None whatsoever. Avanti shouldn't know if you apply elsewhere. If you have passed the psychometric tests you have a great advantage. Of course it's entirely your choice and you could wait a while and see , if you think Avanti won't leave you waiting too long. The talent pool isn't necessarily a guaranteed job and there have been people left in the pool indefinitely at some TOCs and then not given a job. The choice is entirely your choice to make.
-
Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
Avanti - Trainee Train Drivers - Multiple Locations (28/02/23)
- Thread starter kajojek3232
- Start date
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
Just bare in mind avanti do cbi and I think pretty much all others do mmi , you cant have both so if you get put forward with another toc and pass the mmi it will mean the cbi for avanti is invalid.
I assume that's still the case unless its changed.
I assume that's still the case unless its changed.
Still the case and pass or fail either you can't take the other one within 6 months of the result as far as I last heard.
om1997
Member
Yes, if you apply for any other TOC and go through with the application and sit their psychometric tests it supersedes your avanti application and will therefore become invalid with avanti
Gman1974
Member
The last email said, your results with Avanti become invalid if you sit OPC driver tests with another TOC.
Eljaffacakeo
Member
I'm sure I won't be the only person coming here as a Polmadie applicant (and other depots) that are pretty gutted to be told we've had our applications withdrawn. Been waiting since being told in October that I'd been successful and was awaiting invitation to Stage 1. What a waste.
baker_06
Member
Sorry to hear that - I'm a Wolverhampton applicant. I've been waiting for what feels forever... I received an email yesterday saying Avanti have given OPC the go ahead to do the Visual Search Exercise and M7 Situational Judgement Test.
Scrambled Eggs
Member
I’m a Wolverhampton applicant and have been in the talent pool since last September. Patience is key as frustrating as it may be.
Eljaffacakeo
Member
We were all in talent pool, waiting for DMIs. Not sure how many this effects
Yep! Applied feb 2023 or whenever it was. Did the first round of tests and got through, then nothing apart from the occasional email from the OPC about wait times and holding then this.
Honestly it’s expected. But Jesus Christ their recruitment campaign not only wastes their time but also the time of people like me. I was waiting for the next round of tests that I very well might have failed at anyway.
I thought civil service recruitment was awful! This takes the biscuit
I’ll try again whenever they do another mass recruitment campaign but I expect that’ll be years now. If ever judging by labour’s manifesto.
Scrambled Eggs
Member
Talent pool as in… I have passed all tests, passed CBI, passed DMI… waiting in the talent pool for a course….!
Yeah Polmadie applicant here and also extremely gutted! Not great making people wait 14 months then get dropped from nowhere! Sat and passed the tests to the required standard so really frustrated how Avanti have dealt with the process.
Im also in the process with Scotrail so lets hope their recruitement process is better than Avanti.
Scrambled Eggs
Member
Did Avanti just straight and direct say they are terminating all polmadie applicants?
Pretty gutting news to be honest. Im a Polmadie applicant and email said this:
The 2023 Trainee Driver recruitment campaign received an unprecedented number of applications and over the last 14 months we have been prioritising and processing applications for specific depots where there is a higher demand under our workforce plan.
Through this, we have been able to top up our talent banks to the required number of candidates. This means we are now concluding the recruitment process for the campaign and your application will not be taken any further.
The 2023 Trainee Driver recruitment campaign received an unprecedented number of applications and over the last 14 months we have been prioritising and processing applications for specific depots where there is a higher demand under our workforce plan.
Through this, we have been able to top up our talent banks to the required number of candidates. This means we are now concluding the recruitment process for the campaign and your application will not be taken any further.
Yes the email just said that they will be concluding the recruitment process and my application has ended! Very poorly managed by Avanti in my opinion
Scrambled Eggs
Member
Sorry to hear that. Everything happens for a reason I’m sure your enhanced results will push you straight through with another TOC. All the best.
nolypops83
Member
Ooof! I guess I'll be getting similar for Manchester then? Not holding out much hope.
Unfortunately, I've had the same email as a few others for Liverpool. I have the same thinking as a lot of others it seems: it's a crazy application process to begin in February 2023 and then just end so abruptly, especially when you've actually been successful in the assessments. It's almost as though they've picked applicants for the depots they say are now at capacity at random, as I've been waiting since October 2023 for an update, as have others from previous messages, so wonder where the new people now in the Liverpool Talent Bank have come from? Either way, absolutely gutted but will keep an eye out for other TOCs so I'm ready. Hopefully, the application process is better managed. Good luck, all!
