Avanti - Trainee Train Drivers - Recruitment Discussion

[Sopra]

A lil tricky these were! Basically you get a list of like 12 skills, and they ask you to decide which are the three most important, and which three are the least important. But they all seem like very important things. It’s true these exams are simply to get to know the way you think better. I found these way more difficult than the STJ which was actually pretty easy

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Does anyone know what stage were on if we’re on the OPC STJ and priorities exams? Looking at the stages on the website these aren’t listed. We’re clearly past the sift (stage 1.5) but not yet on the visual search exercise or the Magnificent 7 Situational Judgement Test (stage 2). If feels like they’ve missed the step we’re all currently on? Right?

Thank you for details! Can you tell me a bit about driving tasks? What should I expect?

 

[Jayleeruss]

Thank you for details! Can you tell me a bit about driving tasks? What should I expect?

Exactly the same as the non-technical skills, you’ll be given a list of tasks a driver must perform and rank which three are the most important and which three are the least important. Again they all seem like very important tasks so it’s hard to judge

 

[SH2023!]

A lil tricky these were! Basically you get a list of like 12 skills, and they ask you to decide which are the three most important, and which three are the least important. But they all seem like very important things. It’s true these exams are simply to get to know the way you think better. I found these way more difficult than the STJ which was actually pretty easy

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Mar 2023 ==

Does anyone know what stage were on if we’re on the OPC STJ and priorities exams? Looking at the stages on the website these aren’t listed. We’re clearly past the sift (stage 1.5) but not yet on the visual search exercise or the Magnificent 7 Situational Judgement Test (stage 2). If feels like they’ve missed the step we’re all currently on? Right?

Thanks very much! Going to get them completed late morning.

 

[Penny]

Just finished my OPC questions now. Took me just over an hour to do them all, but as others have said you can do the 5 sections individually and come back to the others later, however when you start a section you must complete it in one go. Some sections only a take a few minutes, whilst others involve a bit of reading and some thought. Nothing too taxing or technical, but I found myself second guessing my own answers and thoughts.
As others have also said, there's not really any prep that you can do as its a test to see what your personality and morals are like.

Thank you for the info, I'm going to do it tomorrow when the house is quiet!

 

[wolvesayewe]

In the FAQ section it mentions the below about the 2 lives and enhanced tests;

“The only exception being that Avanti and several other train operators use enhanced standards on assessments whereas others operate what is called RSSB standard which is the minimum set by the Rail Standards Board. Individuals can sometimes pass to the RSSB standard but not Avanti Standard. On these occasions if they pass to RSSB standard but not Avanti they use up a lifetime attempt for Avanti but not others that operate RSSB Standard.”

So I emailed recruitment for some clarification as I failed a test on two occasions with a FOC who had enhanced pass marks, but I passed everything to RSSB standard. My question was do these 2 lost enhanced lives with the FOC, only rule me out with that particular FOC, or with any FOC / TOC, that have enhanced pass marks. They got back to me saying they couldn’t answer that and would have to check with the OPC.

Have any of you guys been in a similar situation?

I did an assessment day with avanti, I passed two tests at their enhanced level but one at national standard. When I had my feedback from OPC I asked if that used one of my lives and was advised that it didn't as technically I didn't fail. Hope this helps

 

[Spincity]

I did an assessment day with avanti, I passed two tests at their enhanced level but one at national standard. When I had my feedback from OPC I asked if that used one of my lives and was advised that it didn't as technically I didn't fail. Hope this helps

Just to clarify, you’ve lost a life for Avanti, but if you’ve passed to nationals, you’ve not lost a life

 

[wolvesayewe]

Has anyone else received a follow up email?

I received an email yesterday to do an online assessment

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Just to clarify, you’ve lost a life for Avanti, but if you’ve passed to nationals, you’ve not lost a life

That's how Avanti phrase it, but I don't think it works like that given the National database will show you as passing to national standard, therefore there is no 'fail'.

