SWT driver assessment

[tagzy]

The test I did was on paper.

 

[313103]

I don't mean to be rude but when I was a guard I wouldn't presume to judge whether the driver was fit be in charge of a train or just a Tesco's trolley! I think that sort of attitude is extremely arrogant.

I dont think it is arrogant, i actually think it is to do with 30 years either on the footplate or as a Guard, both grades of which you work closely with the driver.

 

[notadriver]

With your guards experience, would you say your rules, route and traction knowledge match or even surpass that of the drivers of your train?

 

[313103]

With your guards experience, would you say your rules, route and traction knowledge match or even surpass that of the drivers of your train?

If the driver started yesterday then the answer has to be Yes, If the driver started when i started then the answer is probably No.

Lets look at Rules, today's railways want to do away with the Guards grade and may in the next decade or two succeed in doing that. However i remember a time when Guards were the only grade to have rules revision every year and had to know exactly what the driver did and more. So in 1987 when i became a Guard i had to know as much and if not more then the driver was trained in. As mentioned above with the onset of sectorisation and privatisation the Guards rules have been watered down to a virtual non existent position today.

With regard route and traction of course the driver has far more knowledge then the Guard mostly due to the role of the grade.

I suppose the answer you want from me is to say that in my 30 years i have learnt nothing, achieved nothing and so deserve nothing. And a driver who started yesterday knows more in one day then i have learnt in 30 years. All i will say is that i like the job i do and when my company dispenses with my role it will not be because i do my job and do it well, it will be down to Politics and Money.

 

[notadriver]

I suppose the answer you want from me is to say that in my 30 years i have learnt nothing, achieved nothing and so deserve nothing. And a driver who started yesterday knows more in one day then i have learnt in 30 years. All i will say is that i like the job i do and when my company dispenses with my role it will not be because i do my job and do it well, it will be down to Politics and Money.

No i'm not looking for any particular answer. And I do believe there is always going to be a role for on-board staff - just perhaps not in an operational capacity but a customer focused one, checking tickets being visible to customers. This is what On Board Managers on board the Javelins do and their salary comparable to a conductor.

 

[kheggie]

I only applied as guard but I had mine on the day then interview and role play on a different date.

Sorry if this is no use to u now

 

[313103]

I only applied as guard but I had mine on the day then interview and role play on a different date.

Sorry if this is no use to u now

Dear kheggie, whilst i am glad that you are a rare breed in this forum and that is someone who applied for a guards job rather then everyone's favorite topic! I feel disheartened by the way you have portrayed the job that you have applied for.

By using the word 'ONLY' in your sentence implies that the job is worthless and meaningless and judging by some of the comments i have seen on here about Guards you may have brought into there way of thinking.

The one thing i really hate about being a Guard is that everyone thinks the Driver is King (Queen if your female) and the Guard is something you find underneath your shoe when you have walked in something. I trust you are not one of those, there is actually more to working on the railways then being a driver.

I wish for the days when the Guard told the driver what was going on rather then the system we have in place now.

 

[Nestor]

Hi
When you initially applied to SWT, did you respond to a partiqular vacancy advertised? Or do you contact SWT and just say I want to be a Train Driver.

Thanks

 

[tagzy]

I did the latter and was sent a paper application in the post. Others saw the vacancies online though.

 

[Nestor]

So you can just apply 'ad hoc', and if you tick all the right boxes you'll be invited for the assessment etc?

Thanks

 

[tagzy]

No, I was lucky because they had vacancies coming up anyway. I emailed all the TOCs and SWT were the only ones who invited me to apply for the positions coming up.

 

[francisoldfield]

has anyone heard back from SWT who have applied for Fratton?

Just wondering as I am waiting to hear from them as I am considering moving house but won't if I am successful

 

[Thesecret]

Hi all I recently had my depot managers interview for a trainee driver position. Does anyone know how long it takes to know the result? Or is anyone else waiting for the post daily lol.

 

[455/8]

you will normally hear back within a week but it can vary.

 

[alsealey]

Hi All
I had an assessment afternoon on Monday 17th, I didn't get knocked out first round and stayed to sit the Group Bourdon. I left feeling quite positive, I'd given it a good go, prepared well etc but I still haven't heard whether I've made it the second stage.
I suppose after a week it's not looking good. Does anyone know if they let you know either way? Anyone else go to Basingstoke on Mon 17th?
I'll be gutted if I don't get through but I did all I could!
Another day waiting for the Postman with everything crossed I guess!

