Hi everyone. I have passed the 1st stage of the asseement of the train driver with SWtrains that was Group Bourden test, TRP part 1 (Glop memory) and TRP part 2tests. I have next stage of assessment on this Monday for The Reaction and Coordination test, The Railway verbal Communication Skills Exercise and a Criteria Based Interview. I understand what will be involved in The Reaction and Coordination test but am unsure about the other tests. Could someone please advise me about the Railway verbal Communication Skills Exercise and a Criteria Based Interview. What are the likely asked questions? Any help on this is highly appreciated.
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SWTrains 2nd stage of assessment please help
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paulravuslante
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Regarding the verbal communication exercise, when I did this (for another TOC) I had to listen to a recording of a message left after an incident involving a train hitting a car at a level crossing. I was able to make notes while listening to the recording (I think it was played twice to us). Once the recording had finished, the notes we made were taken from us. Then we individually went back into the interview room and were asked to relay the pertinent information in the recording back to the interviewer. The notes we made were returned to us when we re-entered the interview room.
Regarding the CBI, I answered this query for someone else recently. To see what the questions you are most likely to be asked check my response here.
Hope this helps.
Paul, thanks a lot for your help. I went for the assessment today and I am very much disappointed because I have failed part 1 of the Reaction and Coordination test which is computer paced but passed the other part of this test. I had passed the Railway verbal Communication Skills Exercise. I feel so gutted. I was thinking that I would pass that test. Now I have to wait 6 months before I can apply.
paulravuslante
Member
Many people pass second time around so don't be too hard on yourself. Not sure what preparation you did for the Reactions test, but getting acquainted with computer games should help on the whole (Guitar Hero was my favourite, but also used the classic "Bop It" game, which lots of people recommend)!
Just keep practicing those parts that you'll need to resit next time.
Thanks Paul. I did preparation for all the tests except the Reactions test. That's the mistake I did. I assumed it to be easy. I will prepare myself better for the next time by playing those games you have recommended before the test. If I had passed this test the next step would have been the Interview. The assessor told me that I will not have to sit the tests I had passed and that's a bit of relief for next time. Paul, any idea what sort of tests are done for Station Assistant or Gateline Assistant?
paulravuslante
Member
I think it's hard to give a definative answer, as I believe each TOC has different processes for recruiting grades other than drivers. When I joined my TOC I seem to remember communication tests (such as those you and I have already done for the driver testing), something called a SCAAT test (a bit like the dots / Group Bourdon, but with shapes instead of dots) and I remember a trainability for rules and procedures test. It was over two years ago now, so my memory is a bit hazy!!!
If someone else knows better then, be my guest and elaborate!
I sympathise with SK. I also passed the first stage and went to the second assessment centre where my journey ended, but I failed the verbal communications exercise, which I am very frustrated about. They couldn't tell me where I went wrong. I may have given too much info from the message. I have never worked in the rail industry (or similar) and have no experience of these things. At the time, I thought that if the message was supposed to have come from a trained professional (ie train driver) then surely it should have contained what was necessary - or am I being hideously naive? It did seem that there was quite a bit of extraneous info, so I was a bit selective, but wasn't sure how much to cut out.
Can anyone give me any hints about this in case I try it again sometime? It was the car on the level crossing scenario. Should I have been very selective about what I reported?
Can anyone give me any hints about this in case I try it again sometime? It was the car on the level crossing scenario. Should I have been very selective about what I reported?
paulravuslante
Member
As I passed the verbal test first time (almost a year ago), my memory is hazy about this, but I mainly remember trying to speak clearly / not be ambiguous and I tried to include as much detail as possible. There was something about kids pushing a trolley on the line in my example and I wasn't sure if I should include that, but I did. Also on things with the train headcodes, I made sure to use railway style comms (e.g. saying 2Y54 as two, yankee, five, four) where applicable. Hope that gives you a better idea.
I also went to the 2nd stage assesment with SWT. I was told that I scraped through the railway verbal comms exercise and that I had to do well in the reactions test. I passed the reaction test and then sat the structured interview. I wasn't too confident with how the interview went but it seems that I done well as I received an email yesterday from SWT saying that I had passed my 2nd stage assesment and they will be in touch in the new year. So I guess the next stage is an interview with the Station manager. I have been looking about and have started doing as much research on SWT as I possibly can. I am coming from a completely different work back ground (Salesman) I am just trying to think of what I have at the minute that I can bring to the table with me on the day. Not sure what sort of questions I'm going to be asked as I have only ever applied for sales jobs.
Many Thanks In Advance.
Many Thanks In Advance.
I sympathise with Andy too. It could be that we did the assessment on the same day. I had the same scenario (train hitting the abondoned car on level crossing) for the verbal communication exercise. There was too much information and I tried to include as much information as I could. I thought that it is better to include any information than missing information though some information was not important. I was lucky to pass that but unlucky to go forward after this.
Congratulations PH.
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Thanks SK.