At our TOC we have advanced scoring and have had internal applicants only meet national standard and they have been told they haven't lost a life

 

[wolvesayewe]

Just to clarify, you’ve lost a life for Avanti, but if you’ve passed to nationals, you’ve not lost a life

If you pass at national standard then from what I was told from the OPC you haven't lost a life because technically you didn't fail, you just didn't get the required enhanced level for the TOC

 

[Spincity]

If you pass at national standard then from what I was told from the OPC you haven't lost a life because technically you didn't fail, you just didn't get the required enhanced level for the TOC

Youv

If you pass at national standard then from what I was told from the OPC you haven't lost a life because technically you didn't fail, you just didn't get the required enhanced level for the TOC

Youve lost a life to Avanti standards, 1 life left. But because you passed to national you’ve not loss a life to these TOCs.

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If you pass at national standard then from what I was told from the OPC you haven't lost a life because technically you didn't fail, you just didn't get the required enhanced level for the TOC

But if you don’t met a TOCs standard that’s 1 life gone. You fail 2 assessments for the same enhanced TOCs, that’s both lives lost, can’t reapply again. If you’ve met nationals both times you’ve not lost a life to those TOCs and can apply to these TOCs

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Youv

Youve lost a life to Avanti standards, 1 life left. But because you passed to national you’ve not loss a life to these TOCs.

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But if you don’t met a TOCs standard that’s 1 life gone. You fail 2 assessments for the same enhanced TOCs, that’s both lives lost, can’t reapply again. If you’ve met nationals both times you’ve not lost a life to those TOCs and can apply to these TOCs

But how can that be when for instance, I passed WMT to enhanced standard but for Avanti I didn't score high enough and was asked to resit. I didn't sit Avanti testing as didn't want to lose my MMI.

If different TOC's have different pass scores despite both being enhanced then you can't lose a life for being above national standard. Or are you saying I would've lost a life with Avanti only if I'd say with them and not met their standard

 

[Aviator88]

But how can that be when for instance, I passed WMT to enhanced standard but for Avanti I didn't score high enough and was asked to resit. I didn't sit Avanti testing as didn't want to lose my MMI.

If different TOC's have different pass scores despite both being enhanced then you can't lose a life for being above national standard. Or are you saying I would've lost a life with Avanti only if I'd say with them and not met their standard

Your last sentence is what they're saying - in essence, if you fail at national standard twice, you're out of the running to become a train driver for life, as we all know. Furthermore, if you fail a specific TOC's tests twice (but pass to national standard both times), you are then ineligible to apply for that particular TOC again, but are free to apply elsewhere, including other TOCs that have their own enhanced standards.

 

[Chippychips]

But if you don’t met a TOCs standard that’s 1 life gone. You fail 2 assessments for the same enhanced TOCs, that’s both lives lost, can’t reapply again. If you’ve met nationals both times you’ve not lost a life to those TOCs and can apply to these TOCs

Not quite sure this is correct unless you're talking about the M7 SJT and the Mini concentration test with the dot moving around the track. (In this case you lose an "application life" for TOCs that use these tests before inviting you to the main OPC assessments).

Apart from that, you can be getting standard results continuously for years, it wouldn't matter as no lives will ever be lost. But the moment you get enhanced standard, there's nothing stopping Avanti recruiting you as you would have finally met their standard.

 

[Spincity]

Not quite sure this is correct unless you're talking about the M7 SJT and the Mini concentration test with the dot moving around the track. (In this case you lose an "application life" for TOCs that use these tests before inviting you to the main OPC assessments).

Apart from that, you can be getting standard results continuously for years, it wouldn't matter as no lives will ever be lost. But the moment you get enhanced standard, there's nothing stopping Avanti recruiting you as you would have finally

But how can that be when for instance, I passed WMT to enhanced standard but for Avanti I didn't score high enough and was asked to resit. I didn't sit Avanti testing as didn't want to lose my MMI.

