New Train Driver Assessment

[CyrusWuff]

It made my day reading that. I can do flow charts quite easily as I program computers on a daily basis. Probably the same kind of diagram that train drivers would consult when trying to localise an air leak, for example.

The Trainability for Rules and Procedures tests are only loosely based on real procedures, so that candidates from outside the industry have the same sort of chance as those who are in operational roles already.

 

[JCLeeds]

Just completed the first part of the new assessment regime (paper-based tests only), so I though I'd give an overview of the new tests.

First off, the Group Bourdon and TRP are done back-to-back. As far as I am aware, these are unchanged from the previous assessment, so plenty of information on them can be found elsewhere. As I understand it from the research papers on the selection of the new tests, the computerised Group Bourdon is no longer used.

The second half of the day was for the new TEA-Occ (Test of Everyday Attention for Occupational Assessment), which is done in 3 parts back-to-back:

First is an exercise where you must count low tones, interspersed with high tones that you must ignore. This was the part I found the most difficult, especially as 'low' and 'high' are relative. You cannot make any tally marks, and counting on your fingers is not going to help you (the tones are too quick, and often count above 10). Remember: the first tone you hear is always a 'low' tone, so you always start by counting 'one'.

Second is a test where you have to search a faux Yellow Pages for symbol pairs. There is a lot of flim-flam about going on holiday and having to hire a plumber, but that is irrelevant to the task. You also have a 'symbol card' on which four symbol pairs are shown, but there are only four varieties of symbols on the answer sheet so this also is a bit of indirection. What the test boils down to is ignoring any text on the answer sheet, and circling any and all pairs of matching symbols. That's it, and you have 45 seconds.

Third, you do the same symbol matching task (with some new waffle about finding a restaurant, again irrelevant) but at the same time you must count sequences of tones. Unlike the first task the tones are all the same, so this is much easier. There are several answer boxes on the answer sheet but you do not necessarily fill them all (e.g. there may be 15 answer boxes but you may only be played 8 sequences of beeps), so you cannot rely on looking at how many boxes are left to fill as to how much time you have left. You have 60 seconds.


The invigilator understandably kept schtum on any marking criteria for any of the tests, but we were told that OPC would mark the exercises within a week and hand them to the TOC, who may take another week before contacting anyone.

Great info Edz. Has the new TEA Occ replaced the old boppit-type reaction test then? And have they now dropped the Structure interview at assessment day, as was rumoured? Or do they now do those on seperate days? I'm counting down the days till I can apply again (Feb 14)

 

[DunfordBridge]

Great info Edz. Has the new TEA Occ replaced the old boppit-type reaction test then? And have they now dropped the Structure interview at assessment day, as was rumoured? Or do they now do those on seperate days? I'm counting down the days till I can apply again (Feb 14)

I will second that. My impression is that the DTG reaction test has been replaced by the Schufried WAFV test which also happens to measure vigilance, ie, sustained attention. I think the crack is that the test consists of both auditory and visual tests where you have to listen or watch out for occasional changes in the stimuli presented. Besides measuring sustained attention, it will also measure how quickly you react to the changes.

The Structured Interview has been replaced by a combination of the SJE (Situational Judegement Exercise) and the MMI (Multi-Modal Interview). These tests have been devised by the RSSB themselves rather than external entities. Rather than focusing on past experiences, you will also have to describe how you would behave in hypothetical situations. I am expecting much of the criteria to be the same.

I actually quite liked the DTG test. I would not have minded another go at the Structured Interview, just to prove that I could master it, but hopefully the new method will be as interesting. Not sure about this WAFV test though.

 

[Johncleesefan]

Heres one for u. I have recently passed stage one gb and trp (old style) with FGW. Now I have an assessment invite from east midland from depot driver. Coincidently on the same day as stage 2 with FGW. Obviously I shall be at stage 2 that day. As east midlands have invited me to new style stage 1 does old style stage 1 pass still count. I shall be ringing first thing monday

 

[welshjpc]

Your pass on group bourdon will count. Your pass on trp 1&2 will count. You will have to sit the added bits (tee-occ). Better than nothing!!!

