A career as a train driver

[Anthony R]

I’ve had a DMI over Teams which went really well but I doubt they would be allowed to do any testing remotely unfortunately

I read somewhere recently that people had or were sitting the scaat test online.

 

[CPFC#1]

I did my assessments during the last little lockdown before Christmas including the MMI face to face. However the DMI was done over Microsoft Teams which seemed to work fine. I would of personally preferred to have the DMI face to face but obviously happy to be able to complete everything in this current climate.

 

[GaryMG]

OPC is open. I have an atavt resit on the 4th feb. Rapid antigen covid test on arrival at OPC before you can enter. I presume there will be an MMI at the same time. I see no reason why not.

 

[Anthony R]

OPC is open. I have an atavt resit on the 4th feb. Rapid antigen covid test on arrival at OPC before you can enter. I presume there will be an MMI at the same time. I see no reason why not.

Wonder why they are not going ahead with the vast majority then.

 

[GaryMG]

You may well find that there is a massive backlog of testing to be carried out at OPC. Given the current restrictions it would seem plausible they have a reduced capacity for testing per day.

 

[Anthony R]

You may well find that there is a massive backlog of testing to be carried out at OPC. Given the current restrictions it would seem plausible they have a reduced capacity for testing per day.

Yes that’s true, it seemed they were doing blocks of 8 people per day, but they cancelled all the dates, which is why I find it strange to hear they are still doing some, why cancel all the dates.

 

[GaryMG]

Each TOC places the request for testing to be carried out at OPC, each TOC will have its own HR policies regards covid, as such its also possible that the TOC has cancelled the request for testing.

FYI OPC was shut for a certain period of time altogether not so long back....

 

[Anthony R]

Ok I see. Which to care you with may I ask. Thanks

 

[GaryMG]

Colas

 

[BobbiMac421]

Hi everyone!

Complete newbie member here, although I’ve been lurking and reading for a few months!
I have my assessment centre appointment next Monday, 15th and I’m beginning to get nervous! I’ve been practicing a few tests as best I can and don’t feel too daunted by those, but the thought of the MMI is scary - I’m worried I won’t be able to think of relative examples on the spot! Any tips for the sort of examples / questions the MMI entails?

 

[ILoveLamp]

Hi everyone!

Complete newbie member here, although I’ve been lurking and reading for a few months!
I have my assessment centre appointment next Monday, 15th and I’m beginning to get nervous! I’ve been practicing a few tests as best I can and don’t feel too daunted by those, but the thought of the MMI is scary - I’m worried I won’t be able to think of relative examples on the spot! Any tips for the sort of examples / questions the MMI entails?

If you use the search bar at the top and type in ‘MMI’ you’ll find more than enough info. Best of luck.

 

[BobbiMac421]

If you use the search bar at the top and type in ‘MMI’ you’ll find more than enough info. Best of luck.

Thanks!

 

[Anthony R]

So I have heard from the opc now, have not selected a day yet as not sure if I can make them as everyone keeps getting positive tests it seems, but what is curious, the original invite was for a full day, 9 to about 4. These new dates are now only for half a day, approx 4 hrs. So what does that mean do you suppose? Only sitting half the tests perhaps?

 

[Stigy]

So I have heard from the opc now, have not selected a day yet as not sure if I can make them as everyone keeps getting positive tests it seems, but what is curious, the original invite was for a full day, 9 to about 4. These new dates are now only for half a day, approx 4 hrs. So what does that mean do you suppose? Only sitting half the tests perhaps?

They may be doing it in two stages.

 

[LCC106]

Quite possibly. Also someone mentioned they aren’t marking tests during the day due to Covid. Maybe they’re seeing fewer people at a time too?

 

[harrypotter50]

Hi all, I am currently looking into becoming a train driver. I have been on EMR'S site and it states that they advertise for trainee drivers typically between October and January. Does anyone know if i have missed their advertisements for either Derby or Kettering?

Thanks,

 

[dzdoris]

So I have heard from the opc now, have not selected a day yet as not sure if I can make them as everyone keeps getting positive tests it seems, but what is curious, the original invite was for a full day, 9 to about 4. These new dates are now only for half a day, approx 4 hrs. So what does that mean do you suppose? Only sitting half the tests perhaps?

