Private Driver Assessment Test

[Sly Sloth]

The hotel room (at the hotel where the tests were taken) was invaluable.

Cannot overstate how much a stress free start to the day makes a positive impact on performance.

This is great advice which can be used in a multiple of ways!
It can save on travelling
It can mean not having to get up at some ungodly hour if you live miles away
Or, as in my mates case, saves on the stress of dealing with anything on the morning of the tests, he lives 20 minutes walk from where the tests were sat!

 

[Carl98k]

This is great advice which can be used in a multiple of ways!
It can save on travelling
It can mean not having to get up at some ungodly hour if you live miles away
Or, as in my mates case, saves on the stress of dealing with anything on the morning of the tests, he lives 20 minutes walk from where the tests were sat!

Totally agree. When I did my tests I had a hotel the night before. I even walked to the test centre the night before to make sure I knew where it was. Luckily I did. The address was wrong and some candidates turned up last minute as they couldn’t find the place.

 

[Spincity]

Have you contacted RCG themselves? Someone seemed to think the cost was around £500 last year, so £1000 sounds a lot!

https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...c-psychometric-assesment.237296/#post-5855595

I echo what others have said above though and would suggest you really think it through before spending hard earned money that way.

And even though it maybe £500, although no price/availability on the website so not easy to confirm anything …still doesn’t help getting past the application stage, are they assessing against national or enhanced standards. Will they do the extra tests for all TOCs, CBI, will they confirm what TOCs the test scores have met, or do you still apply and then find your out of the travel times or resit tests?. Lots of questions need to be asked depending on the TOC the candidate is interested in working for.

 

[LCC106]

I totally agree. I’m another that would recommend saving money but the OP has stated he or she doesn’t want that advice.

 

[Stigy]

Why did it help?. Surely he would have applied at the same time as others, still done the DMI at the same time. Apart from spending £££££ on the assessment that others got for free I’m struggling to see a benefit to get a job.

It can help to have psychometric assessments under your belt almost certainly. I mean, if the TOC/FOC has applications on their desk from people who don’t need to be assessed, it’s one less thing for them to consider.

Of course, some TOCs/FOCs will make candidates retake them regardless, or not be that bothered in general, but it certainly can help and I think it did with me, if not just to speed the process up.

 

[felixflyer]

Just as an update to this for anyone else looking to do a private test.

It looks like nobody does this anymore.

H2B & OPC have replied saying they no longer do it
RCG don't answer the phone or email and the website shows no dates available

Looks like the only way is via a job application now.

 

[dooton]

Just as an update to this for anyone else looking to do a private test.

It looks like nobody does this anymore.

H2B & OPC have replied saying they no longer do it
RCG don't answer the phone or email and the website shows no dates available

Looks like the only way is via a job application now.

Which is how it should be. Otherwise you end up like aviation where only those with money have a decent shot.

 

[AverageJoe]

Which is how it should be. Otherwise you end up like aviation where only those with money have a decent shot.

I’ve got a friend who flies for easy jet.

He worked in Morrisons while doing his private licence (self funded)

He then applied and was accepted on an apprenticeship which lead to his now career.

Being a pilot isn’t only for the rich. Most took out huge loans and work then off throughout their career.

 

[felixflyer]

Which is how it should be. Otherwise you end up like aviation where only those with money have a decent shot.

Sorry, but that just isn't true. As someone who has been there and done that I can assure you there are people from all backgrounds that have self-funded their pilot training and got jobs.

There are fully funded opportunities that come up every now and then and it is these positions that tend to be given to those either with an expensive education or family connections.

 

[Gemz91]

Which is how it should be. Otherwise you end up like aviation where only those with money have a decent shot.

I’d have never been able to pay for the tests myself, even on a drivers wage with a young family, I’d struggle to see where id have the money available to save up to pay for them myself.

 

[Carl98k]

Sorry, but that just isn't true. As someone who has been there and done that I can assure you there are people from all backgrounds that have self-funded their pilot training and got jobs.

There are fully funded opportunities that come up every now and then and it is these positions that tend to be given to those either with an expensive education or family connections.

Exactly, BA have just opened applications up for this. And my mate has started a fully funded course with Tui.

I’d have never been able to pay for the tests myself, even on a drivers wage with a young family, I’d struggle to see where id have the money available to save up to pay for them myself.

As a qualified driver? I know everyone’s personal circumstances are different, but surely on a driver’s wages it’s possible.

 

[felixflyer]

I’d have never been able to pay for the tests myself, even on a drivers wage with a young family, I’d struggle to see where id have the money available to save up to pay for them myself.

But it was never the only option. It was an option for those thinking of changing careers and maybe taking a big salary drop while training. The cost of the test was small in comparison with lifestyle changes that might need to be considered.

In aviation it is always recommended that anyone thinking of going down this route, get their class 1 medical first before making any decisions on schools and finances etc. as without this there is no hope of a flying job. This is a more relevant comparison IMO.

 

[Gemz91]

Exactly, BA have just opened applications up for this. And my mate has started a fully funded course with Tui.


As a qualified driver? I know everyone’s personal circumstances are different, but surely on a driver’s wages it’s possible.

Your right, I could afford it, but I’d struggle to justify spending the money on the tests, which wouldn’t guarantee I would get the job, when I could spend my money more wisely on my family and children.

If the money guaranteed I’d get the job, or if they paid for tools for my trade it would be different.

 

[Carl98k]

Your right, I could afford it, but I’d struggle to justify spending the money on the tests, which wouldn’t guarantee I would get the job, when I could spend my money more wisely on my family and children.

If the money guaranteed I’d get the job, or if they paid for tools for my trade it would be different.

It’s easy for drivers to say that, and again I suppose on the job ect. I posted up the thread that a guy on my drivers course (FOC) paid for his tests. This was because they FOC advertised for trainees that had already passed the tests. He’d said in a talent pool that log his tests had expired. So for him, it was definitely the right decision. But it’s not right for everyone.

 

[12LDA28C]

Which is how it should be. Otherwise you end up like aviation where only those with money have a decent shot.

This is not true at all. As others have mentioned, applicants generally get through a few initial sifting stages and then sent for testing, nothing to do with anyone 'having money' or not and even if someone wanted to spend £500 or £1000 putting themselves through the tests that's rather different to the huge cost of paying for the training involved with obtaining a pilot's licence.

 

[Horizon22]

Okay I think this topic has reached its end now. If people want to talk about aviation training, I suggest you do so in the approriate forum in "Other Transport".