Greater Anglia - Trainee Depot Driver - Ilford (14/02/23)

[JWS]

I got an email inviting me to psychometric tests however they aren't able to offer any dates as of yet, this time frame may vary depending on depo vancancies.

 

[golfsareus]

I got a second email shortly after the first one with a link to choose a date and time for the interview. There was only one date which is next Tuesday.

Oh great thanks I’ll check my spam emails now maybe it went in there, I also want to know if we get the EU train driving license or just a depot license.

 

[Teddyward]

Oh great thanks I’ll check my spam emails now maybe it went in there, I also want to know if we get the EU train driving license or just a depot license.

Anglia depot drivers get driving licence. Colchester & Southend need it. Ilford depot drivers don’t as they don’t leave the yard but everyone gets one anyway.

 

[golfsareus]

Anglia depot drivers get driving licence. Colchester & Southend need it. Ilford depot drivers don’t as they don’t leave the yard but everyone gets one anyway.

Thanks for that, do promotions happen regularly in terms of being able to become a main line driver, thanks

 

[SammyMo]

I received an email last night inviting me to do the psychometric test (no dates yet) they said I'd have to do stage 2 tests as I've already sat them passed them all and failed at mmi. Would anyone know if I need to do all stage 2 tests again or just sit the mmi?

 

[NSEWonderer]

You'd do mmi I believe

 

[Teddyward]

Thanks for that, do promotions happen regularly in terms of being able to become a main line driver, thanks

There is no promotion. You have to apply and the current arrangement for mainline on great eastern is one from the street, one from the yard 50/50. A rough estimate if you do ok is 3-5 years. This may change in the future back to depot driver promotion only and is part of the current pay talks with the company and union. (Well it will be once the national dispute is settled).

 

[NSEWonderer]

There is no promotion. You have to apply and the current arrangement for mainline on great eastern is one from the street, one from the yard 50/50. A rough estimate if you do ok is 3-5 years. This may change in the future back to depot driver promotion only and is part of the current pay talks with the company and union. (Well it will be once the national dispute is settled).

I assume that would be internal applications for mainline? And how frequent are those roughly? Thanks

 

[Alanstopp97]

I applied at the weekend and yesterday received an invite to complete an online assessment. Completed the assessment this evening, it was a 19 question Situational Judgement test. Waiting now to see if I passed and then hopefully move onto the next stage.

Did you pass, I passed and now onto psychometric test, I don’t know when it will be but I received my email yesterday.

I got an email inviting me to psychometric tests however they aren't able to offer any dates as of yet, this time frame may vary depending on depo vancancies.

I had the same email so fingers crossed we get it as soon as possible

 

[MattyL]

I have just received an email inviting me to a managers interview. Anyone else got anything?

Had you previously passed the psychometric tests so gone straight to managers interview? Do you know how long they hold test results as passed mine back in November 2021.
I've just found out I passed the SJT.

 

[BigPondFish]

Did you pass, I passed and now onto psychometric test, I don’t know when it will be but I received my email yesterday.


I had the same email so fingers crossed we get it as soon as possible

Yep, I passed the psychometric tests for a different FOC last September so I went straight to interview. Not holding out much hope though as I am rubbish at interviews.

Had you previously passed the psychometric tests so gone straight to managers interview? Do you know how long they hold test results as passed mine back in November 2021.
I've just found out I passed the SJT.

I passed them in September last year. I'm not sure how long they GA hold the results for but November 21 is not that long ago so hopefully you will be ok.

 

[NSEWonderer]

Well hoping the dates don't fall during my training period at MTR

 

[golfsareus]

Yep, I passed the psychometric tests for a different FOC last September so I went straight to interview. Not holding out much hope though as I am rubbish at interviews.


I passed them in September last year. I'm not sure how long they GA hold the results for but November 21 is not that long ago so hopefully you will be ok.

Very good! Have you been given a date yet by chance?

 

[Teddyward]

I assume that would be internal applications for mainline? And how frequent are those roughly? Thanks

It’s internal but exactly same vacancies as appear on external site. Same application process apart from psychometrics. I can only remember one campaign that specified depot drivers only. All the rest were external as well. How often? Impossible to say with any regularity.