 

[Thesecret]

Just wondering if anyone else had a final interview at Basingstoke around 14th Jan and if they've heard anything yet? Or has anybody been for feedback if they were unsuccessful and what was the outcome. Maybe a bit intrusive but I'm trying to be positive and get all angles covered.

 

[Shrub Hill]

in my experience (limited) the longer you wait to hear the better you have done! ( not fool proof but my observation is that those who fail tend to hear about it pretty quickly), 1600 applicants for 60 jobs, in terms of driver jobs that is a pretty good ratio so as long as you are good enough you should be ok, fingers crossed for you all

 

[Thesecret]

Thank you for the reassurance. This is what I've been telling myself, but it's good to hear the same from somebody else. Though it's going to be a very long weekend.

 

[455/8]

The best thing I can say for anyone that has been waiting more then two weeks is if you don't get a letter in the post monday morning then give SWT Recruitment a call, they should have all the information there to be able to tell you or at least give you a hint as to what you want to know.

alsealey when you had the assessments you should have been told at the end of the day if you'd passed or failed? When I had mine we had the paper tests first, then had the two computer tests and after which we were all called in individually and told if we'd passed or failed. It was then just a matte of waiting for the letter about the interviews, but as I said above if you haven't got a letter on monday morning then give them a call and find out.

Alan

 

[francisoldfield]

in regards to the above post, if you haven't actually been told if you have passed the application stage yet then there's no real point in contacting them as they will simply tell you the same thing "you will hear from us shortly" I have spoken to them twice now and that is as much as they will tell me!!

 

[rax]

I’m still waiting to hear back regarding my application, have called them as well but same answer “we will contact you soon”. Scared that the longer I wait to hear back the less my chances will be as they would have already filled all the vacancies. However still remaining optimistic. In the mean time dose anyone know what the pass rate is regarding any of the tests, Bourdon test etc. Thanks in advance guys.

 

[alsealey]

Hi Alan / 455/8
Thanks for your reply, as the Assessment day after we'd done the Group Bourdon we just got sent home, they told us that we wouldn't know the results that day because there were loads of tests going on. I'm waiting to hear if I've been successful with the first stage to be invited back for the Reaction test etc. Maybe I'll hear next week, if not I'm happy I prepared well, tried my best and just wasn't what they were looking for. Thanks again for the reply, it's appreciated.

 

[m2ka]

Hi, I've only just registered to this forum but I have been keeping a close eye for the last few months.

Anyway, I passed all the driver assesments with Southern back in November but couldn't continue to the depot manager interview as I'd already accepted a different role with the company a couple months back. I then applied for FGW, NXEA and SWT - two of which have shortlisted me for the depot manager interview - not heard back from the third one yet.

The question I have is that has anyone for the trainee driver position based at Wimbledon (SWT) been offered a depot manager interview yet? (or are the assesments still under way?)

Any information is appreciated, thanks

 

[Thesecret]

Hi

Yes I applied for Wimbledon depot. I had a depot managers interview the other week just waiting to hear back. The wait is a killer.

 

[reapz]

Hi

Yes I applied for Wimbledon depot. I had a depot managers interview the other week just waiting to hear back. The wait is a killer.

What questions were asked

 

[tagzy]

If anyone on here has applied to Waterloo and hasn't already been offered a job then it's bad news I'm afraid. I rang up to ask when it was likely I would get a managers interview and they informed me they were not holding any more interviews for Waterloo positions.

To reiterate; this is only for WATERLOO, so other depots I'm not sure about, but if you have been waiting a while for a manager's interview it is probably worth getting in touch.

I was told that Waterloo should be recruiting again in a years time and everyone that has been through the selection and passed should get an interview straight away.

It seems that this is how TOCs recruit drivers now, if you are a first time applicant or have to take the tests again then it is likely you won't get a job before all the vacancies are filled by people who either got their applications in very early, or have already passed selection before. And I guess depends on how many fail the tests as well.

Good luck to anyone still in the pipeline somewhere!

 

[civvie03]

I applied mid November and haven't heard about the sift. I've applied for Bournemouth Depot.
Anyone else applied for Bournemouth and heard anything?:roll:

 

[francisoldfield]

i applied at the same time for fratton and am still waiting. I dare say we will have to remain patient

 

[floydeeeee]

im still waiting to, feels like forever. Must stay postive though
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I applied mid November and haven't heard about the sift. I've applied for Bournemouth Depot.
Anyone else applied for Bournemouth and heard anything?:roll:

i was bournemouth too, applied just at the last minute

 

[civvie03]

Here's hoping we find out something soon.
Might give them a ring this week.