Train Driver or Customer Ambassador? (SWR)

[LCC106]

Back to an earlier point and there is NO legal obligation to either post a vacancy externally if it’s going up internally or internally if going up externally. Just for info.

 

[MiNi]

The role has closed already.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Aug 2020 ==

I see that a different role of Customer Ambassador 2 is live now with different hours & pay grade. Earlies & lates & rotating day off. Does anyone know if the original job has been scrapped for this role. At least there may be more job opportunities there now.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Aug 2020 ==

I live in Sherborne and the hours stated 08:00 to 15:36 so all times that are easily done with a SWR service or I am in the final stages of learning to drive so will either drive or use the train service.

The ambassador 3 role was/is still live as dates for interviews have gone out. Has anyone else had an interview for Ambassador recently(last year or so before covid). Does the hiring manager ask the usual sort of questions.

 

[Cuemang78]

Hi,
How long is the training for a customer ambassador with South Western Railway? What are the hours?
Is the training all done at Basingstoke?

 

[TheAnswer89]

Does anyone know why SWR contact numbers became unavailable ?

 

[theironroad]

Does anyone know why SWR contact numbers became unavailable ?

Not sure if still the case but all non operational staff were working from home, though imagine some are back in office. Dont think they could accept calls when WFH.

 

[MiNi]

Hi,
How long is the training for a customer ambassador with South Western Railway? What are the hours?
Is the training all done at Basingstoke?

As these are fairly new roles,I've asked these questions & nobody really knows. Training for most other roles is done at Basingstoke from 9.30- 4 roughly. I would assume this would be the case for Ambassador role also.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Sep 2020 ==

Does anyone know why SWR contact numbers became unavailable ?

I have always emailed swr & normally got a reply within a day.

 

[Cuemang78]

As these are fairly new roles,I've asked these questions & nobody really knows. Training for most other roles is done at Basingstoke from 9.30- 4 roughly. I would assume this would be the case for Ambassador role also.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Sep 2020 ==


I have always emailed swr & normally got a reply within a day.

As these are fairly new roles,I've asked these questions & nobody really knows. Training for most other roles is done at Basingstoke from 9.30- 4 roughly. I would assume this would be the case for Ambassador role also.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Sep 2020 ==


I have always emailed swr & normally got a reply within a day.

THANKS

 

[Stigy]

As these are fairly new roles,I've asked these questions & nobody really knows. Training for most other roles is done at Basingstoke from 9.30- 4 roughly. I would assume this would be the case for Ambassador role also.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Sep 2020 ==


I have always emailed swr & normally got a reply within a day.

If by new you mean over 5 years?....I guess it’s new compared to other roles

Training is done at Basingstoke but not necessarily the ROC (sometimes at Basingstoke station). Also, training is on a full time basis, even if it’s a part time role applied for.

 

[Cuemang78]

If by new you mean over 5 years?....I guess it’s new compared to other roles

Training is done at Basingstoke but not necessarily the ROC (sometimes at Basingstoke station). Also, training is on a full time basis, even if it’s a part time role applied for.

Thanks, but how long would people be on a training salary? Would they be training for 6 months, 1 year, 2 years etc at Basingstoke?

 

[Stigy]

Thanks, but how long would people be on a training salary? Would they be training for 6 months, 1 year, 2 years etc at Basingstoke?

I believe it’s an Apprenticeship for this role so you do initial training of 6 weeks ish? Then you’re at your station and complete the on the job aspect of the training, but return to Basingstoke to for stuff you still require or to complete paperwork? Someone in the job is probably better placed to give exact timescales.

 

[Cuemang78]

I believe it’s an Apprenticeship for this role so you do initial training of 6 weeks ish? Then you’re at your station and complete the on the job aspect of the training, but return to Basingstoke to for stuff you still require or to complete paperwork? Someone in the job is probably better placed to give exact timescales.

Thanks, I wonder if it is still training hours when training at the relevant station?

 

[Stigy]

Thanks, I wonder if it is still training hours when training at the relevant station?

It’ll be on shift probably so the normal shift for that location. If it’s a particularly small station you apply for you’ll probably be trained at a larger station.

 

[Cuemang78]

Cheers!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Sep 2020 ==

Cheers!

Do people have to pass a medical and Dbs check before starting as a customer ambassador, as these take ages to complete?

 

[Stigy]

Cheers!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Sep 2020 ==


Do people have to pass a medical and Dbs check before starting as a customer ambassador, as these take ages to complete?

All staff will need a basic DBS and medical. Medicals for non safety critical staff such as Customer Ambassadors is nothing more than a drug & alcohol test and a basic consultation really. Neither take particularly long to complete (DBS usually takes a few days).

 

[Cuemang78]

All staff will need a basic DBS and medical. Medicals for non safety critical staff such as Customer Ambassadors is nothing more than a drug & alcohol test and a basic consultation really. Neither take particularly long to complete (DBS usually takes a few days).

Do customer ambassadors have managers?

 

[theironroad]

Do customer ambassadors have managers?

Pretty much everyone has a manager.

A larger ticket offices there may be a manager /supervisor on site most of the day.

At small ticket offices, most probably lone working with a manager to has a group of stations to manage, then there are a few area retail managers I believe.

