Qualified Driver Jobs??

[secretd.river]

Hi All,

Just wondering if anyone has any idea on any TOCs recruiting qualified drivers soon?

Instructors or Manager roles too.

Be good to have a thread with any info going, sure plenty are interested.

I’m Mainly looking at London based TOCs, just seem to be recruiting more trainees recently from what I see.

Any insider knowledge?

Cheers

 

[newtownmgr]

just check company websites. I’m guessing you a qualified driver already. Most companies require at least 3 years driving before becoming an instructor & 5 years, preferably with instructor experience as a driver manager. Whilst managers jobs may be advertised externally, instructor jobs are usually advertised within the depot.

 

[WizCastro197]

Hi All,

Just wondering if anyone has any idea on any TOCs recruiting qualified drivers soon?

Instructors or Manager roles too.

Be good to have a thread with any info going, sure plenty are interested.

I’m Mainly looking at London based TOCs, just seem to be recruiting more trainees recently from what I see.

Any insider knowledge?

Cheers

Go round to your local TOC(s) website(s) and sign up for job alerts.

Also check here as it is good way to know if here are vacancies (very rare that they aren't talked about on here) and its a good place to talk to those who are going through the same process.

You state you are from Kent, so it would have to be Southeastern unless you reside within 30-1hr minutes of London. Unfortunately a few moths there was a qualified driver vacancy for Southeastern but that is long gone.

 

[secretd.river]

Go round to your local TOC(s) website(s) and sign up for job alerts.

Also check here as it is good way to know if here are vacancies (very rare that they aren't talked about on here) and its a good place to talk to those who are going through the same process.

You state you are from Kent, so it would have to be Southeastern unless you reside within 30-1hr minutes of London. Unfortunately a few moths there was a qualified driver vacancy for Southeastern but that is long gone.

Yeah bordering London! Already do check frequently just wondering if anyone has any ideas of their TOCs recruiting for qualified drivers soon or when they regularly do so!

 

[WizCastro197]

Yeah bordering London! Already do check frequently just wondering if anyone has any ideas of their TOCs recruiting for qualified drivers soon or when they regularly do so!

If you are bordering London then it does open up a lot more opportunities. But even then the depot specified must be a London one

Southern have no vacancies at the moment. Sorry

Leep checking frequently as you are doing, eventually one will come up!

 

[Yfg132]

External Careers (Global)

External Careers (Global)

jobs.deutschebahngroup.careers

 

[WizCastro197]

Here! For Paddington

First UK Careers

First UK Careers, uk, careers, jobs, bus driver, train driver, engineer

ea1.earcu.com

 

[TTDARL]

External Careers (Global)

External Careers (Global)

jobs.deutschebahngroup.careers

Arriva Rail London recruiting for Driver Managers at various London depots. Minimum 3 years driving competence required.

 

[WizCastro197]

External Careers (Global)

External Careers (Global)

jobs.deutschebahngroup.careers

Arriva Rail London recruiting for Driver Managers at various London depots. Minimum 3 years driving competence required.

Hmm what happens if you are qualified yet don’t have 3 years of experience?


Do you have to enter the process as a trainee?

 

[TTDARL]

This advert is for Driver Managers only. This is not an advert for qualified driver roles.

 

[secretd.river]

External Careers (Global)

External Careers (Global)

jobs.deutschebahngroup.careers

Arriva Rail London recruiting for Driver Managers at various London depots. Minimum 3 years driving competence required.

Nice one thanks!

 

[_ollie_]

Driver Standards Manager at Paddington GWR for the Heathrow Express drivers. Minimum 3 years mainline driving experience required.

First Careers

www.firstgroupcareers.com

 

[Mattyblob]

TOCs are getting ~£10k per Apprentice at the moment which is why moving around with a key has become more difficult, even Eurostar are getting in on it. Close to London I can't speak for others but GTR haven't taken qualifieds in a very long time

 

[Driver2B]

First Group currently advertising for Qualified Drivers for:
* Scarborough
* Paddington
* Bristol Parkway
* Plymouth
* Bristol
* Oxford

Home

Where do you want your journey to start?

www.firstgroupcareers.com

 

[12LDA28C]

Chiltern are always on the lookout for drivers and have also being recruiting (so far unsuccessfully) for Driver Managers.

