Career change, IT to Railway

[tommyboy]

Hello all,

I've been running my own IT company since leaving Sixth Form. I'm really interested in perusing a career on the UK Railway. Recent developments in my home city have given me a lot of inspiration, especially the 'coming' of the HS2 Hub in Birmingham.

I've been looking for vacancies since the new year as a trainee train driver locally but there hasn't been anything really. I don't mind venturing out nationally.

I was wondering if anybody could give me a heads up if I could ever be possible? I've got all the grades required (10 A - C GCSE, and AAB at A Level).

What would be the most appropriate route in to becoming a train driver?

cheers

 

[The One]

Keep looking on companies webpage.Sign up to company job alerts

 

[tommyboy]

Keep looking on companies webpage.Sign up to company job alerts

Working on it. As for requirements, do I need to gain anything beforehand?

 

[The One]

No all I can personally advise/recommend is you register for alerts and stick your name in the hat so to speak you may get lucky first time or may take you several attempts what area you from

 

[IKB]

If you want to be a driver, then apply for that role. You don't need to have had prior railway experience.

Set up email alerts for the TOCs you wish to apply for when adverts are posted, or just check their websites very regularly.

There is no magic secret. Just have a good application form (demonstrating relevant competencies) to pass the paper sift.

 

[tommyboy]

No all I can personally advise/recommend is you register for alerts and stick your name in the hat so to speak you may get lucky first time or may take you several attempts what area you from

I'm in Birmingham. Nearest station is probably Moor Street.

 

[Dot2018]

As others have said they'll take anybody with the right abilities. If you want to give yourself a head start you could start learning about the test process but as others have said you have to pass the paper sift and often online tests first.

 

[theironroad]

Academic qualifications aren't really prized on the railway and for many roles not necessary apart from basic maths and English. Some tocs do like to see degrees from their potential managers regardless of their relevance.

Customer experience and services are highly focused on in recruiting for any role role to do with passengers and for roles like driver, dealing with emergencies and crisis situations they like to see past examples and situations you've been in and dealt with.

 

[red2005]

Academic qualifications aren't really prized on the railway and for many roles not necessary apart from basic maths and English. Some tocs do like to see degrees from their potential managers regardless of their relevance.

Customer experience and services are highly focused on in recruiting for any role role to do with passengers and for roles like driver, dealing with emergencies and crisis situations they like to see past examples and situations you've been in and dealt with.

Yes I agree with this. The academic side really isn’t the most important thing.

Finding a way of showing your levels of customer service and common sense is far more important. Grades show them you’re good in a classroom environment...... common sense shows them you’re unlikely to kill someone.

 

[Thedispatcher]

I'm in Birmingham. Nearest station is probably Moor Street.

If you’re based in Brum, I would apply to Chiltern for the train manager position they’re advertising. Good experience doing safety critical work and scope to progress to driving with Chiltern or other TOCs. It’s right to say that you don’t need to do anything else to become a driver, but being a guard/TM is arguably the best experience you can have for driving.