 

[DunfordBridge]

I must admit to being perplexed by this matter as I formerly believed that all tests would have to be completed regardless. I remember seeing another post only the other day that would back up what Welshjpc is saying.

I personally believe that one of the possible reasons that the Group Bourdon has been retained in the new test regime, despite concerns about test security (internet downloads), is that anyone who is willing to perform this somewhat boring test day and night must have a high boredom threshold, which I understand is a desirable prerequisite for driving trains.

 

[Johncleesefan]

I spoke to East Mid HR to book, I do have to sit the whole assessment, doesnt bother me though, Just happy in invited along to the process in the first place

 

[DunfordBridge]

I spoke to East Mid HR to book, I do have to sit the whole assessment, doesnt bother me though, Just happy in invited along to the process in the first place

Thanks for the clarification, better prepare myself for more boredom.

All the best with the assessment!

 

[welshjpc]

Well that's different. Still waiting to hear from my DM interview with FGW (38 days and counting) and have been invited to stage 1 with LM. I contacted them to tell them that I have been successful in my old style stage 1 & 2 with FGW and they replied back saying that as I have passed GB & TRP1&2 then I will not need to sit them again, just the Tee-occ.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Well that's different. Still waiting to hear from my DM interview with FGW (38 days and counting) and have been invited to stage 1 with LM. I contacted them to tell them that I have been successful in my old style stage 1 & 2 with FGW and they replied back saying that as I have passed GB & TRP1&2 then I will not need to sit them again, just the Tee-occ.

My understanding is that what counts as "transferable" is for the individual FOCs and TOCs to decide, so TOC A may choose to accept passed under the old regime for, say, five years, whereas (as has been discovered here), TOC B will only seemingly recognise results from the "new" regime.

 

[JCLeeds]

This is all most confusing. I got as far as reaction test (boppit thing, old regime) and got a 'borderline pass' - as my TOC Northern (and it appears every other TOC in reality) dont accept borderline passes, it was a fail and I didnt do the last bit, the structured interview. So I passed everything else. I cant apply to any TOC again before February as DBS wont assess anyone for 6 months. So what can I expect to have to do if I pass another driver manager interview post-Feb?

 

[CyrusWuff]

This is all most confusing. I got as far as reaction test (boppit thing, old regime) and got a 'borderline pass' - as my TOC Northern (and it appears every other TOC in reality) dont accept borderline passes, it was a fail and I didnt do the last bit, the structured interview. So I passed everything else. I cant apply to any TOC again before February as DBS wont assess anyone for 6 months. So what can I expect to have to do if I pass another driver manager interview post-Feb?

Note that a borderline pass is still a pass, even though most (if not all) companies won't accept them to progress your application further. As such, they don't count as one of your two allowed failures.

 

[david_VI]

Any idea on this?

I passed all the assessments between March 2012 and November 2013 with GA. After I didn't pass my managers interview in September a person at HR said I would go straight through to the managers interview if I applied again but it was before the tests expire around May.. This was before these new tests so would you think it would still apply? Or will I have to do some again?

 

[DunfordBridge]

There is actually a document published by the RSSB about psychometric test FAQs which is relevant to this thread but as CyrusWuff suggests, there seems to be a certain amount of discretion as to how the different TOCs and FOCs execute the tests.

I am sure that the situation with the new tests is no different from before. As an example, some TOCs considered passes to be valid for three years whilst others maybe attributed longer validity to the results.

My advice is to assume nothing and just be prepared.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Having sat the assessments under the new regime, I can safely say that the Multi-Modal Interview is one of the toughest you'll ever experience, and I suspect it will prove to be my downfall.

I thought I'd picked good examples for each area, but they weren't specific enough, which threw me straight away. Couple that with being grilled for 10 to 15 minutes on each one and being interrupted in mid sentence (which is the height of rudeness IMO) if the interviewer doesn't like your answer or it's not detailed enough and having the question repeated, and it's not a pleasant experience.