My email said it was just the paper tests and if successful we would be booked onto another date to go to Watford. I presume this
date would be to do the computer tests and MMI as we would have done on the full day?

 

[Sazz84]

Hi everyone, are there any sites to practice the initial scenario questions that form part of the initial assessment, please? The 'what would you do if...... scenario type ones

 

[ILoveLamp]

Hi all, I am currently looking into becoming a train driver. I have been on EMR'S site and it states that they advertise for trainee drivers typically between October and January. Does anyone know if i have missed their advertisements for either Derby or Kettering?

Thanks,

Keep an eye out for depot/Shunter drivers with EMR, i believe they often have internal vacancies to apply to move to full mainline trainee. Oddly you can see some of their internal vacancies on their careers page and I have seen trainee train driver on there so if you could get in as a depot driver would perhaps be a good move.

 

[andydriver]

Morning all, a little piece of advice please on the remote online miniSCAAT test.

Last time I had a crack at it, when clicking my mouse, I found the strike-through was not happening in the centre of the symbol and only seemed to work slightly to the left of it. Whether that was just nerves, I quickly found that speed was lost, followed by panic, followed by telling myself 'I am sure I have just lost this', followed by rejection email.

Has anyone else found that anything similar - or where simply computer issues/slow internet caused a loss of the test and subsequent rejection.

Any advice on how to improve please?

 

[Kauntrilla]

Andy which TOC u applying for?

 

[Luckyflames]

How long from
Passing Mini scaats. To Assessment day please ?

Morning all, a little piece of advice please on the remote online miniSCAAT test.

Last time I had a crack at it, when clicking my mouse, I found the strike-through was not happening in the centre of the symbol and only seemed to work slightly to the left of it. Whether that was just nerves, I quickly found that speed was lost, followed by panic, followed by telling myself 'I am sure I have just lost this', followed by rejection email.

Has anyone else found that anything similar - or where simply computer issues/slow internet caused a loss of the test and subsequent rejection.

Any advice on how to improve please?

Just completed the mini scaat. No problems with strike through. These are my results. As I recorded them. No 1 .. 1 letter 88 identified no mistakes
No 2.. 1 Capital 1 lower case
96 identified missed one
No 3.. 1 letter & 1st letter in each row 146 identified no mistakes.
awaiting results. Any good ?

 

[LCC106]

Sounds good to me but don‘t know their pass rate or criteria.

 

[FastTrax]

just out of curiosity, the video interview questions can we read from prepared notes? i dont have an interview or anythign just to be clear but was wondering if someone write down all the Tell Me About and other question they can think of and if that questions is asked they read it from the notes. possible?

 

[Anthony R]

just out of curiosity, the video interview questions can we read from prepared notes? i dont have an interview or anythign just to be clear but was wondering if someone write down all the Tell Me About and other question they can think of and if that questions is asked they read it from the notes. possible?

I read mine from notes.how would they know. I had about 20 flash cards laid out and in the ten second think time put the relevant one below the camera.


Did my paper tests this morn. March 1st,Seemed ok to me. The dfft was a lot lot harder than the practice material in my opinion, but I think I did enough hopefully. Happy to share what I now know if it helps anyone. Just computer tests next, Any advice on them? Many thanks

 

[StargazyScot]

Hi, I’m a new member and was just wondering if anyone had applied for the recent Cross Country trainee driver openings and had they heard anything? Thanks!

 

[Stigy]

Hi, I’m a new member and was just wondering if anyone had applied for the recent Cross Country trainee driver openings and had they heard anything? Thanks!

Hi Stargazy,

There is a whole thread on this here;

Clicky!

 

[StargazyScot]

Thanks!

 

[Michael Pitt]

Good afternoon, I'm a new member currently looking for more advice on trainee train Driver.

 

[LCC106]

Welcome to the forum! You can find everything you need to know by searching through this thread. Key point at this stage is to check websites of Train Operating Companies or Freight Operating Companies who have depots within an hour of your home daily. Then when you see a vacancy, apply straightaway. They often get taken off the website before the closing date as there are literally thousands of applicants.