Sharing The OPC email below for reference:
"Thank you for your continued patience regarding your Trainee Driver application. The 2023 Trainee Driver recruitment campaign received an unprecedented number of applications and over the last 14 months we have been prioritising and processing applications for specific depots where there is a higher demand under our workforce plan.
"Through this, we have been able to top up our talent banks to the required number of candidates. This means we are now concluding the recruitment process for the campaign and your application will not be taken any further.
"We understand that this will be disappointing, however we would welcome an application from you in the future when we re-open our Trainee Driver recruitment process.
"We appreciate the time and effort you put into your application, and we thank you for considering us as a potential employer."
Sharing The OPC email below for reference:
"Thank you for your continued patience regarding your Trainee Driver application. The 2023 Trainee Driver recruitment campaign received an unprecedented number of applications and over the last 14 months we have been prioritising and processing applications for specific depots where there is a higher demand under our workforce plan.
"Through this, we have been able to top up our talent banks to the required number of candidates. This means we are now concluding the recruitment process for the campaign and your application will not be taken any further.
"We understand that this will be disappointing, however we would welcome an application from you in the future when we re-open our Trainee Driver recruitment process.
"We appreciate the time and effort you put into your application, and we thank you for considering us as a potential employer."
Last edited:
Scrambled Eggs
Member
What stage did you get to? Were you awaiting final tests or waiting to sit a DMI?
What are the differences in these?
Avanti are taking on a lot of qualified drivers. I know a few personally who have made the jump. With £600 WRD, plus booking on fee, if you live close enough, it's a no brainer, especially if you work for lets say GA, Chiltern, or SE. Yes, some of the rota's I've seen are not the greatest, but it's still a sizeable upgrade from GA et al. An extra £20K a year is not to be sniffed at including WRD. So getting a qualified driver with a clean SOL record is a no brainer at the moment.
Last edited:
Final tests before the DMI, but successful up until the rejection. Hadn't had any updates since October 2023, and was waiting for the next round of tests since April 2023. A long time to wait on hold only to be told you're application's been withdrawn.
Ned21
Member
What are some of the rota's? Any examples?
As far as I can remember Avanti started a Qualified Driver recruitment July/August 2023 for Liverpool and Wolverhampton depots, unless I'm confusing these dates.
The Trainee Driver intake was advertised on February 2023 if I'm not wrong.
"Probably", they managed to fill their desidered targets taking qualified drivers instead, realising they were desperate to cover services already committed to the public.
This could explain the decision to stop short the recruitment process of Trainee Drivers for some depots regardless of any candidate's individual stage progression, sadly.
This could be only speculation mind, but regardless I really feel it for you if you have been left out!
Don't give up, never, watch out for new opportunities elsewhere.
Good luck!
Scrambled Eggs
Member
I’m a
Wolverhampton applicant. I did notice they were recruiting drivers who are qualified for this depot. I noted it as a bit of a concern but I’m hoping this gives room for normal services to be kept whilst trainees like myself will be trained without affecting Key performance indicators. Realistically nobody knows but Avanti!
And that’s the problem. People see the money plus the enhancements and not really think about the lifestyle Avanti have.
Money is ALWAYS the wrong motivator to become a Driver or move depots. Personally, if a driver can not live of the basic wage first and foremost then something is terribly wrong.
Scrambled Eggs
Member
What lifestyle do Avanti have? Genuine question as I have no idea what rosters look like etc.
irish_rail
On Moderation
Or perhaps the idea of one trip to London in a shift is more attractive to them than 4 all stations stoppers at their present TOC. I think to suggest qualifieds only move to Avanti for the money isn't accurate.
A fair point. Quality of the work and average diagram type can certainly appeal to people rather than solely finances.
I would like to remind people that the thread is about trainee positions for Avanti for the Feburary 2023 advert and to kindly remain on-topic.
Depends what link you’re on. Top link at Euston seem to have the best routes and shifts. Don’t let that put you off because if you end up working 7 to 9 days in a row, you’ll get a long week off every 5th week (I think). If I remember at some point, I’ll snap you a pic.