GWR Train Driver talent pool

[jacey]

I was under the impression it’s the tests that last for 5 years not the TP? i thought the pool was just 2? Although covid may have changed that now ?

They made it clear to me it was 5 years in the talent pool. I know its different for other tocs

 

[Danetime]

True that!! I’m in the Exeter st David’s pool 2019/20


Who told you? Where else are you looking?

What part? The scores I was told by a few GWR drivers when I was prepping for the DMI.

The part about the pool part has been posted on here a few times and I asked at the DMI.

 

[387star]

They made it clear to me it was 5 years in the talent pool. I know its different for other tocs

Five years is great and less stressful with the inevitable wait !
Fratton Paddington Par have been removed but most other depots still on there for Qualifieds well over two years since they first went live !

 

[Nonuts]

How many students are in a normal intake of trainee drivers? I know they only pick the top performers of DMI’s once the pool is full and there’s a new course starting....

Generally (non covid times) driver trainee groups are a max of 12. When i finished rules we were 4 a class due to social distancing.

You might have 2 or 3 groups start around the same time. Some trained at Bristol, others in the west or Reading

 

[G30RG3]

Lots of speculation here. None the less, whatever the process I feel it's going to be quite wait...

I'm in the 2020 talent pool for Plymouth. The assessment results last for 5 years and there is no time limit for the DMI as far as I'm aware. DMI Is, at the end of the day a company interview so not to sound negative but the plug could be pulled at any time in a worst case scenario. I do believe this is highly unlikely though, especially with the feedback I got from GWR Post interview.

Reading above it is correct that they select the higher scoring candidates from a talent pool first, this was also confirmed by GWR via my resulting email.

There seemed to be a lot more than 5 questions during my DMI though? I read from someone above that DMI is a 5 question scoring system; however I can't see how this is correct. Maybe 5 competency areas but definitely more than 5 questions. More like 10-15 in total.

Training is usually groups of 10 from my understanding, however groups are now likely to be smaller due to current restrictions around covid... I have been told that training has recently recommenced at GWR, however there are backlogs of trainees that were on hold and have now resumed (at various stages).

I asked my interviewer at the end of my DMI if it is likely any of my results would expire before openings come available and he stated that this type of scenario is unlikely and he hasn't seen it happen in the past. He also informed me that the southwest depots tend to have a high turnover due to natural wastage (aging staff) so the odds at Plymouth are in our favour..!

This is as much information as I have so stay hopeful people, the best is yet to come..!

 

[Lankywhale]

Lots of speculation here. None the less, whatever the process I feel it's going to be quite wait...

I'm in the 2020 talent pool for Plymouth. The assessment results last for 5 years and there is no time limit for the DMI as far as I'm aware. DMI Is, at the end of the day a company interview so not to sound negative but the plug could be pulled at any time in a worst case scenario. I do believe this is highly unlikely though, especially with the feedback I got from GWR Post interview.

Reading above it is correct that they select the higher scoring candidates from a talent pool first, this was also confirmed by GWR via my resulting email.

There seemed to be a lot more than 5 questions during my DMI though? I read from someone above that DMI is a 5 question scoring system; however I can't see how this is correct. Maybe 5 competency areas but definitely more than 5 questions. More like 10-15 in total.

Training is usually groups of 10 from my understanding, however groups are now likely to be smaller due to current restrictions around covid... I have been told that training has recently recommenced at GWR, however there are backlogs of trainees that were on hold and have now resumed (at various stages).

I asked my interviewer at the end of my DMI if it is likely any of my results would expire before openings come available and he stated that this type of scenario is unlikely and he hasn't seen it happen in the past. He also informed me that the southwest depots tend to have a high turnover due to natural wastage (aging staff) so the odds at Plymouth are in our favour..!

This is as much information as I have so stay hopeful people, the best is yet to come..!

I'm in the Plymouth pool and there was definitely more than 5 questions like you say! Caught me off guard!

 

[jacey]

Lots of speculation here. None the less, whatever the process I feel it's going to be quite wait...

I'm in the 2020 talent pool for Plymouth. The assessment results last for 5 years and there is no time limit for the DMI as far as I'm aware. DMI Is, at the end of the day a company interview so not to sound negative but the plug could be pulled at any time in a worst case scenario. I do believe this is highly unlikely though, especially with the feedback I got from GWR Post interview.

