Virgin RedTrack Crew Member

[Simon11]

Fantastic job opportunity for people just out of school and looking to do a degree along with getting important work experience.

Overview
Degrees. Opportunity. Debt. They don’t always have to go hand in hand – especially if you’re with Virgin Trains.

That’s because we’re ready to offer a life-changing opportunity. Get yourself on our RedTrack programme and you’ll have a chance to start a red hot career. Oh, and you’ll earn a top notch BA (Hons) along the way.

Sound good? Then why not read on.

What’s involved?

RedTrack is a unique graduate programme. It offers a 4-year, fixed-term, full-time job that incorporates a 4-year degree apprenticeship programme delivered in conjunction with Manchester Metropolitan University. And the rewards are incredible.

What you’ll get
1. A full-time job at Virgin Trains
2. Study time for the BA (Hons) Business Management degree apprenticeship at MMU
3. The chance to achieve the Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship, which incorporates the CMI Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management. The Level 5 Diploma, awarded at the end of the third year, offers students an interim award and is in addition to the CMI Chartered status and a BA (Hons) degree awarded at the end of year 4.

Work with the best
Practical skills take time to learn. That’s why you’ll need to work 35 hours a week, and depending on your interest and ability, that could be in any area of our business.

Fancy yourself in finance? Our finance team would love to meet you. Want to be a station supremo? We’ve got a station waiting for you now. Want to help the trains run on time, every time? Then our Control team is for you. And that’s just for starters.

However, it’s not all fun and glory. You’ll need to be flexible, organised and maybe even work shifts. You’ll be doing lots of travelling up and down our network, as and when required – and learning lots.

How it breaks down.

In year one you’ll work at the front line of the business with our Onboard, Stations, and Control and Resourcing teams.

In year two, you’ll spend 6 months in two relevant areas such as Finance, HR, Learning and Development, Recruitment, Sales and Marketing, Catering Logistics, Revenue Management, Production, Fleet and Engineering.

During year three, you’ll specialise in one area. You’ll even get the chance to work within other Virgin companies.

In your final year you’ll specialise within one department and have a senior member of the VT management team as your mentor. Priceless.

Download the job description for full details of this great opportunity.

http://www.virgintrainscareers.co.uk/VacancyInformation.aspx?VId=56120

 

[transportphoto]

Certainly going to apply! The logistics of it look challenging given I'm currently based quite a way away from the West Coast line, £12k per year isn't going to be very easy to find accommodation and to cover living costs. Hmm.

 

[scotsman]

Certainly going to apply! The logistics of it look challenging given I'm currently based quite a way away from the West Coast line, £12k per year isn't going to be very easy to find accommodation and to cover living costs. Hmm.

If you are working 35 hours a week, then that'll be an apprentice rate. This is currently £3.30/hr. It will have to increase to the NMW for your age after the first year. However, if you're getting progressively more time off to study then £12k is entirely feasible.

You may also be eligible for a loan, or a bursary.

Either way, this is a sh*t hot opportunity for someone who wants to work in the rail industry. I'd imagine those who complete this usually progress very quickly within the company.

Edit: in addition to that, I survived as a student on less than £12k pretty easily. Also, as you're working for a TOC, you'll get a Virgin travel pass (free unlimited standard leisure and duty travel on VTWC and VTEC, or possibly even a first class leisure/duty/both travel pass - seeing as it's going into management), your ATOC PRIV pass (75% off all standard 'on the day' fares) and you'll be eligible for a subsidised season ticket (75% off an annual season ticket between your residence and place work only). On top of that, I believe there's some rather cushy deals that you get access to as a Virgin employee.

In other words: If it's what you want to do, then go for it.

 

[tiptoptaff]

Won't get first class - status passes are safeguarded staff in senior management roles only. They'll become extinct when that generation retires

 

[scotsman]

Won't get first class - status passes are safeguarded staff in senior management roles only. They'll become extinct when that generation retires

Was meaning a TOC-specific first class pass, which is very much alive and well.