I found the Verbal Comms the most hardest of them all tbh. most of the end of the transmission I left off as i thought it was irrelevant. Was wondering if people got straight to the point in there transmission and started off with - There has been an accident with blah blah blah At blah blah blah
I found the Verbal Comms the most hardest of them all tbh. most of the end of the transmission I left off as i thought it was irrelevant. Was wondering if people got straight to the point in there transmission and started off with - There has been an accident with blah blah blah At blah blah blah
Thanks for your feedback Paul. From what I have now read of people's experiences, I think I may have failed for rushing the first couple of sentences.
I hope there will be an opportunity to apply for another vacancy in the time that my other results are valid, but it seems publicly advertised vacancies are pretty rare.
Well done to PH for getting through, and good luck for the interview.
I think we may have been there on the same day, SK - I was there Monday 20th December.
I hope there will be an opportunity to apply for another vacancy in the time that my other results are valid, but it seems publicly advertised vacancies are pretty rare.
Well done to PH for getting through, and good luck for the interview.
I think we may have been there on the same day, SK - I was there Monday 20th December.
Hi, I failed the verbal com exercise and am not happy. with every test ur given practice materials to fully prepare yourself. but none given for that one. wasn't clear that it was a test that they would fail you on. was described as an exercise! can't see the point in giving me all the practice stuff and not for that one. may as well have done that one first and saved everyone alot of travelling and expense. or maybe others did get practice material for that one? Also would not tell me why I failed then asked if that was "helpful" feedback.
paulravuslante
Member
I believe they will be asking questions based on the following:
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively verbally and in writing.
Motivation to follow rules and procedures.
Ability to remain calm in emergency and/or stressful situations. Conscientiously works to meet training course and job demands.
Is proactive and tenacious.
Can spend time alone and do so effectively.
Good luck.
Hello Everyone,
I am New to the forum and am awaiting to hear wether i made the sift for a job at Bournemouth Depot.
I know it's early days but was wandering about the CBI Question paper you fill in before your interviewed.
The brief descriptions you have to put down for the various scenario's, are they looking for an in depth example to be written down or just say a heading with Bullet points. I believe you only get about 30 mins for this.
Thanks in advance Guys.
Good to be here
paulravuslante
Member
Hello Everyone,
I am New to the forum and am awaiting to hear wether i made the sift for a job at Bournemouth Depot.
I know it's early days but was wandering about the CBI Question paper you fill in before your interviewed.
The brief descriptions you have to put down for the various scenario's, are they looking for an in depth example to be written down or just say a heading with Bullet points. I believe you only get about 30 mins for this.
Thanks in advance Guys.
Good to be here
Personally, I found it better to just put a brief outline of the scenario on the form. This way, I had more to say during the interview.
Thanks for the reply paulravuslante.
When you say Brief outline are you talking about say 5 or 6 lines of text?
Did you get timed for this task?
Any Information is gratefully recieved.
Thanks again
paulravuslante
Member
Thanks for the reply paulravuslante.
When you say Brief outline are you talking about say 5 or 6 lines of text?
Did you get timed for this task?
Any Information is gratefully recieved.
Thanks again
I think it was around a maximum of 3 sentences for each answer really. I think you're given the impression that it is timed, but when we were discussing it with a train manager beforehand they believed it wasn't timed. I can't remember the assessor having a stopwatch for this part. They would just pop in and check if we had finished writing our answers. Obviously there must be some sort of cut off point as they couldn't allow candidates to keep stalling to think of their examples. Being succinct in the answers you write will help to keep the day on schedule.
Shrub Hill
Member
Best of luck tomorrow Tagzy!, let us know how you got on ?
Cheers Shrub Hill!
Well I'm all done and dusted for today so now awaiting the results. There were seven guys in my group (one no show). First test was verbal comms. Three failed and sent home. One bloke was a definite pass whilst me and three others fell into a category where the OPC staff didn't know whether we passed or not as they don't set the standards for this test; SWT do. So they forward the results to them for consideration. Strange I know! Bearing that in mind we weren't sent home which was a bonus! Did the reaction and coordination test which I passed (surprisingly after failing all three practice attempts!). Interview was last which I'm not so sure on but nothing I can do now. Hope I've done enough and even if I fail interview that will be the only test I have to repeat (unless the TOC I apply to have a test of their own like SWT).
Well I'm all done and dusted for today so now awaiting the results. There were seven guys in my group (one no show). First test was verbal comms. Three failed and sent home. One bloke was a definite pass whilst me and three others fell into a category where the OPC staff didn't know whether we passed or not as they don't set the standards for this test; SWT do. So they forward the results to them for consideration. Strange I know! Bearing that in mind we weren't sent home which was a bonus! Did the reaction and coordination test which I passed (surprisingly after failing all three practice attempts!). Interview was last which I'm not so sure on but nothing I can do now. Hope I've done enough and even if I fail interview that will be the only test I have to repeat (unless the TOC I apply to have a test of their own like SWT).
Hi tagzy
I was just wandering if the questions you had for the interview were they similar to the examples Paul gave?
How long did the interview last?
I hope all went well for you today and you passed
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