Trainee Depot Driver East Midlands Trains

[Dynamonic]

I have indeed! Waiting (im)patiently for news!

 

[baz962]

Just looked had tried before but wouldn't open on my PC but just did on my phone now I remember. I sneakily dropped in that I passed the psychometric tests ha, yes the closing date was yesterday wasn't it and good luck to you mate .

 

[Dynamonic]

Good luck to you too!

I passed Stage 1, but missed out on Stage 2 at the MMI about 4 years ago.
I couldn't find the right place to mention that on the form, but no doubt they check that anyway.

 

[baz962]

Good luck to you too!

I passed Stage 1, but missed out on Stage 2 at the MMI about 4 years ago.
I couldn't find the right place to mention that on the form, but no doubt they check that anyway.

Missed out in what way , which toc was it for buddy

 

[Dynamonic]

I applied for this very Depot Driver role in 2013, but failed one question on the MMI. (The tasks similar to the train driver role one)

 

[baz962]

Missed out in what way , which toc was it for buddy

And I got it in on the form in one of the questions about solving a problem to time constraints or similar I said as part of the testing I did the fault finding test and had to solve faults to a time constraint.

 

[baz962]

I applied for this very Depot Driver role in 2013, but failed one question on the MMI. (The tasks similar to the train driver role one)

You will nail it this time if we get through that nasty first sift lol .

 

[Dynamonic]

That's the challenge...that pesky first sift!

All the best in your application too!

 

[baz962]

That's the challenge...that pesky first sift!

All the best in your application too!

Thanks mate

 

[TramWayne]

Evening gents. Great to get an idea of what we are to expect. Looking forward to the process and seeing some of you there.

 

[JonnyH]

Well there's confidence, maybe see if you get through the sift first Tram Wayne!

 

[Spankthemonkey]

I've just watched an interesting video filmed last week at an EMT Depot Driver recruitment event. (I didn't know there was one? )

Might be worth a watch.

The highlight of the video is an explanation of the recruitment stages mentioned in the job description, which differ slightly from previous recruitment drives. These are:

Stage 1: Stage 1 OPC Assessments
(Paper tests)
(Top 25% of applicants expected to be invited)

Stage 2: EMT Assessment Centre, including group exercises and flash interviews.

Stage 3: DMI (Driver Manager Interview)

Stage 4: Stage 2 OPC Assessments (Computerised tests, SJE and MMI)


Good luck again to everyone who applied!

Top 25%?! That seems a huge number bearing in mind they've had thousands of applicants.

 

[Spankthemonkey]

I've just watched an interesting video filmed last week at an EMT Depot Driver recruitment event. (I didn't know there was one? )

Might be worth a watch.

The highlight of the video is an explanation of the recruitment stages mentioned in the job description, which differ slightly from previous recruitment drives. These are:

Stage 1: Stage 1 OPC Assessments
(Paper tests)
(Top 25% of applicants expected to be invited)

Stage 2: EMT Assessment Centre, including group exercises and flash interviews.

Stage 3: DMI (Driver Manager Interview)

Stage 4: Stage 2 OPC Assessments (Computerised tests, SJE and MMI)


Good luck again to everyone who applied!

Also, i think that video was filmed at a recent open day at which only women were allowed I'd heard a rumour about. Looks well attended. EMT are going the whole hog this time with positive discrimination- if you are a white, straight, male aged 30-45 you will really have to stand out from the crowd to be successful. Inclusivity and diversity are the new buzzwords on the railway, and rightly so.
Incidentally, this looks like it was filmed covertly! Superb going.

 

[SPADTrap]

Also, i think that video was filmed at a recent open day at which only women were allowed I'd heard a rumour about. Looks well attended. EMT are going the whole hog this time with positive discrimination- if you are a white, straight, male aged 30-45 you will really have to stand out from the crowd to be successful. Inclusivity and diversity are the new buzzwords on the railway, and rightly so.
Incidentally, this looks like it was filmed covertly! Superb going.

Not too covertly. By HR.

 

[Dynamonic]

EMT now link to that YouTube channel on an updated version of the job listing too, so yeah, it looks like it wasn't covert. (It can be accessed by your Application)

I am disappointed it appears they only invited 'select' people to an event.
It didn't look well attended, and it was quite funny when the presenter asked who had applied. (You can't see the hands, but he didn't seem impressed)

Anyway, there are two other interesting videos on that channel too; an interview with a female Depot Driver and an interview with a Driver Trainer.

 

[stjimmy87]

Anybody know what the group exercises and flash interviews involve?

 

[Tomnick]

EMT are going the whole hog this time with positive discrimination- if you are a white, straight, male aged 30-45 you will really have to stand out from the crowd to be successful.

It certainly used to state on the application form that the whole process was ‘blind’, in that any personal details were removed from the applications for the sifting process - is this still the case? I hope it is - and it shouldn’t make any difference, if so!

