Conductor and driver applications - south wales

[wooden_work]

Just joined the forum after lurking for a little time so go easy on me

I've just applied for trainee conductor down here in South Wales. Keeping my fingers crossed I at least get through the first stage of application.

I messaged a mate who is doing his trainee driving course at the moment and he said great that I've got an application form in. In the same conversation he mentioned that there's a rumour trainee driver jobs will be advertised in the new year for around here. If that's the case, how do you think it would go down if I applied for a trainee driver job if my application is in for conductor as well? A drivers job is my preferred but I'd be happy to be a conductor if not.

we're talking Transport for Wales here as well in case anyone was wondering.

cheers

 

[12guard4]

Apply. Don't worry about it. Probably 75% of conductors they have will be applying

 

[Odyssey]

Go for it and don't worry about it. There is only 1 thing you have to consider. I once applied for 2 jobs at the same TOC. 1 for ticket office and 1 for guard. Both applications submitted around the same time. I was invited to the ticket office assessment almost straight away. I actually passed it but was later told all vacancies were filled so no job. I thought they had lost my guard application! But months later I was invited to do the guard assessment which I passed and was then offered a job after an interview. I accepted that offer. The point is, your applications will probably be handled by different HR staff and may have different timescales depending on actual vacancies at depots that need filling. If you do the guard application and then accept a job you will probably have to wait a certain time before you can apply for driver as an internal applicant. Usually 6 months to a year depending on the TOC. But I would still apply for both. If you get guard you will eventually be able to apply for trainee driver vacancies that are only advertised internally. Only tricky situation is if you get invited to both assessments at the same time or if one overlaps with the other. Then you'll have to probably make a choice. The dilemma for me in that situation would be being offered the guard job around the time an invitation to a driver assessment arrives. Would you decline the guard job to do the driver assessment only to risk not getting a driver job offer at the end of it?! Hope all that make sense.

 

[wooden_work]

Apply. Don't worry about it. Probably 75% of conductors they have will be applying

Ok cheers. I’ve submitted my application for conductor Will see if anything comes up for trainee driver in the future. I appreciate your response

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Jan 2024 ==

Go for it and don't worry about it. There is only 1 thing you have to consider. I once applied for 2 jobs at the same TOC. 1 for ticket office and 1 for guard. Both applications submitted around the same time. I was invited to the ticket office assessment almost straight away. I actually passed it but was later told all vacancies were filled so no job. I thought they had lost my guard application! But months later I was invited to do the guard assessment which I passed and was then offered a job after an interview. I accepted that offer. The point is, your applications will probably be handled by different HR staff and may have different timescales depending on actual vacancies at depots that need filling. If you do the guard application and then accept a job you will probably have to wait a certain time before you can apply for driver as an internal applicant. Usually 6 months to a year depending on the TOC. But I would still apply for both. If you get guard you will eventually be able to apply for trainee driver vacancies that are only advertised internally. Only tricky situation is if you get invited to both assessments at the same time or if one overlaps with the other. Then you'll have to probably make a choice. The dilemma for me in that situation would be being offered the guard job around the time an invitation to a driver assessment arrives. Would you decline the guard job to do the driver assessment only to risk not getting a driver job offer at the end of it?! Hope all that make sense.

Thanks, that all makes sense. Application for conductor has gone in so will keep an eye out for trainee driver in the meantime. I have my application answer ready so I’m good to go if an advert goes live

 

[dave360]

Ok cheers. I’ve submitted my application for conductor Will see if anything comes up for trainee driver in the future. I appreciate your response

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Jan 2024 ==


Thanks, that all makes sense. Application for conductor has gone in so will keep an eye out for trainee driver in the meantime. I have my application answer ready so I’m good to go if an advert goes live

Guards earn from April £47k basic. Most people apply for guard get qualified then apply for driver. You will then earn 47k while doing your driver training. Tfw guards earn more than trainee drivers so you will have a higher wage for longer doing it that way.

 

[Railway1642]

Guards earn from April £47k basic. Most people apply for guard get qualified then apply for driver. You will then earn 47k while doing your driver training. Tfw guards earn more than trainee drivers so you will have a higher wage for longer doing it that way.

Hi there,

Can you confirm it’s 47K basic for a Guard role from April? Have Sundays now been agreed into the working week?

Any info would be much appreciated, I’m currently in the talent pool for a Conductor role.

Take care

 

[Station32]

Hi there,

Can you confirm it’s 47K basic for a Guard role from April? Have Sundays now been agreed into the working week?

Any info would be much appreciated, I’m currently in the talent pool for a Conductor role.

Take care

It’s 28k whilst in training and you are on a 6 month probation. The 47k is the new basic salary amount and that starts in April with Sundays included but that not starting until 2025!? Unsure if that will mean that whilst in training that salary amount will change !?!

 

[craigybagel]

Guards earn from April £47k basic. Most people apply for guard get qualified then apply for driver. You will then earn 47k while doing your driver training. Tfw guards earn more than trainee drivers so you will have a higher wage for longer doing it that way.

Probably worth pointing out that normally TfW expect at least two years service after passing out as a Conductor before you will be considered for trainee driver roles.

