TEA-OCC.

[GMCK]

Evening fellow Forumers,

Just seeking some advice for the TEA-OCC stage of the assessment process for Driver, primarily the combination test of both the listening AND the phonebook exercise.

I sat a Driver assessment day a few years back and failed, I believe, on the basis that I was too cautious with the phonebook part of the test mentioned above, and despite getting good scores on the tones, I didn't achieve a high enough score finding the various phone codes with matching symbols.

A few people I've spoken to have recommended almost ignoring the 'phone area code' on this test and focusing purely on the symbols that match the place, ie Restaurant, that the exam is looking for.

But surely by doing this you're risking circling a code & symbol that may not both be the required criteria?!

Any tips appreciated, as always!

 

[OneLowban]

Two words:

SYMBOLS ONLY

Circle the pairs, ignore everything else.

 

[Cyclist]

Two words:

SYMBOLS ONLY

Circle the pairs, ignore everything else.

Literally this. The text does not matter. Everything in the “address book” is the same profession. If you do the above then this test is piss easy

 

[Ebee]

Literally this. The text does not matter. Everything in the “address book” is the same profession. If you do the above then this test is piss easy

Just scan for all double symbols while counting beeps with your fingers. That's what I did and passed. There is also a pause between the sets of beeps. So in this time scan the page again and again. Hope that makes sense and good luck.

 

[kickin aff]

Just scan for all double symbols while counting beeps with your fingers. That's what I did and passed. There is also a pause between the sets of beeps. So in this time scan the page again and again. Hope that makes sense and good luck.

That's the method I used and it was fine.

 

[Stigy]

Although it’s a while since I sat this assessment, I’ll echo what others have said. The idea, as with a lot of these assessments is to be able to find the important items in a ‘sea’ of irrelevance. If you do as advised here, you’ll be fine.

 

[Highlandspring]

Although it’s a while since I sat this assessment, I’ll echo what others have said. The idea, as with a lot of these assessments is to be able to find the important items in a ‘sea’ of irrelevance. If you do as advised here, you’ll be fine.

People seem to get wound up thinking about the conceit of the exercise and I think that’s the idea. If they just said “here’s a sheet with numbers text and symbols, look for pairs of matching symbols and ignore everything else” it’d be dead easy. Instead they give you this irrelevant nonsense story about staying with a friend and breaking the tap and your friend being away in the hope that you start thinking “What? How would I break a tap? Why wouldn’t I just call my friend? Are these all pumbers? Are these phone numbers all the same area code? Anyway what sort of weird country is this that rates its plumbers by putting symbols in the phone book?”

In one of the tests they used to use for signallers (which came after this one) they read out a long passage explaining about how “After the tap is fixed you decide to buy a lottery ticket, but this is an unusual lottery because all the numbers are five digits long and the winning numers are any which have two matching digits in them..” blah blah blah... Really all you needed to know was that they wanted you to listen to a tape of a man reading a list of five digit numbers for 10 minutes and to write down any numbers with the same digit repeated in it. All the window dressing around a lottery and how it works was irrelevant and designed to confuse.

 

[OneLowban]

People seem to get wound up thinking about the conceit of the exercise and I think that’s the idea. If they just said “here’s a sheet with numbers text and symbols, look for pairs of matching symbols and ignore everything else” it’d be dead easy. Instead they give you this irrelevant nonsense story about staying with a friend and breaking the tap and your friend being away in the hope that you start thinking “What? How would I break a tap? Why wouldn’t I just call my friend? Are these all pumbers? Are these phone numbers all the same area code? Anyway what sort of weird country is this that rates its plumbers by putting symbols in the phone book?”

In one of the tests they used to use for signallers (which came after this one) they read out a long passage explaining about how “After the tap is fixed you decide to buy a lottery ticket, but this is an unusual lottery because all the numbers are five digits long and the winning numers are any which have two matching digits in them..” blah blah blah... Really all you needed to know was that they wanted you to listen to a tape of a man reading a list of five digit numbers for 10 minutes and to write down any numbers with the same digit repeated in it. All the window dressing around a lottery and how it works was irrelevant and designed to confuse.

Yeah I agree with this. We got given laminated cards of the symbols to look out for and I remember asking “are there any symbols not on these cards that we might be looking for?” The lady replied with “I can’t tell you that.”

 

[Quin79]

I thought you match the plumbing symbol with the area code they've asked you to check? What do you mean double symbols?

 

[ROBERT KALFAS]

Hi,
Is test in video below exactly the same as official test?

 

[crebbs1]

Hi,
Is test in video below exactly the same as official test?

Same principle but not identical test.

 

[Norosoros]

Literally this. The text does not matter. Everything in the “address book” is the same profession. If you do the above then this test is piss easy

What exactly do you mean by pairs? I was under the impression we need to look for the ONE matching symbol. Am i right?

