Work Experience

[CCF23]

I am 14 and would appreciate any help on doing work experience near the London area. Preferably working on trains or stations. Thanks Chris (CCF23)
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I will be doing the work experience in September.

 

[37401]

I am 14 and would appreciate any help on doing work experience near the London area. Preferably working on trains or stations. Thanks Chris (CCF23)
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I will be doing the work experience in September.

The best thing to do is write out a letter to as many TOC`s as you can i very much doubt you will work on board but you may get some cab rides out of it all i can say is good luck mate,you can do Work experence youll shadow a member of staff during the wekk but it could help you later on when you leave school.

Once again Good luck let me know how you get on

 

[CCF23]

thanks alot mate for the advice

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

It's also a case of not what you know but who you know. If you have any contacts in the Railway ask them and see what they can do. If it works, make sure you get them a pint or two!

 

[Bayum]

Or make sure you give them the money for a Pint!!!

 

[Mojo]

I'd advise writing letters to HR or Customer Relations departments (who will forward your letters) stating your age, school and that you would like to do Work Experience at [location] with them - and what you'd like to do.

Judging by past discussions on the forums, it seems that some TOCs can be very variable, with one applicant being accepted and one refused.

 

[CCF23]

OK thanks for advice

 

[GB]

To be honest, being as your only 14 I cant see many companies taking you on. If they do, Im pretty sure you would be stuck in some back office somewhere and are unlikly to go anywhere near the operational side of things.

I maybe wrong and of course its always worth a shot, but sadly I wouldnt advise holding ones breath.

 

[Mojo]

To be honest, being as your only 14 I cant see many companies taking you on. If they do, Im pretty sure you would be stuck in some back office somewhere and are unlikly to go anywhere near the operational side of things.

I maybe wrong and of course its always worth a shot, but sadly I wouldnt advise holding ones breath.

If the OP is 14 then he is most likely in Year 10, which is the most common year for Work Experience through schools.

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

To be honest, being as your only 14 I cant see many companies taking you on. If they do, Im pretty sure you would be stuck in some back office somewhere and are unlikly to go anywhere near the operational side of things.

I maybe wrong and of course its always worth a shot, but sadly I wouldnt advise holding ones breath.

I would say GB, you are kinda wrong. I have Work Exp coming up this year at a Depot and isn't on the office side of things, it is on the mechanical side of things(I'll be 15 by the date of my work exp), I ahd a mate of mine who did station work(Amongst other things) for his work Exp(Again, he was 15 at the time of his). I know of a few other people who have had extremely successful work Exp with TOC. And I don't know of anyone who has had a problem getting work exp with a TOC/FOC.

 

[nath9425]

I would say GB, you are kinda wrong. I have Work Exp coming up this year at a Depot and isn't on the office side of things, it is on the mechanical side of things(I'll be 15 by the date of my work exp), I ahd a mate of mine who did station work(Amongst other things) for his work Exp(Again, he was 15 at the time of his). I know of a few other people who have had extremely successful work Exp with TOC. And I don't know of anyone who has had a problem getting work exp with a TOC/FOC.

I will also agree there ... I mean I am going out on work experience with the "Operations Director"

Makes me wonder .. do you think I will do anything to do with operations?

 

[GB]

Fair do's, I was unaware it would be done through school which throws a slightly different light on the situation.

 

[FusionRail]

Depends, I was 16 when i did my work ex, but its unlikely youll get taken on in an area where PTS is required at 14, so that rules out Network Rail. As for tocs, you wont be getting a cabride. Midland mainline certainly didnt take on work ex, youll be better off going for the stuff on the schools system and do that.You have to remember this is a running railway, and a very dangerous environment, and its unlikely theyll want a 14 year old with a camera running around. I know I wouldnt.

 

[GNERman]

I'm year 10 and doing WEX at GC in July - Can't wait!

 

[Coxster]

When I was 15 I did work experience with South West Trains. This included a cab ride, accompanying a guard for a couple of days, a visit to a signal box, a visit to the control room and a few other bits and bobs. Not sure if they still offer it though, but might still be worth getting in touch with them if they are convenient for you to get to. When I did mine, I contacted the recruitment address myself - rather than going through the school - who dealt with everything. A few months later a mate of mine went for it but he was just on a platform for two weeks. Still on the railway though and agreed it was still better than being in a shop for a fortnight.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do

 

[AlexS]

Just apply anyway. You never know what they will say, as other people have posted it does appear to depend which advisor picks up your query in the mail.

I wouldn't totally rule out NR as you don't require PTS to be about their depots (I don't have a sentinel card and I have visited more than one on official business) but they may refuse you on safety grounds - I know I had to be approved by a fairly senior manager before my permits were issued to be on their property.

 

[thefab444]

RE Coxster, SWT no longer do Work Experience, or at least that is what I was told. Typically they seemed to have ended the programme just when I wanted to do mine! I went to IBM instead... gosh, seems like such a long time ago!

Ah well!

 

[wensley]

I'm 14 (yr. 10) and have a pleacement with Grand Central lined up for June at York!!

 

[GNERman]

Your copying me!

 

[randompilgrim]

To be honest, being as your only 14 I cant see many companies taking you on. If they do, Im pretty sure you would be stuck in some back office somewhere and are unlikly to go anywhere near the operational side of things.

I maybe wrong and of course its always worth a shot, but sadly I wouldnt advise holding ones breath.

Yeah, i am doing work experience with Colas Rail at Tavy Yd in Plymouth, i am only 14!

 

[CCF23]

Thank you to everyone who commented on this thread and gave me advice.After talking to several TOC's including SWT who said they no longer do work experience, my aunt who works for Transport for London managed to find me a placement on the metropolitan line doing various things for the two weeks including signaling,ticketing,driver observation etc.Thanks again Chris (CCF23)

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

Thank you to everyone who commented on this thread and gave me advice.After talking to several TOC's including SWT who said they no longer do work experience, my aunt who works for Transport for London managed to find me a placement on the metropolitan line doing various things for the two weeks including signaling,ticketing,driver observation etc.Thanks again Chris (CCF23)

Great News Chris!

Have mine starting on Monday, can't wait! Hope yours goes good.