Greater Anglia recruiting for Drivers

[Set_DRA]

Wow that seems very low indeed. So your first year with a key would be at £35k? That’s a bit cheeky.

My TOC’s first year rate is mid 40s, quite a few TOCs no longer have a first year rate and go straight to full money once qualified.

I’m not overly fussed begin. The lowest paid (at the moment) as our T&Cs on West Anglia are the best in the company. I live within my means and I’m happy.

More money means selling our Terms.

 

[OneLowban]

Yeah that’s right

Cool thanks for the recent info, good to know.

I have applied for Bishops GA and just waiting at the moment. Done all of the assessments before so just hoping for an interview.

£35k for a year to me isn’t a problem, means getting out of my job which is my main goal at the moment, salary isn’t too dissimilar than current anyway. Fingers crossed.

 

[Shunter_69]

First year money for Ex GE depots is £43k and full rate after 12 months or 200 turns (whichever comes first)

 

[Cyclist]

First year money for Ex GE depots is £43k and full rate after 12 months or 200 turns (whichever comes first)

A “turn” being a day that you worked?

 

[Shunter_69]

A “turn” being a day that you worked?

Yes, sorry for the use of jargon.

 

[Set_DRA]

First year money for Ex GE depots is £43k and full rate after 12 months or 200 turns (whichever comes first)

But the GE have ZERO terms and conditions.

 

[Shunter_69]

But the GE have ZERO terms and conditions.

I’m sure we have some.

Will be interesting to see what harmonisation is actually offering compared with all the gossip and scare mongering going on.

 

[Davyboy]

Can any of the drivers tell me how often you get paid? Is it monthly or fort nightly?
What are the pension contributions like? Or even simpler.. How much on a basic dry wage do you clear?
Sorry for all the questions. I am in the running too, but considering jumping from a decent job for a move to sunnier climes! It's a scary decision.
Thanks in advance!

 

[jasont]

Davyboy

We get paid every 4 weeks and pension contributions every 4 weeks are roughly £260. You would only enter the final salary pension scheme once you have completed 2 years. With regards to take home salary it varies as different depots have location allowance on top of basic salary. I think a basic month with 2 sundays when you are a fully qualified driver after completing your 1st year NQD would be a rough take home of around £2700 dependant on location

 

[Ethelred]

Has anyone heard anything yet or have Greater Anglia just given everyone the runaround?

 

[MostlyHarmless]

Its a big fat no as far as I'me concerned

 

[Lincdsg]

I haven't heard anything, I imagine they are still going through all the applications, patience is key I think, just try and forget about it until you hear otherwise

 

[MidlandsChap]

I haven't heard anything, I imagine they are still going through all the applications, patience is key I think, just try and forget about it until you hear otherwise

Yes, everybody says that recruitment takes a long time on the railway.

A rough estimate of when we might hear something would have been nice though.

 

[Set_DRA]

Yes, everybody says that recruitment takes a long time on the railway.

A rough estimate of when we might hear something would have been nice though.

Sometimes a polite call to remind them you still exist doesn’t hurt! Our recruitment team are actually nice and helpful.

 

[MidlandsChap]

Sometimes a polite call to remind them you still exist doesn’t hurt! Our recruitment team are actually nice and helpful.

I have no doubt of that.

However I could just imagine their phone lines if even a small percentage of the applicants started chasing.

No doubt we will hear back in time, either for a yay or nay.

 

[martin2345uk]

I have no doubt of that.

However I could just imagine their phone lines if even a small percentage of the applicants started chasing.

No doubt we will hear back in time, either for a yay or nay.

Though to be fair their email did imply we might not - if we don't hear within 6 months we would have to "reapply" and therefore would assume we were unsuccessful..!

 

[JoshT10]

I have applied for these trainee driver roles with Greater Anglia. However I'm also thinking of applying for some of the trainee train driver roles with Scotrail. As both Greater Anglia and Scotrail are operated by Abellio, does this mean the same recruitment team will be sorting the job applications or will both Greater Anglia and Scotrail have separate recruitment teams?

Would be great if anyone knew the answer to this.

Also does anyone know if you can have more than one live application with Scotrail?
Cheers

 

[martin2345uk]

I have applied for these trainee driver roles with Greater Anglia. However I'm also thinking of applying for some of the trainee train driver roles with Scotrail. As both Greater Anglia and Scotrail are operated by Abellio, does this mean the same recruitment team will be sorting the job applications or will both Greater Anglia and Scotrail have separate recruitment teams?