So much so, in fact, that when I finally got out I was shaking and physically sick...and my (car) driving was all over the place so I had to pull over to the side of the road for a while to calm down.

Having passed everything else, to fail at this stage is going to be galling, to say the least.

 

[wills]

Having sat the assessments under the new regime, I can safely say that the Multi-Modal Interview is one of the toughest you'll ever experience, and I suspect it will prove to be my downfall.

I thought I'd picked good examples for each area, but they weren't specific enough, which threw me straight away. Couple that with being grilled for 10 to 15 minutes on each one and being interrupted in mid sentence (which is the height of rudeness IMO) if the interviewer doesn't like your answer or it's not detailed enough and having the question repeated, and it's not a pleasant experience.

So much so, in fact, that when I finally got out I was shaking and physically sick...and my (car) driving was all over the place so I had to pull over to the side of the road for a while to calm down.

Having passed everything else, to fail at this stage is going to be galling, to say the least.

Were the examples you have to give along the same lines (excuse the pun) as the old CBI??

Also did you get the random questions about imaginary situations??

Lastly, what were the computerised tests like??

Sorry to ask you so many questions but I am sure people are very interested to know.

As far as your experience with the MMI, this is roughly how I felt, not quite as bad however, after my last CBI. To be honest I thought I had failed the whole damn thing but in the end it turned out I failed on only one section of the CBI so don't beat yourself up too much at the moment, you never know what the results may be! #chinup!

 

[DunfordBridge]

You have left the cat out of the bag with that one, CyrusWuff. You must be the first person on these pages reported to have completed the new Multi-Modal Interview. It will be like kids queuing at Santa's Grotto wanting to know which questions were featured. As much as I hate to admit it, I am probably one of them.

I too found the CBI under the old system a bit intense. I can joke about it now but it was a bit like a famous scene out of a film from the mid-seventies, which was quite apt for one of my past-times. I do not mind admitting it, I was in need of some retail therapy afterwards so I treated myself to three new ties out of Tie Rack and some soap from Body Shop.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Having sat the assessments under the new regime, I can safely say that the Multi-Modal Interview is one of the toughest you'll ever experience, and I suspect it will prove to be my downfall.

Were the examples you have to give along the same lines (excuse the pun) as the old CBI??

Broadly speaking, yes, but they also use the Situational Judgement Exercise to guide their line of questioning.

The SJE is hosted on the RSSB site and comprises 21 scenarios with various actions you could take and you have to decide how helpful they'd be in resolving the situation.

Also did you get the random questions about imaginary situations??

Not during the interview. That's part of the SJE.

Lastly, what were the computerised tests like??

The vigilance test is similar to responding to AWS in that you get a sequence of images you don't need to respond to, with one that you do at random intervals. This lasts for 30 minutes.

Then there's what is essentially a memory test. You're shown an image for a couple of seconds (exact time varies for each) and need to remember which objects from a list of five are there. The list is the same for each image.

Finally there's the two hand co-ordination test. You have to move a ball along a path using two weighted joysticks. One moves it horizontaply, the other vertically. If you stray off the path a tone sounds and you have to get it back ASAP. This is repeated several times, though it's the same pattern each time.

 

[DunfordBridge]

Kudos to CyrusWuff for that valuable insight into stage 2. Forgive my semi-jocular manner but maybe people should be advised not to drive or use heavy machinery in the hours immediately afterwards. I for one had a confused moment where I nearly walked into some random room instead of the exit when I left the assessment. Managed to find the shopping centre easily enough however.

Going back to the Vigilance test, if I may be permitted to ask, but were the stimuli all visual as opposed to a mixture of images and sounds as suggested by the Schufried website.

 

[Jayo]

No message.

 

[wills]

Hi, could you please provide a link to this as I can't seem to find it.

