Northern Trainee Driver process (Another copper...)

[Humez]

Yet another Police Officer looking at making the jump across to the railways...

I was wondering if anyone had recently gone through the trainee driver process with Northern and what are the different stages? I believe each TOC runs the process slightly different.

I am currently 60% through my online application however there a some questions where I'm struggling on what they are looking for. One example being 'why are you leaving your current role?'. I imagine putting "the jobs f*****" isn't something they are wanting to hear

I have no experience of the railways and I don't know anyone personally who works or has worked in the railway industry.

Any ex-police that could give any advice or anyone employed by Northern that would be able to help please?

I have read that Northern are struggling for drivers at the moment. Is this something that I should be worried about and maybe look at other TOCs or is this common?



(Happy to receive direct messages)

 

[RossMc]

Yet another Police Officer looking at making the jump across to the railways...

I was wondering if anyone had recently gone through the trainee driver process with Northern and what are the different stages? I believe each TOC runs the process slightly different.

I am currently 60% through my online application however there a some questions where I'm struggling on what they are looking for. One example being 'why are you leaving your current role?'. I imagine putting "the jobs f*****" isn't something they are wanting to hear

I have no experience of the railways and I don't know anyone personally who works or has worked in the railway industry.

Any ex-police that could give any advice or anyone employed by Northern that would be able to help please?

I have read that Northern are struggling for drivers at the moment. Is this something that I should be worried about and maybe look at other TOCs or is this common?



(Happy to receive direct messages)

"It was my childhood dream to be a police officer and I've achieved that dream for the last ** years.

I now think it's time for a new career path and feel that the transferable skills i have a learnt in the police make me an ideal candidate.

In recent years, I have fallen out of love with policing for numerous reasons (eg cuts, lack of resources, declining pay and conditions, way treated by public, organisation etc) and I find myself attracted to a new career path in rail.

The salary, a better work/life balance, the impressive benefits and an industry which the government are boosting with large amounts of funding appeal to me.

I'm aware of numerous officers who have made the switch, thoroughly enjoy it, and who possess similar skills as I do."

Or something like that

 

[SouthernStar]

Just be honest! Say you’re leaving because you no longer enjoy being a police officer and that you want change, and you’re looking for a new opportunity.

 

[SiTheTrainGuy]

@CJBX might have some insight for you.

 

[CJBX]

Feel free to PM me.

I had zero experience of the railways until I started as a driver in March.

 

[GPR]

Railway love the police and firemen joining as drivers so you have a good chance there already.
Tend to find a lot on courses.

 

[Humez]

Thank you. I am unfortunately unable to PM you due to lack posts I have created. Does it give you the option to PM me?

 

[ic31420]

Just write it like a VPS!

Focus on what your experience brings to the role. Critical thinking, working alone and as part of a team, used to working unsociable hours, never knowing when your are finishing etc.

 

[43066]

"It was my childhood dream to be a police officer and I've achieved that dream for the last ** years.

I now think it's time for a new career path and feel that the transferable skills i have a learnt in the police make me an ideal candidate.

In recent years, I have fallen out of love with policing for numerous reasons (eg cuts, lack of resources, declining pay and conditions, way treated by public, organisation etc) and I find myself attracted to a new career path in rail.

The salary, a better work/life balance, the impressive benefits and an industry which the government are boosting with large amounts of funding appeal to me.

I'm aware of numerous officers who have made the switch, thoroughly enjoy it, and who possess similar skills as I do."

Or something like that

I’d say focus on positive reasons for joining the railway more than negative reasons for leaving the police. The government also aren’t boosting the railway with funding, quite the opposite at the moment, so saying that might come across as a little naive.

As others have said, plenty of ex police in the industry as there are transferable skills, best of luck with it.

 

[LKS]

I'm currently in talent pool for a trainee position. I'm currently working as a Paramedic, and there are many transferable skills from emergency service work into the railways.

There is a podcast on Spotify about leaving Police into other industries and there is one specific about Police to train driving.

Ep.41 From Policing to Train Driver with Matt Kent

Listen to this episode from The Blue Light Leavers Podcast on Spotify. From Policing to Train Driver with Matt Kent In this episode, I'm talking with Matthew (Matt) Kent. Now I think this episode is going to be incredibly popular, because Matthew is a former Police Officer, who left after 10...

open.spotify.com

May be worth a listen


Good luck

Yet another Police Officer looking at making the jump across to the railways...

I was wondering if anyone had recently gone through the trainee driver process with Northern and what are the different stages? I believe each TOC runs the process slightly different.

I am currently 60% through my online application however there a some questions where I'm struggling on what they are looking for. One example being 'why are you leaving your current role?'. I imagine putting "the jobs f*****" isn't something they are wanting to hear

I have no experience of the railways and I don't know anyone personally who works or has worked in the railway industry.