 

[martin2345uk]

TOCs are getting ~£10k per Apprentice at the moment which is why moving around with a key has become more difficult, even Eurostar are getting in on it. Close to London I can't speak for others but GTR haven't taken qualifieds in a very long time

Is the bit in bold confirmed..?

 

[43066]

TOCs are getting ~£10k per Apprentice at the moment which is why moving around with a key has become more difficult, even Eurostar are getting in on it. Close to London I can't speak for others but GTR haven't taken qualifieds in a very long time

Not sure this is necessarily true? Qualified drivers are a lot quicker to train, and many TOCs aren’t fully geared up for street to seat trainees.

GTR (and other similar TOCs) can be explained because they tend to take trainees for metro depots where few qualified drivers would want to work, and then have a ready supply of internal applicants for more desirable coastal “outer” depots.

 

[secretd.river]

Yeah I don’t know if the 10k apprentice is the whole truth, but wouldn’t surprise me if that was the case but it wouldn’t sway companies to take trainees over qualified as the costs to train are so high!! I know plenty of qualified who have moved… Just seems more management jobs and trainees coming up recently. I see avanti were recruiting for trainees recently at Euston. But haven’t seen qualified come up for them or LNER in ages??

Not sure this is necessarily true? Qualified drivers are a lot quicker to train, and many TOCs aren’t fully geared up for street to seat trainees.

GTR (and other similar TOCs) can be explained because they tend to take trainees for metro depots where few qualified drivers would want to work, and then have a ready supply of internal applicants for more desirable coastal “outer” depots.

 

[43066]

Yeah I don’t know if the 10k apprentice is the whole truth, but wouldn’t surprise me if that was the case but it wouldn’t sway companies to take trainees over qualified as the costs to train are so high!! I know plenty of qualified who have moved… Just seems more management jobs and trainees coming up recently. I see avanti were recruiting for trainees recently at Euston. But haven’t seen qualified come up for them or LNER in ages??

They definitely do get a bung from the government for apprenticeships, but tends to be for people who would have trained up anyway. As you say it would be highly unlikely to cover the full cost compared to qualifieds, who might be out and productive within four months or so.

Avanti have actively recruited qualifieds recently, I believe LNER took on a lot of trainees pre Covid.

 

[12LDA28C]

Not sure this is necessarily true? Qualified drivers are a lot quicker to train, and many TOCs aren’t fully geared up for street to seat trainees.

GTR (and other similar TOCs) can be explained because they tend to take trainees for metro depots where few qualified drivers would want to work, and then have a ready supply of internal applicants for more desirable coastal “outer” depots.

Indeed. Let's say a TOC had ten vacancies at a drivers' depot. They could take on ten apprentices and get £100,000 from the Govt (although I believe the real figure might be rather more than 10k per apprentice) and take a year or so to train them up. Or they could take on ten qualified drivers, only having to train them on traction and routes and have them productive in maybe a third of the time. The money saved by not having to pay RDW etc to cover the vacant turns for 8 months (if the TOC has a RDW agreement, or financial penalties for cancelling services if it doesn't) would vastly outweigh the £100,000 income from the Government.

 

[Yfg132]

From what I have heard and believe is, the apprentice is funded for until qualified. Therefore the company don't pay until the apprentice is productive, they also get someone who is fresh and in their eyes can be moulded as they are very appreciative of the opportunity. Rather than take on a qualified who understands there TnC's and what a company can and can not make you do be unionised, also they believe less chance of someone off the street being stuck in old ways or potentially a sick note.

 

[driverd]

From what I have heard and believe is, the apprentice is funded for until qualified. Therefore the company don't pay until the apprentice is productive...

Just to put it out there - if you're prepared to atleast say you'll go through the process, I can't see for a second why a qualified driver couldn't apply as an apprentice - say if you desperately needed you relocate etc and were prepared to take the pay cut for 9 months or so.

It could well be that they would take you on as qualified anyway if you impressed at an interview stage.

Unless I'm very much mistaken - though it must fall foul of discrimination rules if they were to say anyone but qualified drivers can apply - surely having a key or not doesn't actually matter if you're prepared to go back to training school?