Reading above it is correct that they select the higher scoring candidates from a talent pool first, this was also confirmed by GWR via my resulting email.

There seemed to be a lot more than 5 questions during my DMI though? I read from someone above that DMI is a 5 question scoring system; however I can't see how this is correct. Maybe 5 competency areas but definitely more than 5 questions. More like 10-15 in total.

Training is usually groups of 10 from my understanding, however groups are now likely to be smaller due to current restrictions around covid... I have been told that training has recently recommenced at GWR, however there are backlogs of trainees that were on hold and have now resumed (at various stages).

I asked my interviewer at the end of my DMI if it is likely any of my results would expire before openings come available and he stated that this type of scenario is unlikely and he hasn't seen it happen in the past. He also informed me that the southwest depots tend to have a high turnover due to natural wastage (aging staff) so the odds at Plymouth are in our favour..!

This is as much information as I have so stay hopeful people, the best is yet to come..!

Yeah my dmi was the same and they said all that you mention also. Just patience that is needed with current times.

 

[MostlyHarmless]

I'm in the Plymouth pool and there was definitely more than 5 questions like you say! Caught me off guard!

There were more than 5 for sure although some of them were not of the 'tell me a time when you..' type and more of a 'what do you understand by the meaning of...' type. I'm not sure if all of them are scored for the purpose of allocating spaces on courses.

On the subject of courses I was told that there are courses planned for all of this year (circumstances permitting obviously) although I'm not sure if that was just for the Paddington talent pool or more generally.

 

[JunnyT]

Hopefully with the vaccine programme, economy reopening up again and social distancing measures reducing and all goes well, with trainees resuming training we can expect things to start moving again. Fingers crossed we all hear some good news soon!

 

[Cowcow15]

Out of interest is there anyone in the 20/21 pool for exeter st davids? Im in that pool and am sitting tight like everyone else. Also another question, do they mix trainees in training groups from different depots or would all trainees in a training group be from the same depot? I did ask this in my dmi but cant remember what they said.

 

[Stigy]

Out of interest is there anyone in the 20/21 pool for exeter st davids? Im in that pool and am sitting tight like everyone else. Also another question, do they mix trainees in training groups from different depots or would all trainees in a training group be from the same depot? I did ask this in my dmi but cant remember what they said.

You’ll be with trainees from other west depots generally (or central depending of whether training is at Newton Abbott or Bristol). There may be others from Exeter, it just depends how many vacancies they have I guess.

 

[Cowcow15]

You’ll be with trainees from other west depots generally (or central depending of whether training is at Newton Abbott or Bristol). There may be others from Exeter, it just depends how many vacancies they have I guess.

Thanks stigy. I thought that was the case. Appreciate it.

 

[Twotwo]

Couldn't find the relevant thread but thought I'd share my experience so far. I applied for the vacancy at Paddington in July. Got an email in November saying recruitment is on hold and then got an email this morning for a zoom interview sometime in March.

 

[Jaytrains]

Couldn't find the relevant thread but thought I'd share my experience so far. I applied for the vacancy at Paddington in July. Got an email in November saying recruitment is on hold and then got an email this morning for a zoom interview sometime in March.

Are u already qualified?

 

[Twotwo]

Are u already qualified?

Sorry, should have been clearer. This was for a trainee position. I applied when they were recruiting back in July in believe?

 

[Jaytrains]

Sorry, should have been clearer. This was for a trainee position. I applied when they were recruiting back in July in believe?

Oh ok and u also completed the assessments at opc ?

 

[Twotwo]

Oh ok and u also completed the assessments at opc ?

Yeah I've sat the assesments previously with my current toc. I'm a shunter driver at the moment. So I don't know if this is how their doing the recruitment or if this is the DMI?

 

[TheAnswer89]

I don’t want to

Yeah I've sat the assesments previously with my current toc. I'm a shunter driver at the moment. So I don't know if this is how their doing the recruitment or if this is the DMI?

Zoom interview is DMI. 100%

 

[Twotwo]

I don’t want to


Zoom interview is DMI. 100%

I thought so. Thank you! They've obviously checked I've sat the assesments previously then.

 

[T-Karmel]

I thought so. Thank you! They've obviously checked I've sat the assesments previously then.