I would imagine from what has been said that the SJE questions are held on the RSSB's site and that you are 'logged on' to it with a specific username and password when it is your time to take the test.

I would not think that anybody would be allowed to see the questions before the test.

 

[Jayo]

No Message

 

[142094]

Couple that with being grilled for 10 to 15 minutes on each one and being interrupted in mid sentence (which is the height of rudeness IMO) if the interviewer doesn't like your answer or it's not detailed enough and having the question repeated, and it's not a pleasant experience.

I have a feeling that this is a part of the whole process - i.e. how you handle pressure which will be a big part of the job. Quite a few people have stated that you are being assessed as soon as you walk through the door of the assessment centre, and not many people realise this.

 

[DunfordBridge]

I am not quite sure how that works with rail assessments but I have heard that is the case with other forns of recruitment. Probably if you are overhead uttering some kind of gaffe. It is quite possible that the assessment does not finish until you have left the building or in my case, nearly entering someone else's office.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Kudos to CyrusWuff for that valuable insight into stage 2. Forgive my semi-jocular manner but maybe people should be advised not to drive or use heavy machinery in the hours immediately afterwards. I for one had a confused moment where I nearly walked into some random room instead of the exit when I left the assessment. Managed to find the shopping centre easily enough however.

Given how gruelling an experience the interview is, that's actually good advice. Had I thought about it, I would've used public transport to get there and back, and probably booked a hotel near the venue for the night before the assessment.

Going back to the Vigilance test, if I may be permitted to ask, but were the stimuli all visual as opposed to a mixture of images and sounds as suggested by the Schufried website.

The relevant test on the Schuhfried site is the vigilance (visual) variation of WAFV, followed by ATAVT and rounded off with 2HAND.

I would imagine from what has been said that the SJE questions are held on the RSSB's site and that you are 'logged on' to it with a specific username and password when it is your time to take the test.

That's exactly what I meant. My apologies, should've made it clearer.

I have a feeling that this is a part of the whole process - i.e. how you handle pressure which will be a big part of the job. Quite a few people have stated that you are being assessed as soon as you walk through the door of the assessment centre, and not many people realise this.

That also wouldn't surprise me...Though the rest of the day was somewhat more relaxed. It was also a bit of a shock walking in and seeing just how few staff there were in the office, given the scale of the OPC's work.

 

[Faith]

In the interview did they question you at all about the SJE? And was there a lot of waiting around before the interview? Did anyone fail?

 

[DunfordBridge]

Given how gruelling an experience the interview is, that's actually good advice. Had I thought about it, I would've used public transport to get there and back, and probably booked a hotel near the venue for the night before the assessment.

In theory it sounds like a good idea but there was a fire alarm sounding in the middle of the night at the hotel where I stayed before my stage 2. My first choice of hotel in Watford was already booked although I wasted very little time. I must have spent ages on Trip Advisor. I may as well have printed off a hard copy of Google Maps and dropped a pin in the map.

Putting that aside, it still takes the stress out of parking, etc. I was just unlucky.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The relevant test on the Schuhfried site is the vigilance (visual) variation of WAFV, followed by ATAVT and rounded off with 2HAND.

Sounds better than I thought which I imagined was listening to an endless series of tones or maybe watching continual green squares. Got to be better than doing the reaction test on the BBC website with its annoying nodding sheep which never seem to move anywhere.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

That also wouldn't surprise me...Though the rest of the day was somewhat more relaxed. It was also a bit of a shock walking in and seeing just how few staff there were in the office, given the scale of the OPC's work.

Many of them may have been out on the road. I believe that they even have clients out in Australia. The stage 2 is probably carried out in Watford sometimes for the convenience of not having to transport the computer gear over long distances.

 

[benno79]

Can you park at the opc in watford?

 

[Faith]

Did you get asked any questions Directly about the SJEs? Or do they just ask you about your examples you give? Was there a long wait before your interview? Wonder how long they will take to get back to you...

 

[Jayo]

No Message