International Train Driving Experience

[All_Aboard!!]

Hello there,

Just wondering if anyone can give me some insight here. I am aware that England does not recognize international train driving qualifications.

I am also aware that the recruitment process for becoming a trainee train driver over there is a very competitive one.

My question is this... As a subway driver for a major North American city, would you say that it would greatly increase my odds of making it through the all important first phase of the recruiting process and get me noticed?

I am trying to do some research as I have a daughter that lives over there with her mother and I am looking at moving over once I receive my immigration papers to be more involved in her life.

It is crucial that I am able to parlay my experience as a subway driver into a career as a train driver over there.

If anyone has any insight or advice I would greatly appreciate it!!

Also would love to know more about the demand for train drivers over there and what my odds would be of getting work. I am assuming job prospects as a train driver are fairly decent?

Cheers!

 

[BravoGolfMike]

Hi All Aboard.

You are right that international qualifications are not officially recognised, however the skills and experience you have gained will be. In the UK we have a new way of recruiting staff and then training and assessing their competency called "Non Technical Skills" (NTS) which was trialled at my old TOC and now is fully in place there and elsewhere.

Basically, it looks at the background skills required to complete the technical tasks required of train driving. There are 7 main categories, each divided into sub sections. For example, Situational Awareness has been identified as a Key NTS, with the following as sub categories:
Attention to detail
Overall awareness
Maintain concentration
Retain information (during
shift)
Anticipation of risk

If you can demonstrate your experience in the 7 Non Technical Skills areas, then you should be able to use your experience in an application.

This is an excellent summary PDF which lists all the NTS' and should help you to match your experience: http://www.rssb.co.uk/Library/improving-industry-performance/2012-leaflet-non-technical-skills.pdf

(The RSSB is the UK rail standards body)

HTH and good luck.

 

[theageofthetra]

A very interesting question, I was wondering only the other day if anyone knew of UK drivers leaving & working in say another EU country (with necessary language skills) as a driver.I was speaking last week to a semi retired coach driver who goes over to the Netherlands & works for a local operator during the main tourist season when they have thousands visiting the bulb fields & there is a shortage of local drivers.
Also what about going and working in say another commonwealth country, Aus NZ Canada etc. Re the posters original question I would have thought he would be treated as favourably as someone who had transferred from say LU, metrolink DLR etc & I think there are some on this forum who have done just that. Good luck to you in your move over here.

 

[All_Aboard!!]

Hi All Aboard.

You are right that international qualifications are not officially recognised, however the skills and experience you have gained will be. In the UK we have a new way of recruiting staff and then training and assessing their competency called "Non Technical Skills" (NTS) which was trialled at my old TOC and now is fully in place there and elsewhere.

Basically, it looks at the background skills required to complete the technical tasks required of train driving. There are 7 main categories, each divided into sub sections. For example, Situational Awareness has been identified as a Key NTS, with the following as sub categories:
Attention to detail
Overall awareness
Maintain concentration
Retain information (during
shift)
Anticipation of risk

If you can demonstrate your experience in the 7 Non Technical Skills areas, then you should be able to use your experience in an application.

This is an excellent summary PDF which lists all the NTS' and should help you to match your experience: http://www.rssb.co.uk/Library/improving-industry-performance/2012-leaflet-non-technical-skills.pdf

(The RSSB is the UK rail standards body)

HTH and good luck.

Bo Selecta,

Thank you very much for this information. It is extremely helpful and sets my mind at ease regarding my odds of being noticed during the selection process as I know these positions are highly sought after.

Thanks again for your reply!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

A very interesting question, I was wondering only the other day if anyone knew of UK drivers leaving & working in say another EU country (with necessary language skills) as a driver.I was speaking last week to a semi retired coach driver who goes over to the Netherlands & works for a local operator during the main tourist season when they have thousands visiting the bulb fields & there is a shortage of local drivers.
Also what about going and working in say another commonwealth country, Aus NZ Canada etc. Re the posters original question I would have thought he would be treated as favourably as someone who had transferred from say LU, metrolink DLR etc & I think there are some on this forum who have done just that. Good luck to you in your move over here.

I am coming over from Canada. I don't think it makes a difference that we are a commonwealth country.

I was hoping that my subway experience would help though and it sounds like it will.

Thanks for your reply!

 

[Vicpaul]

Your experience will help but is no cast iron guarantee unfortunately. It's a generally lengthy process and you will need to be based in the UK and have the right to work before applying. Also pay consideration to your location once in the UK and the train operating company in the immediate are as they generally require no more than a 45 minute commute.

Best of luck

 

[All_Aboard!!]

Your experience will help but is no cast iron guarantee unfortunately. It's a generally lengthy process and you will need to be based in the UK and have the right to work before applying. Also pay consideration to your location once in the UK and the train operating company in the immediate are as they generally require no more than a 45 minute commute.

Best of luck

I will be based in Merseyside. Seeing a lot of buzz on the site about Northern Rail so that is promising.

The reason for not moving over just yet is I am waiting for my Irish Citizenship which will entitle me to work over there.

I am not looking for a guarantee per se but it is nice to know that my qualifications should go a long way in getting through the first step of the process.

