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GWR Train Driver talent pool

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Mr Oli

Member
Joined
14 Nov 2018
Messages
37
Hi everyone. Just received the best call - start date for November at Bristol TM - pending medical.

This comes after being in the talent pool for 3 years to the month - and also receiving an email from HR a couple of months ago to say there is little to no recruitment planned at the depot, so I'd all but given up hope.

It sounds as if this will be as part of the new training program - I.e. It is an apprenticeship and the early part of the course is online.
 

WombleGuard

Member
Joined
16 Dec 2019
Messages
192
Location
London
Hi everyone. Just received the best call - start date for November at Bristol TM - pending medical.

This comes after being in the talent pool for 3 years to the month - and also receiving an email from HR a couple of months ago to say there is little to no recruitment planned at the depot, so I'd all but given up hope.

It sounds as if this will be as part of the new training program - I.e. It is an apprenticeship and the early part of the course is online.
Congratulations
 

Melancholia

Member
Joined
21 May 2016
Messages
496
Location
Argleton
Hi everyone. Just received the best call - start date for November at Bristol TM - pending medical.

This comes after being in the talent pool for 3 years to the month - and also receiving an email from HR a couple of months ago to say there is little to no recruitment planned at the depot, so I'd all but given up hope.

It sounds as if this will be as part of the new training program - I.e. It is an apprenticeship and the early part of the course is online.
Well done bud!

This has certainly brough back some hope for me, as I am waiting patiently
 

jacey

Member
Joined
29 Sep 2020
Messages
115
Location
UK
Hi everyone. Just received the best call - start date for November at Bristol TM - pending medical.

This comes after being in the talent pool for 3 years to the month - and also receiving an email from HR a couple of months ago to say there is little to no recruitment planned at the depot, so I'd all but given up hope.

It sounds as if this will be as part of the new training program - I.e. It is an apprenticeship and the early part of the course is online.
Brilliant news congratulations this will give many hope!
 

Liam00086

Member
Joined
11 Mar 2019
Messages
219
Hi everyone. Just received the best call - start date for November at Bristol TM - pending medical.

This comes after being in the talent pool for 3 years to the month - and also receiving an email from HR a couple of months ago to say there is little to no recruitment planned at the depot, so I'd all but given up hope.

It sounds as if this will be as part of the new training program - I.e. It is an apprenticeship and the early part of the course is online.
Congratulations, you will love it.
 

Oldnewbie

Member
Joined
28 Jul 2016
Messages
51
Hello everyone. Well, yesterday (Thursday) was the day I got the phone call that'll (hopefully in time and apologies for being dramatic!) change my life. I've been offered a TTD course starting December 2022 for Paddington (pending a medical). Goes without saying, I'm over the moon.

For those interested in timelines, I applied and did online assessments March 2020, initial Zoom interview April 2021, DMI interview May 2021, in October 2021 I had to resit *ALL* assessments because my competencies had lapsed having taken them for my current TOC shunt driving role in 2016, MMI interview November 2021. So, by the time I start later this year I'll have been in the talent pool for about 12 months.

I know the wait once in the TP is horrible but all I would say is you've passed, you haven't been forgotten and they'll get to you eventually!


Sorry for rambling, stay well and I wish you all all the best :lol:
 

387star

On Moderation
Joined
16 Nov 2009
Messages
6,653
Hello everyone. Well, yesterday (Thursday) was the day I got the phone call that'll (hopefully in time and apologies for being dramatic!) change my life. I've been offered a TTD course starting December 2022 for Paddington (pending a medical). Goes without saying, I'm over the moon.

For those interested in timelines, I applied and did online assessments March 2020, initial Zoom interview April 2021, DMI interview May 2021, in October 2021 I had to resit *ALL* assessments because my competencies had lapsed having taken them for my current TOC shunt driving role in 2016, MMI interview November 2021. So, by the time I start later this year I'll have been in the talent pool for about 12 months.

I know the wait once in the TP is horrible but all I would say is you've passed, you haven't been forgotten and they'll get to you eventually!


Sorry for rambling, stay well and I wish you all all the best :lol:
Congratulations
 

kernow26

New Member
Joined
10 Jan 2020
Messages
1
Location
Cornwall
Some positive news then, good to hear. It shows how quickly things can change in terms of planning too. I appreciate the updates from people regarding what they've heard, but it does show that you never know what's around the corner!

I've been in my talent pool since January 2020, and I am one of very few externals in the pool (so I've been told), so I'm bottom of the pile apparently. I'm hoping it comes around before my results expire, so news of more courses can only be a positive.
 

officewalla

Member
Joined
4 Aug 2021
Messages
11
Location
Oxfordshire
Was chatting with a Reading TM a couple of days ago and they said that there is a course of 8 (4 x pad and 4 x Reading) starting in November on the apprenticeship course. All internals.
 

