Trainee Train Drivers (Talent Bank) - Avanti - Multiple Locations (02/10/22)

[Spincity]

I’m gutted, I passed all these tests back in 2018 when it was Virgin but had to turn down the job offer due to the only station they could offer was Euston and only being 17 wasn’t possible. I applied for this job 4.5 years later meaning my pass results had a 6 months validation left on them but I had to retake them as it wasn’t long enough left so now my results are valid for another 5 years. If they jobs where advertised a few months earlier I may have been on one of the first courses aha. 6 years waiting and counting haha

You were 17….but need to be 21 to drive. Surprised you got offered a job, irrelevant of the station.

 

[om1997]

You were 17….but need to be 21 to drive. Surprised you got offered a job, irrelevant of the station.

Sorry I had just turned 18 and after passing out the apprenticeship I would have been of age to drive the train but then virgin lost the contract and no positions became available externally until recent years for avanti

 

[Shinigami]

Sorry I had just turned 18 and after passing out the apprenticeship I would have been of age to drive the train but then virgin lost the contract and no positions became available externally until recent years for avanti

You’re not allowed to do the apprenticeship before 21 either as it still requires movement of trains which you can’t legally do

 

[om1997]

You’re not allowed to do the apprenticeship before 21 either as it still requires movement of trains which you can’t legally do

I’m sure they wouldn’t have progressed with my application and wasted their time and money in putting me through all the application process if they legally couldn’t put me on a course

Couldn’t find the exact post I applied for but I found this on the forum. I do however have all my emails if you were still in doubt

 

[Spincity]

I’m sure they wouldn’t have progressed with my application and wasted their time and money in putting me through all the application process if they legally couldn’t put me on a course

Couldn’t find the exact post I applied for but I found this on the forum. I do however have all my emails if you were still in doubt

I’d suggest if you got to job offer age 17 or 18 something was not correct. The minimum age for a train driver is 21, Avanti requirements are 20 1/2 year old at application stage, presumably it’ll take 6 months to progress through application/medical. You may have emails but when your age was confirmed the job offer was probably rescinded. As you waited several years now you will be over 21, so good luck.

 

[om1997]

I’d suggest if you got to job offer age 17 or 18 something was not correct. The minimum age for a train driver is 21, Avanti requirements are 20 1/2 year old at application stage, presumably it’ll take 6 months to progress through application/medical. You may have emails but when your age was confirmed the job offer was probably rescinded. As you waited several years now you will be over 21, so good luck.

You do realise you’ve attatched the requirements for avanti? I specified I applied 6 years ago when it was virgin. Different apprenticeship back then, they only ran it for 2/3 years. It was aimed at college leavers who would learn all there is about the trains from CSA to train managers then put onto the training course to then become a train driver. Quick google search will bring up useful links

 

[43066]

I’d suggest if you got to job offer age 17 or 18 something was not correct. The minimum age for a train driver is 21, Avanti requirements are 20 1/2 year old at application stage, presumably it’ll take 6 months to progress through application/medical. You may have emails but when your age was confirmed the job offer was probably rescinded. As you waited several years now you will be over 21, so good luck.

IIRC There was a scheme where young people joined up as apprentices to do non driving roles, with the intention of training up as drivers later. @Efini92 might know more…

 

[om1997]

IIRC There was a scheme where young people joined up as apprentices to do non driving roles, with the intention of training up as drivers later. @Efini92 might know more…

Yeah that’s the one but it was actually a train driver apprenticeship, they just made you take a year out and learn a different role like I could have gone to Virgin Atlantic for 6 months-12 months then come back and start the course for the train driver. They actually used a 19 year old in their manifesto that had done it and went on to become a train driver

 

[Spincity]

IIRC There was a scheme where young people joined up as apprentices to do non driving roles, with the intention of training up as drivers later. @Efini92 might know more…

thanks, you’re correct….Virgin got 3 people on an apprenticeship, not driver course, that’s the confusion, spent a couple of years learning different roles. Thanks.

Yeah that’s the one but it was actually a train driver apprenticeship, they just made you take a year out and learn a different role like I could have gone to Virgin Atlantic for 6 months-12 months then come back and start the course for the train driver. They actually used a 19 year old in their manifesto that had done it and went on to become a train driver

Sorry, My misunderstanding, confusing the current apprenticeship with this Virgin one. Although never realised you’d have sat the entire driver assessments at 17.

 

[om1997]

thanks, you’re correct….Virgin got 3 people on an apprenticeship, not driver course, that’s the confusion, spent a couple of years learning different roles. Thanks. Although didn’t realise they’d sat the full driver assessment and CBI when they were 17.

The apprenticeship was to be a train driver, it’s all in the application/emails/manifesto’s. They made you sit the exams during the interviewing process because by the end of year 1 you’d be put onto the course which was a bit longer back then. The tests we have all recently just sat have been the same tests since I did them back in 2018 as an 18 year old

 

[Class2ldn]

So did you go to the actual test centre and do all the psychometric tests as well as the online ones?
Its unfortunate you've had to sit them again.

 

[om1997]

So did you go to the actual test centre and do all the psychometric tests as well as the online ones?
Its unfortunate you've had to sit them again.

Did everything. Only difference was this was pre Covid so i actually went to the training centre for my DMI too

So did you go to the actual test centre and do all the psychometric tests as well as the online ones?
Its unfortunate you've had to sit them again.

I was literally 4.5 years later and they said that they need +6 months of validation on my results

 

[Class2ldn]

Ah thats a shame but if you've done them all again then at least you've got them for a few years

 

[om1997]

Ah thats a shame but if you've done them all again then at least you've got them for a few years

Yeah definitely! If I’m correct 2022 was the first year they’ve taken applications externally for the train driver role so I didn’t even get a chance to use my results to apply within the timeframe. My uncle has just passed out as a train driver from this scheme and it took him 2 years to be offered a course due to Covid and he was already a train manager for virgin/avanti so he got on internally a few years back

 

[Class2ldn]

Did you not look at any other companies as you could have used them elsewhere?

 

[om1997]

Did you not look at any other companies as you could have used them elsewhere?

I’ve just always held out for virgin/avanti as my parents both work for virgin/avanti have done for 20 years and 2 of my uncles and 1 of their partners all work here to. I knew the chance would come up again so I decided to wait out. I’ve been in a manager role since 18 so I’ve been lucky to not have to rush into another company

 

[Efini92]

IIRC There was a scheme where young people joined up as apprentices to do non driving roles, with the intention of training up as drivers later. @Efini92 might know more…

I think I’m late to the party and it’s already been answered

 

[Pdtraintrack]

Email update sent to us all after July at least

 

[Ned21]

I had the same

 

[Ses16]

Anyone set for the march course that can give me a private message please?

 

[Jordan1991]

So a new pay deal on overtime has been agreed. They get £600 now instead of £125. Not good news for those of us waiting as I imagine this will plug the shortages instead of training new drivers

 

[Efini92]

So a new pay deal on overtime has been agreed. They get £600 now instead of £125. Not good news for those of us waiting as I imagine this will plug the shortages instead of training new drivers

I suggest if you want a job with Avanti, you do a little more research into their t&c’s instead of repeating the rubbish the press are printing.

 

[Indistinct]

It’s £600 instead of standard rate plus £125 booking on payment. In reality it’s probably a £150ish increase, which after tax is less than £100 more.

It may improve their performance in the short term but there will still be people retiring/leaving so they’ll always need new drivers.