It took me a year to go through the recruiting process for my current subway job. I don't mind the lengthy process. It is actually reassuring that these companies are taking the process seriously as it is a huge responsibility transporting passengers around the countryside! Having the right people at the helm is essential.

Thank you for your reply
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The other thing I worry about is references. Being an international applicant, will they accept references from Canada and actually call them?

 

[Vicpaul]

My partner is from Liverpool so will be moving back there myself in time.

References shouldn't be an issue however if you are unsure maybe contact the relevant train operating companies. You may already know but incase you didn't you will be recruited as a trainee driver so these are the positions to look for.

For merseyside and the surrounding areas look at northern, arriva trains wales, first trans pennine express, Mersey rail and slightly further south london midland. Quite a few ports so maybe freight would be an option

 

[All_Aboard!!]

Thanks Vicpaul.

Just a little concerned that they might be put off having to call references in Canada. And also due to the time difference my references may not answer the call lol.

Thank you for naming all of those places to look for vacancies!

 

[cf111]

Thanks Vicpaul.

Just a little concerned that they might be put off having to call references in Canada. And also due to the time difference my references may not answer the call lol.

Thank you for naming all of those places to look for vacancies!

References will probably be requested via post, or maybe in your case by email. Can't see why they wouldn't be.

All the best if you do choose to apply!

 

[All_Aboard!!]

References will probably be requested via post, or maybe in your case by email. Can't see why they wouldn't be.

All the best if you do choose to apply!

Oh, I will definitely be applying!! Thanks for the info

 

[redbutton]

The other thing I worry about is references. Being an international applicant, will they accept references from Canada and actually call them?

When I did my references for Southern, the contract company they used said that they would contact my referees by email, so they could be based anywhere in the world as long as they knew me personally for at least two years. Since I had only moved here from California two years previous, that policy helped me out a lot!

 

[All_Aboard!!]

When I did my references for Southern, the contract company they used said that they would contact my referees by email, so they could be based anywhere in the world as long as they knew me personally for at least two years. Since I had only moved here from California two years previous, that policy helped me out a lot!

Oh so you are talking about personal character references. I can provide plenty of those. I was more concerned with previous employment references. For example, I worked a 3 month contract for UPS over the Christmas season about 5 years ago. I don't even remember my supervisors name from that lol. I think what I will do is obtain official forms from the government showing my work history. I will obviously not have an issue getting employment references from more recent work.

 

[redbutton]

One thing I think you'll find when you get here is that employers are much less concerned with your distant past. Even getting hired as a police officer only requires a three-year background check.

For my application with the TOC that I'm starting with next week, I only had to provide a work reference from my current employer. And even that just took the form of (literally) "Ian has worked here from [MM/YYYY] to the present date." on letterhead.

In addition to that, I needed two character references that knew me for at least two years, but could be located anywhere in the world. They were sent email questionnaires about my personality, to see if I fit the TOC's corporate values.

Trust me, as someone who has had several jobs on both sides of the pond, the recruitment process is far less rigorous over here than in the US, in almost all cases I've seen.

If I were you, I would focus on the psychometric assessments, since that's where you're more likely to get jammed up.

 

[notadriver]

It's almost impossible to get a job in America as a UK citizen never mind in rail. How does the reverse apply here ?

 

[redbutton]

It's almost impossible to get a job in America as a UK citizen never mind in rail. How does the reverse apply here ?

There are lots of ways to legally work on either side of the pond.

One could have dual-nationality, or be married/partnered with a UK or EU national, or be a student working part-time, or be a skilled worker with a sponsored work permit, or...

 

[All_Aboard!!]

One thing I think you'll find when you get here is that employers are much less concerned with your distant past. Even getting hired as a police officer only requires a three-year background check.

For my application with the TOC that I'm starting with next week, I only had to provide a work reference from my current employer. And even that just took the form of (literally) "Ian has worked here from [MM/YYYY] to the present date." on letterhead.

In addition to that, I needed two character references that knew me for at least two years, but could be located anywhere in the world. They were sent email questionnaires about my personality, to see if I fit the TOC's corporate values.

Trust me, as someone who has had several jobs on both sides of the pond, the recruitment process is far less rigorous over here than in the US, in almost all cases I've seen.

If I were you, I would focus on the psychometric assessments, since that's where you're more likely to get jammed up.

Hey Ian thanks for your reply. That is exactly what I wanted to know. I can easily fulfill those reference requirements.

For me, I am not too worried about the psychometric part. I applied to our transit authority to be an operator. This meant either Bus, Streetcar or Subway Operator. We were told that they weren't hiring for subway at the moment and to expect to either get bus or streetcar.

When it came time to receive my mode of transportation I was pleasantly surprised to be chosen to be trained on subway.

I later drummed up the courage to ask why.

They told me it was because I scored higher on the aptitude test....

If I can use my experience as a train driver here to get a foot in the door and get through that first sift of initial applications I know I will be fine.

Here's hoping. Think I am moving over in late August.

Now I just have to find some trainee driver vacancies for the north west once I get there.

I would even go for guard position just to get in the door!

Fingers Crossed.....