Would be great if anyone knew the answer to this.

Also does anyone know if you can have more than one live application with Scotrail?
Cheers

They’ll have separate teams.

 

[MostlyHarmless]

I have applied for these trainee driver roles with Greater Anglia. However I'm also thinking of applying for some of the trainee train driver roles with Scotrail. As both Greater Anglia and Scotrail are operated by Abellio, does this mean the same recruitment team will be sorting the job applications or will both Greater Anglia and Scotrail have separate recruitment teams?

Would be great if anyone knew the answer to this.

Also does anyone know if you can have more than one live application with Scotrail?
Cheers

I have applications in for both Scotrail and GA and I have assumed (rightly or wrongly) that they have seperate HR teams - if they haven't then they will be completely snowed under right now!

Not sure about multiple applications with Scotrail - it was a question that had crossed my own mind

 

[Set_DRA]

Both GA and ScotRail have their own HR/Recruitment teams so it’s no issue you applying for both!

 

[JoshT10]

Nice one thank you for the above replies, hopefully we will all hear sooner rather than later from Greater Anglia! Do Greater Anglia want a standard or enhanced pass regarding the psychometrics?

 

[Set_DRA]

Nice one thank you for the above replies, hopefully we will all hear sooner rather than later from Greater Anglia! Do Greater Anglia want a standard or enhanced pass regarding the psychometrics?

I believe their enhanced. When I went for my assessments they told me they want “above national standard”.

 

[OneLowban]

I believe their enhanced. When I went for my assessments they told me they want “above national standard”.

Check PM please mate.

 

[Set_DRA]

Check PM please mate.

Will do!!

 

[Ethelred]

Still nothing? I feel so sorry for all those that spent days, weeks even carefully preparing their application and daring to dream for a while as it is clearly a waste of time. From the standard of the initial replies received and the lack of information thereafter I have concluded the recruitment operation could be run so much better?

 

[Teddyward]

Patience is key. When I applied to southern took 7 weeks for a thanks but no thanks. A south eastern application I’d forgot about rose its head after 6 months to say I’d been put in a holding pool for dartford. Others have been quicker. Do remember they are still campaigning for qualifieds so that may take precedence.

 

[MostlyHarmless]

Patience is key. When I applied to southern took 7 weeks for a thanks but no thanks. A south eastern application I’d forgot about rose its head after 6 months to say I’d been put in a holding pool for dartford. Others have been quicker. Do remember they are still campaigning for qualifieds so that may take precedence.

Pretty much this although it can be a tad frustrating. I wonder sometimes if the HR teams underestimate the response that they will get from job applications. Certainly with southern that was the case - it took 4 months to get back to me instead of the 4-6 weeks they stated...

 

[Set_DRA]

Pretty much this although it can be a tad frustrating. I wonder sometimes if the HR teams underestimate the response that they will get from job applications. Certainly with southern that was the case - it took 4 months to get back to me instead of the 4-6 weeks they stated...

Well for my trainee course, 3000 applied. And there were 7 only positions.

I applied Dec 2014 and heard back middle of Jan 2015. I started with GA in April 2015. I guess I was exceptionally lucky to get in so quick.

We are desperate for qualifieds and trainees as everyone is buggering off to GN and XC

 

[Shunter_69]

The GA recruitment team is fairly small and are currently dealing with huge numbers of applications for conductor and other roles as well as drivers.

Unfortunately the driving job is seen by many as a way to earn big money without having to go to university or work your way up in a company.

It’s easier said than done to be patient but that’s what you need to be. If your application is good enough they will get to you when they are ready and invite you in for assessment.

If being patient isn’t your thing and you get frustrated quickly then working on the railway probably isn’t for you in the first place.

 

[MostlyHarmless]

The GA recruitment team is fairly small and are currently dealing with huge numbers of applications for conductor and other roles as well as drivers.

Unfortunately the driving job is seen by many as a way to earn big money without having to go to university or work your way up in a company.

It’s easier said than done to be patient but that’s what you need to be. If your application is good enough they will get to you when they are ready and invite you in for assessment.

If being patient isn’t your thing and you get frustrated quickly then working on the railway probably isn’t for you in the first place.

You make some valid points - the only thing I'd say is perhaps they (recruitment) should be a bit more conservative with the timescales for dealing with the applications. If it means saying it's going to be 4 months and that puts people off then so be it!