Work experience at South West Trains

[Drsatan]

Hello everyone,

I'm a second year student at uni, and I've always wanted a career on the railways. Ideally I'd like a job working in management (influencing how the railways are run), or a job working in timetabling and train planning. At this stage I'm still keeping my options open!

I'm looking for something to do this summer, and so I've decided I wouldn't mind trying to obtain a work experience placement with my local TOC, South West Trains (a few years ago I took part in a compulsory work experience placement with them when I was at school) in the diagramming and train planning side of things. I'd like to shadow a few members of the train planning team and help contribute.

Would I be better off directly contacting appropriate SWT employees, and if so, would anyone on this forum know of any employees I could get in touch with?

Thanks in advance,


Tom

 

[142094]

Probably contacting a member of staff direct wouldn't be the best thing to do, more approriate sending a e-mail off to their HR department to see if they will be doing any sort of work experience this summer.

 

[Simon11]

I disagree with the poster above.

Sending in e-mail to a busy HR department will result in it getting deleted.

Its far better to network and use these contacts to get work experience.

I'm in my final year and I did lots of networking to get into the commercial side of the railways. I've now got my ideal job Your previous work experience, do you still have contact details of any managers you worked with? It be an ideal opportunity to have a chat with them and see if they could set up something!

Have a look at
www.youngrailwayprofessionals.org/
I attended the black tie dinner event and got to know lots of people in the industry!

Send me a pm here, explaining the sort of work you’re looking for, what work experience you have and degree you took. I might be able to offer something or put you in contact with someone.

Management is a huge area, do you mean:
Frontline management
or office based?

Finally, its rather late, but I would def recommend spending a year getting work experience. Between my 2nd and final year, I spend a year working for a TOC, improving my skills and without this experience I wouldn't have got my job after university. Spending a year working makes the differences between an ordinary graduate and someone willing to put the effort into it who gets the job.

 

[142094]

In my experience you were very lucky to get a job solely through networking. I know for a fact with certain companies it isn't tolerated and actually puts you in a bad light. The vast majority of companies will advertise vacancies for work experience and internships on their websites.

 

[the sniper]

I disagree with the poster above.

Sending in e-mail to a busy HR department will result in it getting deleted.

Its far better to network and use these contacts to get work experience.

I agree that an email might be deleted, but that's why I'd write a letter to the HR department. Writing in to TOC HR departments is how I got both of my work experience placements (one at school, one at college).

Try writing a letter to the SWT HR department Drsatan, that's what I'd do first anyway. If you can find out the name of the head of HR and address it to them, all the better.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

In contrast to the above, I wrote to many, many companies to get work experience, and got resounding no's from all of them. Yet, by networking, I managed to get two placements last summer.

 

[francisoldfield]

my school work experience and college was arranged through HR as well. They are busy but they are friendly and will help. Failing that, give them a ring??

 

[387star]

Yes when I finished University I wrote to SouthEastern who appeared to be inundated and had no work experience to offer

I studied English at University and now have a management position in Retail but I have always looked to the Railways. Not quite sure where it's come from because my Dad was an English teacher! Probably growing up travelling on them not having a car
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Hello everyone,

I'm a second year student at uni, and I've always wanted a career on the railways. Ideally I'd like a job working in management (influencing how the railways are run), or a job working in timetabling and train planning. At this stage I'm still keeping my options open!

I'm looking for something to do this summer, and so I've decided I wouldn't mind trying to obtain a work experience placement with my local TOC, South West Trains (a few years ago I took part in a compulsory work experience placement with them when I was at school) in the diagramming and train planning side of things. I'd like to shadow a few members of the train planning team and help contribute.

Would I be better off directly contacting appropriate SWT employees, and if so, would anyone on this forum know of any employees I could get in touch with?

Thanks in advance,


Tom

What are you studying out of interest? I was looking in to the Institution of Railway Operators who provide bespoke Management courses (even a degree) but it comes with a hefty price tag although being at Uni you would know all about that!

And how did you get in to your original placement? You sound as though your part the way there!

 

[Drsatan]

Yes when I finished University I wrote to SouthEastern who appeared to be inundated and had no work experience to offer

I studied English at University and now have a management position in Retail but I have always looked to the Railways. Not quite sure where it's come from because my Dad was an English teacher! Probably growing up travelling on them not having a car
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


What are you studying out of interest? I was looking in to the Institution of Railway Operators who provide bespoke Management courses (even a degree) but it comes with a hefty price tag although being at Uni you would know all about that!

And how did you get in to your original placement? You sound as though your part the way there!

To answer your question, I'm a history student, and I got my first work experience placement with SWT through my school (I was in year 10 and everyone had to do work experience). Having said that I know the name of the HR manager who helped me get the placement, but I've lost her phone number . I'll see if I can email her and see what happens.

I've also decided to attend one of the Institute of Railway Operators events for social networking purposes, although I haven't joined the organisation.