 

[Up_Tilt_390]

Sounds like a very hot opportunity, but I'm not too sure. I'm 19 and I've been out of school for almost three years, and at the moment I'm not doing anything after having just done a one-year engineering course in college after I left from another course.

Don't get me wrong, I've always loved the railway, but I'm not sure this is something I can do simply because of where I am now. It sort of sounds like something for school leavers rather than unemployed former students with a problem of Asperger's Syndrome.

Forgive me if that sounds depressing because part of me really doesn't want to miss this opportunity, but can I really do it? After having done school and some parts of college (which might I add done some real bad psychological damage which is partly why I'm somewhat so worried about doing new things) can I even apply for it without them thinking about my further education? I'm in Liverpool by the way so I'm not sure the opportunity would apply here.

 

[TheManBehind]

Sounds like a very hot opportunity, but I'm not too sure. I'm 19 and I've been out of school for almost three years, and at the moment I'm not doing anything after having just done a one-year engineering course in college after I left from another course.

Don't get me wrong, I've always loved the railway, but I'm not sure this is something I can do simply because of where I am now. It sort of sounds like something for school leavers rather than unemployed former students with a problem of Asperger's Syndrome.

Forgive me if that sounds depressing because part of me really doesn't want to miss this opportunity, but can I really do it? After having done school and some parts of college (which might I add done some real bad psychological damage which is partly why I'm somewhat so worried about doing new things) can I even apply for it without them thinking about my further education? I'm in Liverpool by the way so I'm not sure the opportunity would apply here.

Apply anyway. The railway (and Virgin group in particular) are superb at catering to those who need an additional hand or even just confidence boost. Worst that will happen is they'll say no, surely?

 

[kelv]

This is more geared towards those that have left college or uni than school leavers isn't it ?

Daughter leaves school this year & although she's applied for various colleges & got offers she was originally looking at trying for an apprenticeship and would still possibly prefer that option. We looked at the UCAS Points thing & it seemed that it was A2 levels that accrued the points required, degrees do to but after being at uni for 4 years could a student then stay pretty skint for another few years as an apprentice ?
Apprenticeships were always for school leavers but it seems nowadays they are wanting you to have gained your qualifications beforehand, there were sponsored graduates in the past who got funding through uni from companies. This is a great opportunity for kids after A Levels or even GCSE's, but if a kid does A's then Uni then takes this on with an apprentice wage they'll then find themselves at 25 starting to earn a wage to pay back student loans & be skint still until about 27-28.
Scary for parents, the fact that they'll be still be at home at that age unable to move out !!!

For some a fantastic opp but imo not so much those who've been to uni & are 22ish.

 

[Economist]

Up_Tilt,

I would apply for it, as has been said already, what do you stand to lose?

I've mentioned on other threads that I have an autism diagnosis, I'm in my early-mid twenties and I came very close to getting a trainee driver's job last year.

Over the years I've always tried to improve myself and part of that has been intentionally putting myself in situations where I've been a bit uncomfortable. For example, in relation with my current job, I attended a series of professional networking events. I was out of my depth at my first one or two but my ability to network improved in time to the point where I can now "work the room" with more ease than most.

I haven't always had it easy and I haven't always succeeded but I generally learn from it and try to avoid repeating any mistakes.

 

[Mag_seven]

Won't get first class - status passes are safeguarded staff in senior management roles only. They'll become extinct when that generation retires

They will retain that facility until they die actually as they should retain that facility in retirement.

 

[LowLevel]

While I applaud the opportunity, the only thing that gets me about them is it's fairly irritating if you're unlucky enough to be in a technical job role and you end up being used as a lab rat to trial a 5 minute boil in the bag manager with no experience earning less than half your money. Been there, done that, been thoroughly annoyed at them being in charge without knowing the job.

They should at least be paid a decent wage while they're at it.