Scotrail Trainee Drivers (Ongoing)

[gazza8]

Hey gazza8.

Cheers for the inside knowledge but I for sure understand it doesn't say or guarantee a job.

I feel what it does is show we have what it takes and could possibly be a good candidate for future employment with the company. To get to the stage we are at isn't a easy feet and feel we have done well to get to this stage but I'm also fully aware on how hard it is for external candidates to get the chance in front of internal. Unfortunately for us external, internal will always get looked at ahead due to there knowledge of the rail industry and company.

All that are on hold just have to wait and see what happens in the future and if nothing under the 6 month we just try again. having passed everything the only thing we may need to do again is the DM interview this was told to me from HR.. and that is only if the DM feels we need the interview again. stay positive all our time will come.

Only thing i disagree with is the internal candidate having the better chance isnt exactly true, it opens up another debate for another topic, where it is said, due to government funding and cost effectiveness the external candidate in the last several years been favoured, although as you say internal candidates have a much better knowledge of all things railway.

 

[scotraildriver]

Only thing i disagree with is the internal candidate having the better chance isnt exactly true, it opens up another debate for another topic, where it is said, due to government funding and cost effectiveness the external candidate in the last several years been favoured, although as you say internal candidates have a much better knowledge of all things railway.

This can be very true. Promoting a guard, say, requires the guard to be trained from scratch as a driver, and a new guard being recruited to replace him, massively more expensive than an singe external recruit.

 

[bigal27]

to all in the talent pool on hold just a heads up to keep faith. got a call last week and I have a medical a week on Monday. I applied to Edinburgh so not sure how many were on hold or if anyone else got the call, I noticed a few here are for Glasgow so not sure what's going to happen through there. Hope use hear something soon and best of luck.

 

[Darrenmtb]

Well done Big Al, happy for you and good luck. Thank you for your last post, gives those of us who are waiting some glimmer of light, and hopefully we will also receive a similar call in the future. Best wishes in your new career

 

[scotraildriver]

3 vacancies came up again due to 2 people having disclosure and medical issues and 1 guy who refused to change a holiday which was at the start of a training course.

 

[SkinnyDave]

3 vacancies came up again due to 2 people having disclosure and medical issues and 1 guy who refused to change a holiday which was at the start of a training course.

Unbelievable!

 

[Bobby Carlos]

Scotrail driver, I'm guessing the people who are on the reserve who are being used have been told already? And do u know if the additional vacancies were at glasgow or edinburgh?

 

[scotraildriver]

Sorry, I dont know. Was talking to some folk at the training academy who were a bit p*****d off due to these people who delayed courses starting. Who where when I dont know sorry....

 

[Jamieson]

Does that mean there are new applicant vacancies or will they be filled by the lucky ones who have already got through??

 

[bigal27]

I would say that if anything comes up within the next 6 months they will take the people that have been put on hold as they have passed everything, I'm sure that's why they put together a talent pool of candidates so they can call upon them if and when needed.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
thanks darrenmtb. really looking forward to what comes next. got the medical on Monday 8th but I'm confident there wont be any issues with it. discloser has been done and cleared. hopefully soon I'll be onto the training. Best of luck with everyone else on hold.

 

[scotraildriver]

Scotrail driver, I'm guessing the people who are on the reserve who are being used have been told already? And do u know if the additional vacancies were at glasgow or edinburgh?

All Edinburgh AFIK

 

[Mulson]

Just registered but been following this forum for a while and have a couple of questions.

Following the trend of this thread and many others, it appears that if/when train driver trainee vacancies become available the window for application tends to be very small. I noticed on another thread a vacancy was open for less than 24 hours before being pulled, think it was for FTPE. Now, 24 hours is not a lot of time to submit an application, especially if you are already in a full-time job.

Are the applications submitted by standard application form or c.v.? If it is application form, is it specific to the role and vacancy or a generic application that I could request now?

I do not anticipate any vacancies opening in the near future based on the hires/holding pool taken on this year but I suppose if I am going to do this I want to do it right and give myself the best chance possible by being as prepared as possible.

I have signed up for alerts so I hopefully won't miss out.