 

[Azuma140]

@Mattyblob @secretd.river

Train driver (level 3) - apprenticeship training course

Employers can view details of the Train driver (level 3) apprenticeship training course, including its qualification level, typical duration and the maximum funding available.

findapprenticeshiptraining.apprenticeships.education.gov.uk

https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/train-driver-v1-0

It’s £21,000 per “apprentice” driver

 

[Oggs]

GA are looking for drivers at LST East and West... always worth a email to HR

 

[secretd.river]

Just to put it out there - if you're prepared to atleast say you'll go through the process, I can't see for a second why a qualified driver couldn't apply as an apprentice - say if you desperately needed you relocate etc and were prepared to take the pay cut for 9 months or so.

It could well be that they would take you on as qualified anyway if you impressed at an interview stage.

Unless I'm very much mistaken - though it must fall foul of discrimination rules if they were to say anyone but qualified drivers can apply - surely having a key or not doesn't actually matter if you're prepared to go back to training school?

Can’t see them ever allowing that for many reasons.

Good idea though.

GA are looking for drivers at LST East and West... always worth a email to HR

Yeah I see that lovely part of country to work too. Just a shame they’re not in line with other TOCs for pay.

@Mattyblob @secretd.river

Train driver (level 3) - apprenticeship training course

Employers can view details of the Train driver (level 3) apprenticeship training course, including its qualification level, typical duration and the maximum funding available.

findapprenticeshiptraining.apprenticeships.education.gov.uk

https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/train-driver-v1-0

It’s £21,000 per “apprentice” driver

Interesting! Nowhere near enough to cover the training mind so must be as was said above the fact they can be moulded.

 

[Class2ldn]

Its definitely harder then it was as a qualified to move around. If you do get an interview they aren't about having a chat and reviewing your safety record anymore, its all tick box exercises now and from ones I've had lately are quite formal.
Will vary by toc I would presume but it will all be going that way soon, my current toc even outsources assessments for internal jobs now, you have to go through loads of tests with an outside company just to get an internal interview.

 

[TTDARL]

Arriva Rail London Chingford depot are recruiting for qualified drivers with minimum 2 years driving experience.

Its definitely harder then it was as a qualified to move around. If you do get an interview they aren't about having a chat and reviewing your safety record anymore, its all tick box exercises now and from ones I've had lately are quite formal.
Will vary by toc I would presume but it will all be going that way soon, my current toc even outsources assessments for internal jobs now, you have to go through loads of tests with an outside company just to get an internal interview.

Some qualified drivers think it’s a given that because they already hold a key, have driving experience, or ‘know’ the right people, it’s a given that they’ll get the job. TOCS don’t want to inherit ‘problem drivers’ which is often the case so like to try and weed out those with the potential to be griefy via their respective assessment processes.

 

[baz962]

Arriva Rail London Chingford depot are recruiting for qualified drivers with minimum 2 years driving experience.



Some qualified drivers think it’s a given that because they already hold a key, have driving experience, or ‘know’ the right people, it’s a given that they’ll get the job. TOCS don’t want to inherit ‘problem drivers’ which is often the case so like to try and weed out those with the potential to be griefy via their respective assessment processes.

I saw that advert. I thought that chingford was lateral move only and had a waiting list.

 

[TTDARL]

I saw that advert. I thought that chingford was lateral move only and had a waiting list.

Was the case for many years, but no longer. No one on the waiting list for Chingford anymore.

 

[Class2ldn]

Arriva Rail London Chingford depot are recruiting for qualified drivers with minimum 2 years driving experience.



Some qualified drivers think it’s a given that because they already hold a key, have driving experience, or ‘know’ the right people, it’s a given that they’ll get the job. TOCS don’t want to inherit ‘problem drivers’ which is often the case so like to try and weed out those with the potential to be griefy via their respective assessment processes.

Define problem drivers.
No one said its a given to get a job but surely having a clean safety record is more important then whether you know the values of a company that most dont even stick to anyway themselves lol.
We are train drivers, if you've proved yourself over the last 10 years without having any incidents then that should go a long way, im not against having assessments etc but they at least need to be relevant to the job which many aren't. Tocs love to promote customer service but let's be fair a driver is one area that probably has the least interaction with people on the railway operationally, yes we carry them and talk to them on a PA but thats different to being face to face.
I'm not saying we should go back to BR days with who you know etc but companies don't seem to actually look at your history much about how you've done the job but more about meeting requirements normally set by people who've never done the job themselves.