Counting experience in years is where the railway falls down IMO. Two drivers with ten years on paper can mean very different things.
We should be counting it in hours.
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Qualified Driver Jobs??
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We should be counting it in hours.
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irish_rail
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It seems to be increasingly obvious that Dft don't want qualified drivers having the ability to move around the country, for example Avanti continue to only take on trainees and according to another thread will start a big campaign next month for trainees , specifically targeting women. This kind of thing is all very well, but what if a qualified driver needed to move to another part of the country for personal reasons? I agree that trainees are a good thing but should be alongside qualifieds not instead of.
class ep-09
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Agree 100%.
DfT as always shows that it has no brains and prevents people applying at other TOC’s ( I think there may be an unofficial ban for qualified drivers to “ move “around).
Avanti are very much still taking qualified drivers!
Not based on several qualified drivers both leaving and joining my depot over the last few months.
I haven't seen a qualified vacancy at LNER or Avanti for quite a while.
The trend seems to be for Apprentice Train Drivers as the TOC/FOC receives training grants from the Government
I think it depends where?
Avanti (Euston) have poached a few from us, there’s another one currently working his notice. Also another off to freight.
From a quick google search GWR, EMR, WMR, TPE, Greater Anglia, DBS and Eurostar have all recently advertised. GWR in particular seem to have vacancies everywhere.
irish_rail
Established Member
GWR is the outlier in that its always recruiting for some reason. Avanti last advertised a year ago, why they recruit so much less often than GWR is a mystery. Probably a Dft instruction I suspect.
I don't think it's a year. One of my colleagues applied middle of last year and is currently on his notice now.
They are still training up qualified’s, probably just hold more in the talent pool.
irish_rail
Established Member
Its all very well having these talent pools that seem to be in vogue, but that doesn't help someone who isn't already in said pool. What if you needed to move somewhere at fairly short notice? With avanti there are plenty in pools from last January's advert, but anyone wishing to move to the north west since last January hasn't got the option to apply unless they recruit at least twice a year.
Agreed. But there is quite a few TOC’s/FOC’s if someone is desperate to move to the north west.
Unfortunately it suits the employers to have a supply to newbies they can dip into. I get the impression they’re quicker for qualifieds than trainees - my experience of the “talent pool” where I am now was literally a week or so between being told I was successful and being given a start date. They generally won’t want to spend the management time interviewing unless they will need to recruit quite soon imminently.
Thats nice thanks for that pal. Surely the salary must be more? 58k? Is that first year then it rises? Does anyone know?EMR looking for qualified Drivers for St Pancras
Job Vacancy at East Midlands Railway: Qualified Mainline Driver - London St Pancras
We are proud to be One Team at East Midlands Railway (EMR). We are passionate about keeping people safe, delighting our customers, doing the right thing and putting customers at the heart of our sustainable railway for the East Midlands. With...jobs.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk
Thanks
It's 58k at st pancras they get 3.5k London weighting on top so actually 61.5k.
Aha ok thank you very much. Tbh kinda where I am at now but Ill give it a shot. Money aint everything after all.
Good luck
Ontherails_
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I don’t know if this is the right thread to post but thought it was worth an ask! Does anyone know how many years qualified to become a driver instructor? I’ve read varying posts, between 3 & 5 years and that’s apparently in line with the ORR too. But anything specific or ideally with TFW so I know what I’m working towards…
class ep-09
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One may never be an instructor if he / she does not want to , does not meet criteria or there are no vacancies in a depot for a DI .
I can be corrected, but I have heard that the number of DI’s in a depot should be 15% of depot establishment ( (leading driver role counts also as a DI) .
I think , minimum after which a driver can try to become a DI is 2 years from the time one becomes productive ( or qualified ).
I can be corrected, but I have heard that the number of DI’s in a depot should be 15% of depot establishment ( (leading driver role counts also as a DI) .
I think , minimum after which a driver can try to become a DI is 2 years from the time one becomes productive ( or qualified ).
Are you a driver already?
Ontherails_
Member
Yeah 2&half years!
craigybagel
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At TfW it's normally 3 years minimum, but they have on occasion taken some on who have completed their 2 years Post Qualified, but aren't yet on the full 3.
I became a DI around 3 years 6 months after qualifying as a driver, another driver at the same depot managed it in just under 3 years from what I recall.
Some TOCs have different levels of instructor, my current TOC has three, each level involves different responsibilities.
Some TOCs have different levels of instructor, my current TOC has three, each level involves different responsibilities.
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