Any ex-police that could give any advice or anyone employed by Northern that would be able to help please?

I have read that Northern are struggling for drivers at the moment. Is this something that I should be worried about and maybe look at other TOCs or is this common?



(Happy to receive direct messages)

 

[RossMc]

I’d say focus on positive reasons for joining the railway more than negative reasons for leaving the police. The government also aren’t boosting the railway with funding, quite the opposite at the moment, so saying that might come across as a little naive.

As others have said, plenty of ex police in the industry as there are transferable skills, best of luck with it.

ORR approves £4.6bn plan to deliver a safe and customer focused railway for Scotland | Office of Rail and Road

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has today set out its final determination of Network Rail Scotland’s £4.6bn plan to deliver a safe and customer focussed railway in the five years from April 2024, known as Control Period 7 (CP7).

www.orr.gov.uk

Scotland commits to rail with 4.2 billion pound investment programme

The latest plan for Scotland’s Railway, published in collaboration with Network Rail, is a bid to create a safer, greener, and more reliable railway. The ambitious 4.2 billion pound (4.9 billion euro) five-year plan sets out a comprehensive strategy for Control Period 7 (2024-2029), commonly...

www.railfreight.com

A fairly decent sum of money to enhance the rail network. The police don't receive such funding for improvements.

 

[Ducatist4]

I wouldn't mention pay, benefits or work life balance (you'll be working shifts, weekends, bank holidays with early starts and late finishes etc so its still not going to be great!) as a reason for changing. Stress your desire for serving the public, your transferable skills and also why you chose Northern over the other operators.

 

[43066]

ORR approves £4.6bn plan to deliver a safe and customer focused railway for Scotland | Office of Rail and Road

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has today set out its final determination of Network Rail Scotland’s £4.6bn plan to deliver a safe and customer focussed railway in the five years from April 2024, known as Control Period 7 (CP7).

www.orr.gov.uk

Scotland commits to rail with 4.2 billion pound investment programme

The latest plan for Scotland’s Railway, published in collaboration with Network Rail, is a bid to create a safer, greener, and more reliable railway. The ambitious 4.2 billion pound (4.9 billion euro) five-year plan sets out a comprehensive strategy for Control Period 7 (2024-2029), commonly...

www.railfreight.com

A fairly decent sum of money to enhance the rail network. The police don't receive such funding for improvements.

That’s capital expenditure by Network Rail, and it’s in Scotland. It has no relevance to driver roles at Northern.

The railway in England is currently in the longest industrial dispute since the 1980s, op ex and cap ex budgets have been frozen/reduced, so with all due respect going into a traincrew role interview and saying money is being thrown at the railway won’t make you sound like you’re particularly clued up .

 

[RossMc]

That’s capital expenditure by Network Rail, and it’s in Scotland. It has no relevance to driver roles at Northern.

The railway in England is currently in the longest industrial dispute since the 1980s, op ex and cap ex budgets have been frozen/reduced, so with all due respect going into a traincrew role interview and saying money is being thrown at the railway won’t make you sound like you’re particularly clued up .

I live in Scotland so its relevant to me. My post was an idea as he was looking for suggestions. I wasn't telling him to say that exact quote. It's up to him work out what to say. Take the part about money out if its not relevant to Northern. Next time I won't bother making suggestions and keep any thoughts to myself.

I wouldn't mention pay, benefits or work life balance (you'll be working shifts, weekends, bank holidays with early starts and late finishes etc so its still not going to be great!) as a reason for changing. Stress your desire for serving the public, your transferable skills and also why you chose Northern over the other operators.

My local DTM said the exact opposite. Be honest. You wouldn't be applying for the job if it was £20k a year.

 

[43066]

I live in Scotland so its relevant to me.

Ok, but this thread is discussing the trainee driver process at Northern, and things are totally different south of the border.

 

[RossMc]

Ok, but this thread is discussing the trainee driver process at Northern, and things are totally different south of the border.

Yeah OK fair enough. I was more going down the police officer route that was being asked, rather than the specifics of where they are applying.

 

[bigdoor]

Copper here,

I am currently in the talent pool having completed the intial interview and the assessment day (god knows how long i'll be waiting on for a start date, but im preparing myself for a re-interview). I have also heard that the railway do like to employ ex police/fire etc. Mainly because we are so used to the shift work.

You should have loads of transferrable skills, talk about those. Response drivers concentrate and maintain their focus for long periods of time at high speed whilst taking in potential hazards and information such as road signs. Things like that. Health and safety (fuction check on a taser). You'll be fine.

My issue is going to be with the medical. got slight reduced hearing and tinitus in my right ear. But we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.