 

[Cuemang78]

Pretty much everyone has a manager.

A larger ticket offices there may be a manager /supervisor on site most of the day.

At small ticket offices, most probably lone working with a manager to has a group of stations to manage, then there are a few area retail managers I believe.

Cheers

 

[Stigy]

Do customer ambassadors have managers?

Yes, they come under station management at SWR.

 

[Cuemang78]

Does anyone know how many days holiday an swr customer ambassador gets per year? Is it 22 days plus bank holidays/days in lieu?

 

[Cuemang78]

Yes, they come under station management at SWR.

Irrelevant anyway, drove all the way from Manchester to Basingstoke for an interview and got told two weeks later I was unsuccessful. Waste of effort. Not bothering with this industry again.

 

[theironroad]

Irrelevant anyway, drove all the way from Manchester to Basingstoke for an interview and got told two weeks later I was unsuccessful. Waste of effort. Not bothering with this industry again.

While I'm sure that's annoying, dismissing the whole railway industry because you didn't get one job seems a bit drastic.

Get some feedback from swr.

With some jobs, it's just a numbers game in that some jobs are pretty popular.

 

[Stigy]

Irrelevant anyway, drove all the way from Manchester to Basingstoke for an interview and got told two weeks later I was unsuccessful. Waste of effort. Not bothering with this industry again.

How many times have you tried? Being defeatist won’t help. As @theironroad said, contact them and get feedback.

I’m sorry, but if you assumed you were going to get the job, that may have shown in the interview and painted you in a negative light.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Oct 2020 ==

With some jobs, it's just a numbers game in that some jobs are pretty popular.

Indeed. More so now than ever before potentially too. As I said to somebody the other day here, it’s often not that a candidate wasn’t suitable, it’s just sheer numbers of potentially suitable candidates and not everybody can get the job.

 

[Cuemang78]

How many times have you tried? Being defeatist won’t help. As @theironroad said, contact them and get feedback.

I’m sorry, but if you assumed you were going to get the job, that may have shown in the interview and painted you in a negative light.

No I did not assume anything and if I am going to go the extra mile and not get anywhere then there is no point, certainly when there is only one vacancy, as odds are so stacked against me. Lesson learned.

 

[Stigy]

No I did not assume anything and if I am going to go the extra mile and not get anywhere then there is no point, certainly when there is only one vacancy, as odds are so stacked against me. Lesson learned.

If there’s only one position it’s naturally going to be a numbers game. If you don’t want to bother again, that’s your perogetive, but we see hundreds of people here over the years who have remained determined, and eventually it’s paid off. You didn’t say how many times you’ve applied, but it’s not uncommon for people to apply time and time again to get nowhere, before one day they get their lucky break. That’s why getting feedback is vital. Not just for reapplying to SWR, but for any job with any company. The info feedback they supply will help you going forward.

 

[Cuemang78]

If there’s only one position it’s naturally going to be a numbers game. If you don’t want to bother again, that’s your perogetive, but we see hundreds of people here over the years who have remained determined, and eventually it’s paid off. You didn’t say how many times you’ve applied, but it’s not uncommon for people to apply time and time again to get nowhere, before one day they get their lucky break. That’s why getting feedback is vital. Not just for reapplying to SWR, but for any job with any company. The info feedback they supply will help you going forward.

OK thanks for your help. I will ask.

 

[swr444]

I travelled all the way from York to Southampton for an assessment day and then an interview a few weeks later, knowing how high in demand this job was I made sure to research as much into it and made sure I was fully prepared, don't give up after one rejection. As others have said, just ask for feedback so you know where to improve for next time.

 

[Cuemang78]

I travelled all the way from York to Southampton for an assessment day and then an interview a few weeks later, knowing how high in demand this job was I made sure to research as much into it and made sure I was fully prepared, don't give up after one rejection. As others have said, just ask for feedback so you know where to improve for next time.

OK cheers

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Oct 2020 ==

Am I not able to apply for any type of positions at Gwr or Swr for 6 months if not getting a job at Swr?

 

[dctraindriver]

No I did not assume anything and if I am going to go the extra mile and not get anywhere then there is no point, certainly when there is only one vacancy, as odds are so stacked against me. Lesson learned.

You drove a few hours. Big deal. While you’ve clocked up some distance that doesn’t really suggest you’ve gone the extra mile. People put so much hard work and effort getting in. Learn from it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Oct 2020 ==

OK cheers

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Oct 2020 ==

Am I not able to apply for any type of positions at Gwr or Swr for 6 months if not getting a job at Swr?

Just SWR

 

[Cuemang78]

You drove a few hours. Big deal. While you’ve clocked up some distance that doesn’t really suggest you’ve gone the extra mile. People put so much hard work and effort getting in. Learn from it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Oct 2020 ==


Just SWR

You have an attitude problem. Why don't you learn a bit of empathy. It is a long way to drive for an interview numbness as most people wouldn't spend £40 diesel and £70 hotel to do it. Get in the real world idiot.

 

[dctraindriver]

You have an attitude problem. Why don't you learn a bit of empathy. It is a long way to drive for an interview numbness as most people wouldn't spend £40 diesel and £70 hotel to do it. Get in the real world idiot.

I think I can understand why you didn’t get in.... Good luck with your next application.