Revenue Protection Assistant

[James_D]

I've been offered an interview for a part-time Revenue Protection Assistant for Northern based in Newcastle, I assume at Heaton? I've been wanting to get into the railways for a while now in any capacity, ultimately with the aim of becoming a guard or driver, of course!

I'm in my early 30's and well qualified, I have a BA & MA degrees in humanities subjects, not currently married or with kids or even a mortgage! (live with family)! so i'm quite unencumbered and flexible as it were. However, I do work full time at the moment as an in-house PR person for a local university. Whilst the money is okay-ish (mid-20K's), this is not something I want to do in the long term as I fell into it after university. However, my good lady partner is concerned that I wont have enough money to move in together/go on holidays etc on this part time wage, but I would consider getting another part time job around it, if the hours allowed. Do you think that's feasible?

Also, I'd like to get some tips from forum members on what the interview may consist of? I'd actually consider myself quite good at interviews, i'm quite smart, confident, outgoing, personable and erudite so i'm sure i would impress.

Can anyone who does this position give me an idea of how many hours it is or what the shift patterns are? How many years working at this level before promotions to guard and then to driver would be required? I understand that working on the railways is incredibly hard to get into, so this could be a fantastic opportunity to get into the industry at the 'ground floor' as it were and i'd be happy to spend the rest of my career working my way up.

Any other useful information would be most appreciated! Cheers
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Bump! Sorry for the poor forum etiquette guys! Wondering if anyone can help a brother out with this one? Cheers!

 

[Greenback]

The majority of formal interviews are competency based these days, both within the railway industry and outside it. My advice is to carefully read the job description and any person specification, and always keep those in mind on the day.

 

[pemma]

for a part-time Revenue Protection Assistant for Northern based in Newcastle, I assume at Heaton?

I imagine you'd be based at a station like Newcastle opposed to a depot like Heaton considering it's not a driving/train maintenance role.

 

[142094]

As has been said, you'll no doubt be based at Newcastle Central and not at Heaton.

As far as I know you will more than likely be on board trains rather than working at set stations, as Northern very rarely do any sort of revenue protection blocks up here compared to says stations in West Yorkshire or Manchester. So in effect you will be helping out the conductor in checking and selling tickets on busy services. Unlikely that RPAs get the same safety training as conductors but possibly they might receive PTS training?

No idea about shifts unfortunately, plus being part time could be anything.

 

[Greenback]

I'd suspect that the nature of the job and the rostering might make it difficult to find another part time job that would fit in.

 

[James_D]

Thanks guys, yes that makes sense about Newcastle. I've seen RPA's working on the Durham Coast but do they also go up the Tyne Valley and ECML?