 

[baz962]

Anybody know what the group exercises and flash interviews involve?

No idea bit if role play maybe, mind you I'm a white middle aged male so my chances are scuppered lol.

 

[baz962]

It certainly used to state on the application form that the whole process was ‘blind’, in that any personal details were removed from the applications for the sifting process - is this still the case? I hope it is - and it shouldn’t make any difference, if so!

If I remember rightly it said to take personal details off my cv, and that they do it blind.

 

[stjimmy87]

haha even though I put my name on the application...(took it off the cv)

 

[Spankthemonkey]

It certainly used to state on the application form that the whole process was ‘blind’, in that any personal details were removed from the applications for the sifting process - is this still the case? I hope it is - and it shouldn’t make any difference, if so!

It'll be harder to hide your ethnicity and gender at interview! I don't think it's a bad thing. Women in particularly are underrepresented (14% of total railway workforce i read somewhere) and this is a huge opportunity for the railways to gain an increased diversity of skill sets. However, if it is a straight choice between two identical candidates differing only on gender then you know what to expect now.

 

[Tomnick]

It'll be harder to hide your ethnicity and gender at interview! I don't think it's a bad thing. Women in particularly are underrepresented (14% of total railway workforce i read somewhere) and this is a huge opportunity for the railways to gain an increased diversity of skill sets. However, if it is a straight choice between two identical candidates differing only on gender then you know what to expect now.

I’d agree with that if those identical candidates were competing for a single vacancy. As I understand it, though, you either meet the required standard at interview (and get launched into the next bit of the talent pool) or you don’t (and it’s game over).

It’s excellent to see efforts to get those underrepresented groups interested in the job and hopefully being better represented on the list of applicants, of course, but I’d hope (and don’t doubt!) that the best people for the job, irrespective of gender, will be the ones selected.

 

[baz962]

I’d agree with that if those identical candidates were competing for a single vacancy. As I understand it, though, you either meet the required standard at interview (and get launched into the next bit of the talent pool) or you don’t (and it’s game over).

It’s excellent to see efforts to get those underrepresented groups interested in the job and hopefully being better represented on the list of applicants, of course, but I’d hope (and don’t doubt!) that the best people for the job, irrespective of gender, will be the ones selected.

Well I have passed all psychometric's to an enhanced level and the mmi so unless I suck at interview's which govia thought so then hopefully I am a good candidate lol

 

[Max287]

Not that I feel I have some right to get through, just wishful thinking, but does anybody have any insider knowledge of when we may hear something? If it’s right that stage 1 assessments will take place from a week on Wednesday it doesn’t leave very long to send out practice material and for us to prepare effectively for taking the tests

 

[Dynamonic]

If EMT stick to their timescales, people should start finding out before this coming Thursday. (Giving us 1 weeks notice for Stage 1)

Last time I applied (2013), I found out by post that I made it to Stage 1. I received a package containing revision material and a letter offering a choice of 3 dates for the tests. (Allocated first come first served)

Depending on the number of applicants they have to sift through, I imagine the dates are subject to change.

 

[baz962]

If EMT stick to their timescales, people should start finding out before this coming Thursday. (Giving us 1 weeks notice for Stage 1)

Last time I applied (2013), I found out by post that I made it to Stage 1. I received a package containing revision material and a letter offering a choice of 3 dates for the tests. (Allocated first come first served)

So did they ask if you have taken any tests mate or just invite. They did not ask on the application form.

 

[Dynamonic]

So did they ask if you have taken any tests mate or just invite. They did not ask on the application form.

I imagine they might check your assessment history before they invite you.

 

[baz962]

I imagine they might check your assessment history before they invite you.

Just was wondering if they asked you when you last applied, I mean if a couple of thousand have applied that is a lot to check I can't imagine they would be able to check a couple of thousand in the short time this drive from application to testing is.

 

[Dynamonic]

Just was wondering if they asked you when you last applied, I mean if a couple of thousand have applied that is a lot to check I can't imagine they would be able to check a couple of thousand in the short time this drive from application to testing is.

They probably have multiple stages to their sifting, involving several staff members to save time. It might be like:

1. Someone checks CVs.
2. If fine, someone else marks the competency questions.
3. If fine, someone else runs a report to check assessment history.
4a. If fine, mass invites are sent out to successful applicants.
-or-
4b. Emails would be sent to people with valid assessment passes on record, probably temporarily putting them on hold until the next stage.

I could be totally wrong mind, it just seems the simple way of going about it.

 

[Choochoomonkey]

I applied last time. The closing date was 22 November 2015. I had my first email saying I'd made the sift on 04 December 2015. Then I had an email on 16 December 2015 inviting me to stage 1 which was to be held on 11 January 2016.