I'm not sure about that. It was made clear to everyone during GWR's assessments, and that must have been mentioned in this thread earlier, that your results are valid for 5 years but if you fail at any stage and reapply to GWR or pass tests with another TOC and then apply to GWR, they are not accepting other results and you need to sit all tests once again.

I'd be surprised if they changed that rule.

I'd expect them though to swift around assessments with DMIs, as possibly DMI they can get out of the way now via Zoom whilst The OPC needs to wait a little bit longer due to lockdown.

 

[Stigy]

I'm not sure about that. It was made clear to everyone during GWR's assessments, and that must have been mentioned in this thread earlier, that your results are valid for 5 years but if you fail at any stage and reapply to GWR or pass tests with another TOC and then apply to GWR, they are not accepting other results and you need to sit all tests once again.

I'd be surprised if they changed that rule.

I'd expect them though to swift around assessments with DMIs, as possibly DMI they can get out of the way now via Zoom whilst The OPC needs to wait a little bit longer due to lockdown.

I didn’t have to take any psychometrics for GWR.

 

[Twotwo]

To be honest, I do remember reading few posts where someone was asked to resit them but then i also do recall @Stigy did his with another toc and gwr accepted it.

 

[Stigy]

To be honest, I do remember reading few posts where someone was asked to resit them but then i also do recall @Stigy did his with another toc and gwr accepted it.

Indeed. It seems very inconsistent but I’d not assume they’re now making everyone resit their assessments. If you’ve got a Zoom interview it’ll 100% be a DMI. You won’t have an MMI via Zoom.

If they start doing MMIs via Zoom I’ll eat my T-key.

 

[TheAnswer89]

I didn’t have to take any psychometrics for GWR.

Me neither.

 

[genziu8181]

Indeed. It seems very inconsistent but I’d not assume they’re now making everyone resit their assessments. If you’ve got a Zoom interview it’ll 100% be a DMI. You won’t have an MMI via Zoom.

If they start doing MMIs via Zoom I’ll eat my T-key.

Hi.

I can confirm that you need to sit all of them again. I have done 2 attempts with Arriva and passed national level but failed enhanced one so did not qualify for London Overground. I have applied for GWR and they said that even I passed national level with another toc I need to sit all of them again from the beginning. Now I'm in talent pool for Plymouth

 

[Stigy]

Hi.

I can confirm that you need to sit all of them again. I have done 2 attempts with Arriva and passed national level but failed enhanced one so did not qualify for London Overground. I have applied for GWR and they said that even I passed national level with another toc I need to sit all of them again from the beginning. Now I'm in talent pool for Plymouth

How recent was this?

As I said, it’s not necessarily the case, as others have said. Maybe they’re taking this approach post 2020? Just a thought really. That or it’s just inconsistent. Which isn’t beyond the realms of possibility.

 

[tiptoptaff]

Don't know if this has been mentioned to you yet but any new starters for the likes of Bristol and Plymouth are all going to be depot drivers. No more trainee mainline drivers at those depots. Unsure of the policy elsewhere

 

[DogDays]

Don't know if this has been mentioned to you yet but any new starters for the likes of Bristol and Plymouth are all going to be depot drivers. No more trainee mainline drivers at those depots. Unsure of the policy elsewhere

As a newbie to the industry, I'm not sure what that means - Is it a different job title, shift pattern and salary?

If you have definite information, would you mind listing all the depots this applies to please?

 

[Stigy]

As a newbie to the industry, I'm not sure what that means - Is it a different job title, shift pattern and salary?

If you have definite information, would you mind listing all the depots this applies to please?

@tiptoptaff will probably have more accurate details, but essentially it’s driving on depot with the added responsibility of driving from the depit to stations so Depot Drivers will do a full rules course as far as I’m aware? I believe it’s relatively new position. Salary will be around £40k I believe.

 

[tiptoptaff]

@tiptoptaff will probably have more accurate details, but essentially it’s driving on depot with the added responsibility of driving from the depit to stations so Depot Drivers will do a full rules course as far as I’m aware? I believe it’s relatively new position. Salary will be around £40k I believe.

As Stigy says basically. At Bristol you'll work to/from SPM and Plymouth to/from Laira

Mostly nights and on a reduced salary compared to mainline drivers. Can go mainline after you've served a minimum of two years as a depot driver by applying to transfer. It's not guaranteed and you'll be subject to waiting your turn, and judging by the number of depot drivers taken on, could easily be a good few years wait