Trainee Train Driver - London Paddington

[SlimJim1694]

I see your point. I just don't agree with the idea that the drivers who are most vulnerable to having incidents and need the most support are being paid less than their colleagues.

 

[800 Driver]

They provided a very good explanation of what had to be given up in order to move forward with harmonisation and the substantial pay increases that non-high speed drivers had been after for a long long time. Especially as they know even 80% is more than 100% if we'd been left as the poor relation, as we'd been treated for years.

We've finally reached amicable middle ground and still have a strong position for negotiating Sundays going forward. Would I like to be straight on 61.5k? Absolutely. But do I accept that if I wasn't starting on 53k I'd never get to 61.5? Again, absolutely.

Absolutely this. Under the old system there was essentially a post qualification rate which was £10k below the HSS rate, but rather than automatically going onto the full rate at year 2, you'd have to wait a full two years before being able to join a 2 year plus waiting list to get the full rate at your nearest HSS depot. So whilst no one is saying the new set up is perfect, it's a hell of an improvement on the old one.

 

[Stigy]

main differences between SWR and GWR starting off as a trainee train driver?

SWR start on a lower salary but this increases after a few milestones. GWR trainees salary is set until we qualify. There’s differences throughout the training too as far as I’m aware, in terms of course structure. Once fully qualified at SWR you’ll be on the full driver salary immediately, although this is significantly lower than what GWR’s will be come May.

Also an important note, unless you’re a depot driver with SWR who goes as a mainline trainee, all internals drop to the trainee salary regardless. With GWR if internal, you keep your previous salary if it was in excess of the training wage.

FirstGroup employees aren’t classed as internal either. Internal refers to working for the specific TOC rather than any TOC run by First, if that makes sense? It does confuse matters when GWR let say an SWR employee apply apply through the internal channels, but then class them as external from there on in.

 

[43066]

Thats not the point. It doesn't matter if they are on five quid an hour or fifty quid... the point is that people doing exactly the same job are paid less. What makes a newly qualified drivers labour any less valuable that someone who has been doing it for three years? It basically says to the new drivers that the company do not value them. My TOC is the same, less money first year, threats to make you pay if you leave in 3 years. I was speaking to a manager not long ago about how many drivers are leaving and if the company had any plans to try and stem the flow, and his response was "we don't care how many people leave as long as the work gets covered'. That's the reality of how drivers are viewed, just another number. ASLEF have let far too many little things like this in over the years.

That doesn’t surprise me at all, sadly. That’s the kind of blinkered and stupid attitude which explains why your TOC pays so far below market rates and has a revolving door of drivers leaving as soon as they can for better work/more money/both.

It’s penny wise, pound foolish. If they invested in paying their staff properly (and made the place somewhere people actually wanted to work) they’d most likely save money in the long run. Training up drivers only for them to leave after a couple of years is madness.

The threats about having to repay training costs are completely unenforceable, as HR know very well.

 

[aQmIj]

Do GWR drivers work a 4 day week?

 

[railwanabe]

Got the same email. I passed the online assesment

 

[venom ivv]

Anyone heard back?

 

[railwanabe]

No, just the email saying passed online assesment.

 

[GeniusB]

Deleted

 

[DwayneB8z]

Anyone heard anything yet?

 

[D5581]

Anyone heard anything yet?

Nope.
Guess it will be quite a while before we do now. I know a few First Group companies have started to freeze recruitment, wouldn't be surprised if GWR have aswell in light of the virus situation.

 

[Stigy]

Nope.
Guess it will be quite a while before we do now. I know a few First Group companies have started to freeze recruitment, wouldn't be surprised if GWR have aswell in light of the virus situation.

GWR aren’t even training the staff they’ve got for at least 12 weeks.

 

[43066]

GWR aren’t even training the staff they’ve got for at least 12 weeks.

I guess it must mean no rules classes, no DI/trainees, no front ending....

Hopefully you’ve been all sent home on full pay for the duration?

 

[Stigy]

I guess it must mean no rules classes, no DI/trainees, no front ending....

Hopefully you’ve been all sent home on full pay for the duration?

Yes. Al classroom training suspended for at least 12 weeks and all other trainees have been told at least 3 weeks. All at home but being paid.

 

[43066]

Yes. Al classroom training suspended for at least 12 weeks and all other trainees have been told at least 3 weeks. All at home but being paid.

Glad to hear it. Waiting it out is all you can do.

Strange times for all of us, at the moment.

 

[43066]

People are not leaving 60/70k jobs to be train drivers.

I can assure you that some people are, and from jobs that pay rather more besides.

Work life balance has its plus points.

 

[Roger Roger]

Hi guys, go easy on me, this is my first post.
Do trainee positions like this come up very often? I'm staring down the barrel of redundancy as an airline pilot and train driving is something that I've always thought I could be good at and might enjoy. Any help, tips etc would be gratefully accepted.

 

[43066]

Hi guys, go easy on me, this is my first post.
Do trainee positions like this come up very often? I'm staring down the barrel of redundancy as an airline pilot and train driving is something that I've always thought I could be good at and might enjoy. Any help, tips etc would be gratefully accepted.

Very sorry to hear that.

Trainee driver positions come up pretty regularly, especially in the London area. Most often with commuter TOCs (think Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern, SWR etc.) Having said that, both LNER and Avanti West coast have recently recruited.

The best advice is to keep an eye on the websites of your local TOCs. When the roles are advertised, it’s worth applying ASAP, as the adverts tend to be taken down well in advance of the closing date.

Best of luck.

 

[bruebunny]

Very sorry to hear that.

Trainee driver positions come up pretty regularly, especially in the London area. Most often with commuter TOCs (think Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern, SWR etc. Having said that, both LNER and Avanti West coast have recently recruited.

The best advice is to keep an eye on the websites of your local TOCs. When the roles are advertised, it’s worth applying ASAP, as the adverts tend to be taken down well in advance of the closing date.

Best of luck.

I'd also say just swing by this forum on a daily basis too. Every role I have applied for I've found out about first from someone posting it to this forum. It is a real helpful community here in that regard.

 

[Roger Roger]

Thanks guys - very helpful.

 

[43066]

Thanks guys - very helpful.

No worries at all. Sorry you’re going through what must be an extremely difficult time. I have a couple of mates who are pilots and also fearing for their jobs.

Happy to give whatever advice I can, feel free to drop me a PM.

 

[Roger Roger]

"Happy to give whatever advice I can, feel free to drop me a PM."
Thanks - I would but I can't for some reason. Maybe because my profile is new...

 

[Evolution]

"Happy to give whatever advice I can, feel free to drop me a PM."
Thanks - I would but I can't for some reason. Maybe because my profile is new...

You need 5 forum posts to use the PM function I believe.

 

[Railroader22]

Has anyone had any form of contact regarding this vacancy? My last contact was 3rd April informing me I had passed online assessments but would only be progressed to the next stage if I fall within the top scoring bracket. Did anyone else receive that email?

 

[iwasyoungonce]

Has anyone had any form of contact regarding this vacancy? My last contact was 3rd April informing me I had passed online assessments but would only be progressed to the next stage if I fall within the top scoring bracket. Did anyone else receive that email?

Yes me too, I applied on the 6th, took the online test same day then was emailed 7th March saying I had passed, no contact since.

 

[Choochoo89]

Nothing heard for me either...

 

[Fahim]

Just an update if anyones interested, I did email recruitment and they did say majority of recruitment is still on hold- as expected. They're waiting for an update from managers