 

[NSEWonderer]

It’s internal but exactly same vacancies as appear on external site. Same application process apart from psychometrics. I can only remember one campaign that specified depot drivers only. All the rest were external as well. How often? Impossible to say with any regularity.

Ok I see, cheers. Still a good foot in the door for sure.

 

[BigPondFish]

Very good! Have you been given a date yet by chance?

Had my managers interview this morning and I must have said all the right things as I have been offered a position pending a medical. Start training in mid June if all goes well (which it should). Very pleased as was not looking forward to the interview. Good luck to anyone else going through the process.

 

[Amal]

Had my managers interview this morning and I must have said all the right things as I have been offered a position pending a medical. Start training in mid June if all goes well (which it should). Very pleased as was not looking forward to the interview. Good luck to anyone else going through the process.

Congrads. By any chance did they mention how many positions they are recruiting for.

 

[NSEWonderer]

Had my managers interview this morning and I must have said all the right things as I have been offered a position pending a medical. Start training in mid June if all goes well (which it should). Very pleased as was not looking forward to the interview. Good luck to anyone else going through the process.

Dang that was very quick, congrats.

Had you previously passed the psychometric tests so gone straight to managers interview? Do you know how long they hold test results as passed mine back in November 2021.
I've just found out I passed the SJT.

Did you tell them you had passed? BigPondFish did and he went straight to the DMI

 

[BigPondFish]

Congrads. By any chance did they mention how many positions they are recruiting for.

They didn't actually say but I got the impression that there were a few positions available.

 

[Amal]

Hope so because I don’t want to go and risk a strike.

 

[MattyL]

Did you tell them you had passed? BigPondFish did and he went straight to the DMI

I'm going to email them tomorrow and find out what the deal is, you'd think they'd have it on record. Prefer not to rush into the interview anyway as I feel that was one of my problems last time that I didn't have enough time to prepare.

Also, congrats BigPondFish!

 

[BigPondFish]

I'm going to email them tomorrow and find out what the deal is, you'd think they'd have it on record. Prefer not to rush into the interview anyway as I feel that was one of my problems last time that I didn't have enough time to prepare.

Also, congrats BigPondFish!

They should be able to check your psychometric test status from you national insurance number.

 

[dan5324]

So what happens at this session? Is it just the group bourdon test? Mmi? The email was quite vague!

 

[NSEWonderer]

Does anyone working in GA know roughly if illford depot may soon eventually need a proper refill of depot and mainline drivers?

 

[MattyL]

So what happens at this session? Is it just the group bourdon test? Mmi? The email was quite vague!

Someone has just started this chain, have a read as pretty much gives the info you need https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/i-know-this-had-been-done-to-death.244921/

There will be one day of tests & if you get through that day there will be a second day with more tests & the MMI.

You'll get all the info you need & practice material once they book you in for the tests.

 

[golfsareus]

Just to clarify one of the points above this role does not get a train driving licence you will just sit a short course which lasts around 13 weeks 8 in the classroom and then 5 weeks practical which then qualifies you only for GA Depot role

 

[BigPondFish]

This morning I received confirmation of passing the pre employment medical. I now have a start date of 19th June (going to miss the April training course due to having to work 1 months notice). Has anyone else progressed any further or will I be in the classroom on my own....?

 

[golfsareus]

This morning I received confirmation of passing the pre employment medical. I now have a start date of 19th June (going to miss the April training course due to having to work 1 months notice). Has anyone else progressed any further or will I be in the classroom on my own....?

I have been offered the job subject to medical passing

 

[NSEWonderer]

I'm wondering about progressing with this since my companies driver instructors that I talk with of which many came from GA starting from the depots mentioned the prior 1 year to mainline progression ofc has since the last paydeal been removed and it could be 3-5 years(average currently) to progress to mainline from it. Any foot in the door in most cases is good I've since taken an MTR training for another role so I doubt it would be wise to jump ship from that to this if I get the assessment call

 

[dan5324]

I’m not sure why people still believe depot driver automatically grants you a progression to mainline driver. It doesn’t. It’s a completely separate role.