 

[Highlandspring]

Next to each number you’ll see two symbols. One might be a cross and the other might be a triangle, or one could be a square and the other a circle. You’re looking for the matching pairs - so two triangles, two circles or two crosses etc.. etc.. It’s very easy once you grasp this.

 

[Norosoros]

Got you. Nice one

 

[Wroyal]

Not every number has two symbols, when you say next to each number two symbols. Majority numbers have only one symbol eg: bar and aeroplane etc, some have twos. eg: knife and folk. isn't ? Please clarify. Thanks.

Next to each number you’ll see two symbols. One might be a cross and the other might be a triangle, or one could be a square and the other a circle. You’re looking for the matching pairs - so two triangles, two circles or two crosses etc.. etc.. It’s very easy once you grasp this.

 

[ComUtoR]

People seem to get wound up thinking about the conceit of the exercise and I think that’s the idea. If they just said “here’s a sheet with numbers text and symbols, look for pairs of matching symbols and ignore everything else” it’d be dead easy. Instead they give you this irrelevant nonsense story about staying with a friend and breaking the tap and your friend being away in the hope that you start thinking “What? How would I break a tap? Why wouldn’t I just call my friend? Are these all pumbers? Are these phone numbers all the same area code? Anyway what sort of weird country is this that rates its plumbers by putting symbols in the phone book?”

This kinda happens in reallife™ too. When being asked to pass a signal at danger, they always give you the reason. In all honesty its almost superflous information and all I need is authority and how far I can go. I can certainly see the relevance in this test.

 

[Stigy]

This kinda happens in reallife™ too. When being asked to pass a signal at danger, they always give you the reason. In all honesty its almost superflous information and all I need is authority and how far I can go. I can certainly see the relevance in this test.

Agreed. The idea of the assessments is to be able to ‘dissect’ the relevant information in a sea of irrelevant information. Not just in railway terms, but in every day important messages there’s loads of waffle to wade through in order to get the actual important information.

 

[Highlandspring]

Not every number has two symbols, when you say next to each number two symbols. Majority numbers have only one symbol eg: bar and aeroplane etc, some have twos. eg: knife and folk. isn't ? Please clarify. Thanks.

In the actual assessment - not the Youtube video posted above - you will see triangles, squares, circles next to each number. Your job is to go down the list and mark only the ones with two matching symbols. Thats it.

 

[ComUtoR]

I know its weird. In another thread I was called out for remembering what happened on my assessment day over 15yrs ago. Certain things have stuck in my mind and I doubt I will ever forget them. I spoke with one of the assessors about wanting further clarification about one of the tests. She said "I can't tell you anything else, I can repeat the information but that's all"

Everyone is getting the same information and same instructions. I would strongly urge everyone to listen very carefully to what is being told to you and think carefully about what the specific instructions are for each test.

 

[Wroyal]

Thank you ..Look for @@4849498 but not @%4849498... (an example). isn't ?

In the actual assessment - not the Youtube video posted above - you will see triangles, squares, circles next to each number. Your job is to go down the list and mark only the ones with two matching symbols. Thats it.

 

[Highlandspring]

Yes except the symbols come after the numbers.

 

[Wroyal]

Ok so it is other way round...987657##..correct?

 

[Highlandspring]

Yes .

 

[Dunks1980]

I have my first assessment day on Tuesday and will cover this just to clarify on the card they give you do they tell you what pairs of symbols to look for I.e two stars or do you need too just scan through them to find pairs ?

 

[Highlandspring]

You're looking for any matching pairs. Two triangles, two circles etc.. If the two symbols are the same then mark them.

 

[Dunks1980]

Okay I’ve figured it out just a lot of the online stuff is quite conflicting with what your actually going to do on the day really glad I joined this forum now so basically the profession is the same and area code irrelevant just the symbols after the number two the same circle thanks for your help

 

[Wroyal]

U r a star...Thanks..

Yes .

 

[Wroyal]

Firs of all, Good luck for Tuesday, u can endorse it as well for an update with additional info eg: fault finding test, how the actual test looks like with some tips.

I have my first assessment day on Tuesday and will cover this just to clarify on the card they give you do they tell you what pairs of symbols to look for I.e two stars or do you need too just scan through them to find pairs ?

 

[Dunks1980]

Firs of all, Good luck for Tuesday, u can endorse it as well for an update with additional info eg: fault finding test, how the actual test looks like with some tips.

Thanks mate and yes I’ll update the thread with any useful info

 

[Wroyal]

Hi,
How was your assessment? Any thing significant to know in trainability and fault finding test?

Thanks mate and yes I’ll update the thread with any useful info