how you get on.

Thanks a lot, I managed to pass the telephone interview and I have an assessment centre tomorrow...fingers crossed

 

[ZombieLaydee]

Thats brilliant! How did it go? If you got it well done! If you got reserve dont fret as a lot of us got offered places from reserve and if you didnt get it make sure you book a feedfback session and try again next time!

 

[danbarnstall]

Out of interest what was the salary / length of apprenticeship?

 

[alxndr]

Out of interest what was the salary / length of apprenticeship?

The apprenticeship is 3 years long. Salary details are on this page.

We pay you £8,618 during your first year, plus £1,150 for successful completion. This rises to £12,055 in the second year and £14,364 in the third year. During your first year of training there will be a 20 week residential stay at Westwood, Network Rail’s training centre.

The salary is currently under review. Please check this page for updates.

 

[westbrom]

Do you hear either way if you have passed the telephone interview?
My son had his phone interview in December but heard nothing back yet.

 

[Ben.A.98]

I believe you should get an email either telling you if you have got through to the assessment center or not.

It can take a while for them to get back to you, and they are still taking applications so they might wait till it closes.

It took 6 months for me from submitting the application form to being offered a position.

If you have any further questions I might be able to help as I'm a year 2 signals apprentice.

 

[chrisyjulian67]

Thats brilliant! How did it go? If you got it well done! If you got reserve dont fret as a lot of us got offered places from reserve and if you didnt get it make sure you book a feedfback session and try again next time!

I attended an assesment centre in Larbert a couple of weeks ago and recieved an email telling me i was on the reserve list. The email makes it out like people on reserve list are reserves who take the place of people who drop out or fail medicals etc.. but i phoned the apprentice team and asked them more about it and they said there was still more assesment centres to be carried out for my area and they then make their mind up who they are taking when they are all complete. Im really hoping to get in this year.. as you said ZombieLaydee alot of reserves get taken on is that the case with people you know ?

 

[chrisyjulian67]

Also how strict is the medical what does it involve ?

 

[ZombieLaydee]

Reserves definitely do get offered places, I was on the reserve list and wondered why they kept pushing for me to do my clearance, now I'm here. Quite a few of the lads here were reserves too, it only means thst competiton was strong for your position but you are still one of the more impressive candidates across the board. My manager (who is the manager we all have for the residential part) was in Cardiff yesterday at another assessment centre, it's one of the last ones. Don't lose hope, if they gave you reserve you must have done something to get their interest.

As for the medical it depends what you consider strict. It includes drug and alcohol testing, hearing test, colour-blind test, the usual bmi stuff (I'm overweight and they feel the need to tell me this as if I don't know) It's basic stuff to ensure you can work track side. If you have any mental health issues they will have to ask about that (mine had a lot of extra steps because I'm bipolar and they have to do the right checks) If you have a long term condition they will ask about it to assess whether it affects your ability to do the job, and if any medication you are taking puts you at risk trackside. Sedating medications are of course dangerous in such situations. Happy to answer as much as you need, if I don't know I'll try ask my manager

 

[alxndr]

I also got through on the reserve list back back in 2013, as did quite a few people I know, so it does happen. It was explained to me that I passed the benchmark, but wasn't the very best. Obviously not everyone on the reserve list will get a place, but many do.

The medical is quite basic, so nothing to get too concerned over unless you have existing medical conditions which might compromise your safety out on track. It entails:

- Medical history questionnaire
- Height/weight (no set BMI restriction, but I believe that over a certain point they'll look at your general fitness to make a judgement)
- Blood pressure
- Hearing test
- Eyesight test, both distance and close range. Take your glasses if you ever wear them.
- Colour blindness test (not an automatic fail, but I believe there are some restrictions as to what disciplines you can work in).
- Breathalyser and drug test (pee in a pot). The drug test is the only thing that you won't get the results of on the day.

Best tip is to make sure you drink enough that you can pee, I'd not drunk anything on the day of my first medical, which didn't make things easy!

 

[chrisyjulian67]

Brilliant cheers for the information guys hopefully I get a call soon !

 

[jack_clarke]

Brilliant cheers for the information guys hopefully I get a call soon !

Im also on the reserve list for the advanced apprenticeship, have you received an email about the DBS yet?

 

[chrisyjulian67]

Im also on the reserve list for the advanced apprenticeship, have you received an email about the DBS yet?

Yeah I filled it in last week have you ?

 

[jack_clarke]

Yeah I filled it in last week have you ?

No i've not received it yet for some reason, I received this email 'However, because we have been so impressed by your overall performance, we’d really like to add your details to our reserve list in case a position does become available. This means that if a place becomes available, (for example, if someone withdraws their application), we will contact you again to make an offer of a place on the scheme to you.'
But nothing from DBS and when I log into my network rail account area there is no option to book a feedback session.
Do you have a contact number or anything?
cheers

 

[chrisyjulian67]

No i've not received it yet for some reason, I received this email 'However, because we have been so impressed by your overall performance, we’d really like to add your details to our reserve list in case a position does become available. This means that if a place becomes available, (for example, if someone withdraws their application), we will contact you again to make an offer of a place on the scheme to you.'
But nothing from DBS and when I log into my network rail account area there is no option to book a feedback session.
Do you have a contact number or anything?
cheers

You should receive it soon I received a similar email from Network Rail. I received an email from DBS maybe a week or so after the assessment centre. Check your junk email box as it may be there. If you contact network rail apprenticeship team on 01635 584137 they will help you out.

 

[chrisyjulian67]

Just had a phone call from the Glasgow office to go in with my passport. (My passport was expired at the assessment centre three weeks ago) don't know if I'm maybe getting my hopes up but why would they need that trees weeks later unless they maybe had an intention of offering me something ? Here's hoping