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Train Driver or Customer Ambassador? (SWR)
- Thread starter Carpy19
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The role has closed already.
The ambassador 3 role was/is still live as dates for interviews have gone out. Has anyone else had an interview for Ambassador recently(last year or so before covid). Does the hiring manager ask the usual sort of questions.
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Cuemang78
Member
Hi,
How long is the training for a customer ambassador with South Western Railway? What are the hours?
Is the training all done at Basingstoke?
How long is the training for a customer ambassador with South Western Railway? What are the hours?
Is the training all done at Basingstoke?
TheAnswer89
Member
Does anyone know why SWR contact numbers became unavailable ?
theironroad
Established Member
Not sure if still the case but all non operational staff were working from home, though imagine some are back in office. Dont think they could accept calls when WFH.
As these are fairly new roles,I've asked these questions & nobody really knows. Training for most other roles is done at Basingstoke from 9.30- 4 roughly. I would assume this would be the case for Ambassador role also.
I have always emailed swr & normally got a reply within a day.
Cuemang78
Member
THANKS
If by new you mean over 5 years?....I guess it’s new compared to other roles
Training is done at Basingstoke but not necessarily the ROC (sometimes at Basingstoke station). Also, training is on a full time basis, even if it’s a part time role applied for.
Cuemang78
Member
Thanks, but how long would people be on a training salary? Would they be training for 6 months, 1 year, 2 years etc at Basingstoke?If by new you mean over 5 years?....I guess it’s new compared to other roles
Training is done at Basingstoke but not necessarily the ROC (sometimes at Basingstoke station). Also, training is on a full time basis, even if it’s a part time role applied for.
I believe it’s an Apprenticeship for this role so you do initial training of 6 weeks ish? Then you’re at your station and complete the on the job aspect of the training, but return to Basingstoke to for stuff you still require or to complete paperwork? Someone in the job is probably better placed to give exact timescales.
Cuemang78
Member
Thanks, I wonder if it is still training hours when training at the relevant station?
It’ll be on shift probably so the normal shift for that location. If it’s a particularly small station you apply for you’ll probably be trained at a larger station.
Cuemang78
Member
Cheers!
Do people have to pass a medical and Dbs check before starting as a customer ambassador, as these take ages to complete?
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All staff will need a basic DBS and medical. Medicals for non safety critical staff such as Customer Ambassadors is nothing more than a drug & alcohol test and a basic consultation really. Neither take particularly long to complete (DBS usually takes a few days).
Cuemang78
Member
Do customer ambassadors have managers?
theironroad
Established Member
Pretty much everyone has a manager.
A larger ticket offices there may be a manager /supervisor on site most of the day.
At small ticket offices, most probably lone working with a manager to has a group of stations to manage, then there are a few area retail managers I believe.
Cuemang78
Member
Cheers
Yes, they come under station management at SWR.
Cuemang78
Member
Does anyone know how many days holiday an swr customer ambassador gets per year? Is it 22 days plus bank holidays/days in lieu?
Cuemang78
Member
Irrelevant anyway, drove all the way from Manchester to Basingstoke for an interview and got told two weeks later I was unsuccessful. Waste of effort. Not bothering with this industry again.
theironroad
Established Member
While I'm sure that's annoying, dismissing the whole railway industry because you didn't get one job seems a bit drastic.
Get some feedback from swr.
With some jobs, it's just a numbers game in that some jobs are pretty popular.
How many times have you tried? Being defeatist won’t help. As @theironroad said, contact them and get feedback.
I’m sorry, but if you assumed you were going to get the job, that may have shown in the interview and painted you in a negative light.
Indeed. More so now than ever before potentially too. As I said to somebody the other day here, it’s often not that a candidate wasn’t suitable, it’s just sheer numbers of potentially suitable candidates and not everybody can get the job.
Cuemang78
Member
No I did not assume anything and if I am going to go the extra mile and not get anywhere then there is no point, certainly when there is only one vacancy, as odds are so stacked against me. Lesson learned.
If there’s only one position it’s naturally going to be a numbers game. If you don’t want to bother again, that’s your perogetive, but we see hundreds of people here over the years who have remained determined, and eventually it’s paid off. You didn’t say how many times you’ve applied, but it’s not uncommon for people to apply time and time again to get nowhere, before one day they get their lucky break. That’s why getting feedback is vital. Not just for reapplying to SWR, but for any job with any company. The info feedback they supply will help you going forward.
Cuemang78
Member
OK thanks for your help. I will ask.
I travelled all the way from York to Southampton for an assessment day and then an interview a few weeks later, knowing how high in demand this job was I made sure to research as much into it and made sure I was fully prepared, don't give up after one rejection. As others have said, just ask for feedback so you know where to improve for next time.
Cuemang78
Member
OK cheers
Am I not able to apply for any type of positions at Gwr or Swr for 6 months if not getting a job at Swr?
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dctraindriver
Member
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You drove a few hours. Big deal. While you’ve clocked up some distance that doesn’t really suggest you’ve gone the extra mile. People put so much hard work and effort getting in. Learn from it.
Just SWR
Cuemang78
Member
You have an attitude problem. Why don't you learn a bit of empathy. It is a long way to drive for an interview numbness as most people wouldn't spend £40 diesel and £70 hotel to do it. Get in the real world idiot.
dctraindriver
Member
- Joined
- 9 Jan 2017
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I think I can understand why you didn’t get in.... Good luck with your next application.
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