 

[Louby]

Very rare the alerts work or if they do they are too late, the application process is different for each TOC , Northern ask you to fill out quite a lengthy form where as FTPE is quite short, best to keep an eye on here and check the tocs nearest to you on a regular basis

 

[Mulson]

Very rare the alerts work or if they do they are too late, the application process is different for each TOC , Northern ask you to fill out quite a lengthy form where as FTPE is quite short, best to keep an eye on here and check the tocs nearest to you on a regular basis

Thanks Louby, I didn't have any great confidence in the alert when I registered but thought I'm better having a little chance than none!

I check here regularly (as well as the TOC recruitment site) so will hopefully get a heads up similar to the one Scotraildriver gave in his first post.

 

[Bobby Carlos]

Ok, so just heard the news this morning about the scotrail franchise going to abellio. Does anyone know what this means for is that are on the reserve/hold list? Good news or bad news??? Any indication would be good. Cheers.

 

[Darrenmtb]

I asked about this at my managers interview, they said it shouldn't effect anything at our level, the new franchisees would keep the same staff (effectively putting on a new tie on 1st April 15) and that they would still need to keep training new drivers. Now it just depends if First will continue to train drivers, or put things on hold until Abellio take over.

 

[Mulson]

Thanks Louby, I didn't have any great confidence in the alert when I registered but thought I'm better having a little chance than none!

I check here regularly (as well as the TOC recruitment site) so will hopefully get a heads up similar to the one Scotraildriver gave in his first post.

That little chance has now become zero chance

 

[JamesD]

I think it's unlikely there'll be any more trainee drivers starting before the franchise changes to abellio. 3 courses of trainees have started in the last month. I started my training a few weeks ago and a course of 8 started the week before me and another started the week after. I think they've filled all the vacancies that were advertised this year and I doubt they'll advertise any more with a change in franchise coming.

 

[scotraildriver]

They cannot hand the franchise over short staffed so if there is a need then more trainees will be recruited. There wont be any more in the next few months until the current classes have cleared the training Academy, because it is full!

 

[bigal27]

I can't answer if or when more will get taken on but as scotrail driver says if they need more they will get them. I start my training on the 10th November. So I can say the last batch of training hasn't finished/started yet if I'm in the last group.

 

[ER158715]

I can't answer if or when more will get taken on but as scotrail driver says if they need more they will get them. I start my training on the 10th November. So I can say the last batch of training hasn't finished/started yet if I'm in the last group.

There is a further course starting on the 17th as well. That will take the Academy up to full capacity till at least the new year.

Cheers

 

[Bobby Carlos]

Big al, were you on the reserve list or did u get told you had a job? I'm starting to become extremely worried that us on the hold list may become forgotten about with the transfer of the franchise! Really apprehensive at this point!

 

[bigal27]

Big al, were you on the reserve list or did u get told you had a job? I'm starting to become extremely worried that us on the hold list may become forgotten about with the transfer of the franchise! Really apprehensive at this point!

Hey bobby. I was originally on the reserve list after passing everything. Got a call out the blue with the news I was having a medical, as been said earlier in the post I think from scotrail driver a couple of people failed there medical for edinburgh and I must of been next in line or just lucky. Unlike some I have been trying for this job for a few years and was always getting to stages and getting put on hold. It does show that perseverance pays. Only advice I would say is don't give up if you really want the job. I'm sure it helps to show you don't give up and are really keen. If something does come up inside the 6 month on hold period you will get the call if not keep positive and try again.

 

[rocky1807]

did anyone get the email tonight with the jobs for various locations?
can you re-apply as the last application was march 2014, more than 6 months ago?

 

[Bobby Carlos]

Hi just wondering if anyone could shed light on this for me. I received an email this morning which said there were trainee train driver vacancies at glasgow central. I am currently on a reserve list for glasgow central but I have not been contacted by scotrail. Does anyone know why this would happen??? I've been on the reserve list since July. Cheers.

 

[SkinnyDave]

Is it me or is this thread not incredibly quiet with the fact that Scotrail have a large trainee driver recruitment campaign on just now?

 

[Hardie12]

application in and online tests done. As many have said checking test was quite tricky.

anybody know if it will tell you straight away if you have passed or failed as just showing as complete?

 

[G36]

Took 3 or 4 weeks until I got an email inviting me for a telephone interview last time.

 

[Hardie12]

thanks

so basically dont find out until you get an invite to interview or rejection email

 

[G36]

Yeah, after they do the paper sift of all the applications