If different TOC's have different pass scores despite both being enhanced then you can't lose a life for being above national standard. Or are you saying I would've lost a life with Avanti only if I'd say with them and not met their standard

There are different enhanced scores, if you fail to TOCs scores that a life gone. If WMT are enhanced, but not to the same standards as Avanti, you would have passed both national/WMT, but have not by default passed Avanti, you’ve lost a life, even though you’ve sat at WMT, and need to resit tests.

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Not quite sure this is correct unless you're talking about the M7 SJT and the Mini concentration test with the dot moving around the track. (In this case you lose an "application life" for TOCs that use these tests before inviting you to the main OPC assessments).

Apart from that, you can be getting standard results continuously for years, it wouldn't matter as no lives will ever be lost. But the moment you get enhanced standard, there's nothing stopping Avanti recruiting you as you would have finally met their standard.

Wrong…if you’ve passed national standards for years but at each of these many attempts you’ve not met Avanti standards this would count as failed attempts. So you’ve got both lives (no fails) to national but would have lost lives for Avanti.

 

[TD2018]

Please remember you can only sit each individual test twice within your lifetime. Sitting it more than twice even if it's passed with some and failed with others will not happen

 

[Spincity]

Please remember you can only sit each individual test twice within your lifetime. Sitting it more than twice even if it's passed with some and failed with others will not happen

No, you can sit the tests multiple times. It’s very clear, it’s 2 unsuccessful attempt…not 2 attempts

 

[TD2018]

No, you can sit the tests multiple times. It’s very clear, it’s 2 unsuccessful attempt…not 2 attempts

The idea of not sitting it more than twice is that you pass the test if you have the capability to. Taking it more than twice is like you're training to pass eventually and gives you an unfair advantage

 

[Spincity]

And…

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2 unsuccessful attempt…so you can only have 2 unsuccessful attempts to a TOCs standards.

 

[TD2018]

And…




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2 unsuccessful attempt…so you can only have 2 unsuccessful attempts to a TOCs standards.

 

[Spincity]

It clearly states…if you failed twice you can’t have further attempts. It doesn’t say you have only 2 attempts.

 

[kajojek3232]

Maybe the moderators could move this discussion to another thread as I think we’re getting a bit side tracked here.

 

[TD2018]

It clearly states…if you failed twice you can’t have further attempts. It doesn’t say you have only 2 attempts.

So you're saying take as many test attempts as you like chasing an enhanced level but achieving only national level each time yes?

 

[Spincity]

Maybe the moderators could move this discussion to another thread as I think we’re getting a bit side tracked here.

I’ve finished, all I’d advise is do your own research and not rely on forums for definitive answers. Got to my stop to watch .

 

[jt1990]

Are the tests mobile friendly? My place is like a mad house 90% of the time with the kids so my best bet for quiet might be out of the house.

Maybe try a library?

 

[RobJMcL]

I've just completed the assessments, truly not something you can study for. All I can recommend is you take your time and read the questions properly. Good luck everyone!

 

[FlyinScotsman.]

Just completed the assessments there, long wait now to find out what the outcome is. Does anyone know if everyone received the online tests or if it was only people that passed the initial online sift? it seems everyone on this forum has received the assessments.

 

[SuperS16v]

Just completed the assessments there, long wait now to find out what the outcome is. Does anyone know if everyone received the online tests or if it was only people that passed the initial online sift? it seems everyone on this forum has received the assessments.

The assessments everyone has received is the first sift after the application form. These are not the main OPC assessments.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Please remember you can only sit each individual test twice within your lifetime. Sitting it more than twice even if it's passed with some and failed with others will not happen

This is absolutely not the case an I have already done more than 2, passed all just didn't get job offers

 

[kajojek3232]

The number of people on here claiming to know the rules and making them up is actually hilarious

 

[SCDR_WMR]

The number of people on here claiming to know the rules and making them up is actually hilarious

Welcome to the world of internet forums. Many people on here have been through this process either with Avanti or another TOC/FOC. People answer questions as they see fit.

But just so you know, the issues come from OPC as they've given different advice regarding lives to different people so there is rightly some confusion.

The discussion about lives is important and valid as it can mean the difference between someone being able to apply/get a job or not