Dedicated First Great Western recruitment site.

[tone]

I see FGW have created a new site for recruiting trainee drivers :https://traindriverjobs.firstgreatwestern.co.uk.

The jobs advertised here are not on the main recruitment site. It has its own log in, job alerts and allows you to create a profile. Looks pretty good and shows they must be serious about hiring new drivers in the next few years.

 

[SkinnyDave]

FCC had a similar website up until recently

 

[Nuttytoffee]

As I have mentioned before, our managers have told us they want at least 700 new drivers over the next few years. I know they have a course a month pretty much lined up until December 2014.

 

[Dave1987]

As I have mentioned before, our managers have told us they want at least 700 new drivers over the next few years. I know they have a course a month pretty much lined up until December 2014.

Is IEP really generating that many new links? I noticed that First are advertising heavily for qualified drivers at loads of depots so have no reason to doubt what you say. Just can't see where all these extra links have sprung from magically unless they have a lot of retirements coming up.

 

[SkinnyDave]

Bristol are going from 2 services an hour to 4 an hour to Padd once eletrification is up and running with two an hour from Cardiff, that will be an increase at that depot alone

 

[jc1]

I applied in August last year and my online status is still awaiting shortlisting which shows how efficient they are,cant see what difference this will make.

 

[Dave1987]

I applied in August last year and my online status is still awaiting shortlisting which shows how efficient they are,cant see what difference this will make.

It sounds as though Firsts HR recruitment dept are quite small. I presume that you are an external applicant? I wouldn't think their HR dept are in slightest bit concerned with how efficient you think they are. Remember they will have to deal with qualified drivers applying plus internal candidates like Guards e.t.c. They will probably have a lot of juggling to do to match the requirements of each depot. Obviously qualified drivers take preference and I wouldn't mind betting that internal applicants get processed first, then external candidates are chosen. Might explain why you have waited so long.

 

[SkinnyDave]

It sounds as though Firsts HR recruitment dept are quite small. I presume that you are an external applicant? I wouldn't think their HR dept are in slightest bit concerned with how efficient you think they are. Remember they will have to deal with qualified drivers applying plus internal candidates like Guards e.t.c. They will probably have a lot of juggling to do to match the requirements of each depot. Obviously qualified drivers take preference and I wouldn't mind betting that internal applicants get processed first, then external candidates are chosen. Might explain why you have waited so long.

From what I have heard this is true with recent Bristol vacancies, I think they took a lot of internal people on.

SD

 

[Nuttytoffee]

I am not sure of the reasons Dave1987, but there are rumours of trying to get back lost routes, extending routes, expansion at Oxford, a new depot near Worcester and a lot of drivers leaving for crossrail.

 

[anthony263]

I have just put in an application one of teh vacancies. I have done both the online asessments as part of my application yet I am still getting a notifcation that I havent completed one of the applications when I can clearly see I have.

 

[Dave1987]

I am not sure of the reasons Dave1987, but there are rumours of trying to get back lost routes, extending routes, expansion at Oxford, a new depot near Worcester and a lot of drivers leaving for crossrail.

Sorry but I don't think the Crossrail point is correct. I don't think any positions for Crossrail have been confirmed. At GA we have heard that it won't be until 2015 that Crossrail start establishing depots and driving links.

 

[Nuttytoffee]

Like I said mate, I don't know, i'ts just depot talk. I think they mean they expect a lot to leave FGW to be employed by whoever/whatever is doing the crossrail stuff if the terms are better there.

 

[daddy_badger]

I noticed no vacancies for Bristol. why all of a sudden a new careers page, what was wrong with the old one?

 

[jc1]

It sounds as though Firsts HR recruitment dept are quite small. I presume that you are an external applicant? I wouldn't think their HR dept are in slightest bit concerned with how efficient you think they are. Remember they will have to deal with qualified drivers applying plus internal candidates like Guards e.t.c. They will probably have a lot of juggling to do to match the requirements of each depot. Obviously qualified drivers take preference and I wouldn't mind betting that internal applicants get processed first, then external candidates are chosen. Might explain why you have waited so long.

Im sure they are not concerned with what I think as I will be starting with another TOC soon.But if it takes them a year to even respond to my application this is after I have had no reply to emails or answerphone messages,then what difference is a new website going to make.Their HR dept.must be a shambles.

 

[Dave1987]

Like I said mate, I don't know, i'ts just depot talk. I think they mean they expect a lot to leave FGW to be employed by whoever/whatever is doing the crossrail stuff if the terms are better there.

Ok I see what you mean.

 

[FGW_DID]

JC1

Don't confuse the First Group recruitment team with the FGW team. Your application will have gone to the former so you can imagine how many applications they have to sift through.
Hopefully with FGW having a dedicated website this should alleviate matters to a certain degree but the assessment 'team' at FGW' is very small indeed and it's not only drivers they deal with.

 

[nellyhip]

They have vacancies at Westbury & Gloucester, apologies for being thick (I'm not a rail nerd!) But I didn't think they had depots there.

 

[SkinnyDave]

You don't have to be a "rail nerd" as you put it to know those depots

Great Western have a lot of driver depots all over the network
Westbury is quite a big depot I believe

 

[anthony263]

I put in my application for the Gloucester depot on monday so I do hope I hear something back soon since I still have my score's from when I attended the asessment in Bristol on 3rrd June

 

[FGW_DID]

There aren't depots at those locations but the word itself is misleading. Don't think of them like Engine sheds of days gone by, all they are is booking on points. Even when there is a proper depot i.e Reading, the drivers work out of the station, the only time they come near the Depot is to pick their allocated unit up. Like wise Oxford is referred to as Oxford Depot but actually it's just offices attached to the station.

 

[nellyhip]

Many thanks, I looked on Wikipedia at there depots& couldn't see them so thought I should ask the experts! I'm new to this so any help is appreciated.

 

[RJ]

There aren't depots at those locations but the word itself is misleading. Don't think of them like Engine sheds of days gone by, all they are is booking on points. Even when there is a proper depot i.e Reading, the drivers work out of the station, the only time they come near the Depot is to pick their allocated unit up. Like wise Oxford is referred to as Oxford Depot but actually it's just offices attached to the station.

Indeed, where I worked as crew, the booking on points were referred to as depots and the depots were known as sheds!

 

[BestWestern]

'Potential applicants should be aware that at no time will they be sat in the cab of a 319, like the smilie chap in the picture sequence on the homepage....'

Well, unless they're thinking ahead a few years of course!

 

[SkinnyDave]

'Potential applicants should be aware that at no time will they be sat in the cab of a 319, like the smilie chap in the picture sequence on the homepage....'

Well, unless they're thinking ahead a few years of course!

Brilliant