Judgedools

Member
Joined
11 Jan 2022
Messages
8
Location
Newton Abbot
Hi there I am sure someone has asked the question before but I can not find an answer to it. Has anyone had their time run out in a trainee driver talent pool? I have been waiting now for coming up to three years. It will be a shame if my time runs out after working so hard to get into a pool but hey that's life I suppose.
 

WombleGuard

Member
Joined
16 Dec 2019
Messages
192
Location
London
Hi there I am sure someone has asked the question before but I can not find an answer to it. Has anyone had their time run out in a trainee driver talent pool? I have been waiting now for coming up to three years. It will be a shame if my time runs out after working so hard to get into a pool but hey that's life I suppose.
What depot?
 

Kae

Member
Joined
14 Nov 2019
Messages
30
Location
London
Hi there I am sure someone has asked the question before but I can not find an answer to it. Has anyone had their time run out in a trainee driver talent pool? I have been waiting now for coming up to three years. It will be a shame if my time runs out after working so hard to get into a pool but hey that's life I suppose.
Yeh unfortunately it normally runs out around the 3 year mark. You’ve done well to get this far so I’m sure you’ll be fine when you apply for another TOC.
 

Nonuts

Member
Joined
19 Aug 2019
Messages
138
Location
Gosport
Yeh unfortunately it normally runs out around the 3 year mark. You’ve done well to get this far so I’m sure you’ll be fine when you apply for another TOC.
GWR accept the assessment results for the standard 5 years. SWR only 3.
 

Judgedools

Member
Joined
11 Jan 2022
Messages
8
Location
Newton Abbot
I was wondering really if the Toc tells you you're out of time etc. As in the interview I did ask the chances of being offered a job and the answer given was 'up until now anyone who's been in a talent pool has been offered a job' right before covid hit.
 

Nonuts

Member
Joined
19 Aug 2019
Messages
138
Location
Gosport
They'll have a record of when you passed as it's obviously a requirement. Whether they tell you when your assessments are about to expire or not I'm not sure. Best thing is monitor it yourself and, hopefully not, but if you're approaching five years contact HR and let them know. I can't be certain but as the DFT want Sundays in the working week (currently they're not) I'd think that will require more drivers going forward to keep the average 4 day, 35hr week. I think that was part of the reason for the 18/19, 19/20 and 20/21 talent pool recruitment drives but obviously Covid got in the way of training and the fluidity of new drivers coming through and the guys who've done thier time retiring to the pub
 

davefredtanner

New Member
Joined
10 Sep 2022
Messages
1
Location
Hertfordshire
Thought I would start a fresh thread for all of us going through the process for various depots for 2019/20.
I’m in the talent pool for Exeter St David’s after passing my DMI on 11th April.

Moderator Note: I have expanded this to now include any drivers in the talent pool, regardless of date (currently including 2021).
How do I get a DMI?

I’m looking for a new career?
Dave
 

irish_rail

Established Member
Joined
30 Oct 2013
Messages
3,812
Location
Plymouth
Anybody happen to know if Sundays are likely to come into the working week with the current negotiations?
Unlikely as that is what staff want, but it would cost too much money in higher staff numbers. They instead want to force staff to work Sunday as overtime (as if we are not all fatigued enough!)
 

Nonuts

Member
Joined
19 Aug 2019
Messages
138
Location
Gosport
Unlikely as that is what staff want, but it would cost too much money in higher staff numbers. They instead want to force staff to work Sunday as overtime (as if we are not all fatigued enough!)
Last I heard the DFT wanted us to give them our Sundays are part of the pay negotiation. Aslef see it as a separate negotiation as Sundays outside is a term and condition we can sell anytime, historically Sundays have been worth a £4-5k increase when sold so should be a separate pay talk. See what happens but I was given to understand that was the stand point
 

Kae

Member
Joined
14 Nov 2019
Messages
30
Location
London
I was wondering really if the Toc tells you you're out of time etc. As in the interview I did ask the chances of being offered a job and the answer given was 'up until now anyone who's been in a talent pool has been offered a job' right before covid hit.
I doubt they will notify you when your results expire as that is time consuming for the TOC. Like i said in my previous post, your best bet is to do the tests all over again once a new vacancy arises wether its with GWR or another TOC. You’ve passed it once so it shouldn’t be a problem doing it all over again. Just keep an eye out for new vacancies.

How do I get a DMI?

I’m looking for a new career?
Dave
Play the lottery? Or try looking on Ebay.
 
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