 

[Tevion539]

It’s 28k whilst in training and you are on a 6 month probation. The 47k is the new basic salary amount and that starts in April with Sundays included but that not starting until 2025!? Unsure if that will mean that whilst in training that salary amount will change !?!

If you're training between now and June for instance, your training wage will be whatever is in your contract, and will rise to the new rate come April. Meaning the remainder of your training will be paid at he higher rate. Unless I've misunderstood your question.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Jan 2024 ==

Hi there,

Can you confirm it’s 47K basic for a Guard role from April? Have Sundays now been agreed into the working week?

Any info would be much appreciated, I’m currently in the talent pool for a Conductor role.

Take care

Sundays are part of the working week from April 2025. Meaning Sundays worked from April 24-25 are paid at an equivalent of £50p/hr. As it currently stands, if you work a Sunday, it will not be pensionable and is considered OT. It also means a week with a booked Sunday is theoretically a 5 day week, instead of the usual 4.

When Sundays become part of the working week, they are no longer OT, pay will then go down to around £25 an hour, assuming a 0% RPI. There is an RPI pay rise due from April 25. Sundays will then be pensionable and weeks with a Sunday will actually be a 4 day week. Weeks going Sunday-Saturday. If you work a Sunday as OT after April 25, again, assuming 0%; it will be roughly £37.50 an hour. RD working is time 1/2.

 

[dave360]

Hi there,

Can you confirm it’s 47K basic for a Guard role from April? Have Sundays now been agreed into the working week?

Any info would be much appreciated, I’m currently in the talent pool for a Conductor role.

Take care

 

[Station32]

I think Tevion539 has explained this quite thoroughly in the above post …as stated Sundays are included in the working week but NOT until 2025. It has only just been agreed but common knowledge with current employees of tfw so as per your screenshot I doubt any documentation or information has yet to be published or updated with the new salary increase!

hope this makes sense

 

[Chris1305]

I read on the pay deal that there will be an enhancement for sundays worked.
Does anybody know what that enhancement is or is this only until april 25?

 

[wooden_work]

Ok cheers. I’ve submitted my application for conductor Will see if anything comes up for trainee driver in the future. I appreciate your response

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Jan 2024 ==


Thanks, that all makes sense. Application for conductor has gone in so will keep an eye out for trainee driver in the meantime. I have my application answer ready so I’m good to go if an advert goes live

Got an invite today for my SCAAT. Excited and bricking it at the same time!

 

[Tevion539]

I read on the pay deal that there will be an enhancement for sundays worked.
Does anybody know what that enhancement is or is this only until april 25?

This enchantment for Sunday's is only until April.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Feb 2024 ==

Got an invite today for my SCAAT. Excited and bricking it at the same time!

Take your time, follow the instructions and you'll be fine

 

[wooden_work]

Did my SCAAT assessment. Worked steadily and got through about 15 lines for each. Bit less on the 3rd round of tests.

Certainly didn’t take 45 mins like it suggested. Closer to 30 mins I’d say.

Keeping my fingers crossed

 

[TD7]

Hoping someone could shed some light on this for me please...

Attended trainee conductor assessment day (South Wales valley lines) on 6th Feb and the whole group were told that a result would be given within the 7 days latest. It's been almost 2 weeks since assessment day and haven't heard a thing. Just wondering if anyone on this thread were part of that same assessment day and if so, have you had your result? I've emailed HR and they've advised that recruitment advisor hasn't updated them. Just seems a little long considering what we were all told...no news is good news I suppose but wondering if delay is a good / bad sign.

 

[wooden_work]

Did my SCAAT assessment. Worked steadily and got through about 15 lines for each. Bit less on the 3rd round of tests.

Certainly didn’t take 45 mins like it suggested. Closer to 30 mins I’d say.

Keeping my fingers crossed

Passed the SCAAT and now on to the RAAT

 

[Tevion539]

Hoping someone could shed some light on this for me please...

Attended trainee conductor assessment day (South Wales valley lines) on 6th Feb and the whole group were told that a result would be given within the 7 days latest. It's been almost 2 weeks since assessment day and haven't heard a thing. Just wondering if anyone on this thread were part of that same assessment day and if so, have you had your result? I've emailed HR and they've advised that recruitment advisor hasn't updated them. Just seems a little long considering what we were all told...no news is good news I suppose but wondering if delay is a good / bad sign.

Did you email recruitment directly?

 

[TD7]

Did you email recruitment directly?

Emailed the recruitment team and HR coordinator replied that recruitment advisor hadn't yet updated them. I wouldn't have emailed but it's over a week after the recruitment rep told us we would be told

 

[Tevion539]

Emailed the recruitment team and HR coordinator replied that recruitment advisor hadn't yet updated them. I wouldn't have emailed but it's over a week after the recruitment rep told us we would be told

Keep emailing for updates every so often - sometimes no news is good news. Not always, of course. But it doesn't hurt to email here and there.

 

[BrokenSam]

Probably worth pointing out that normally TfW expect at least two years service after passing out as a Conductor before you will be considered for trainee driver roles.

That's gone out the window in reality. To my annoyance as I waited the two years.

 

[craigybagel]

That's gone out the window in reality. To my annoyance as I waited the two years.

It comes and goes over time. It might not be being enforced too strongly at the moment, it's happened before, but there's nothing to stop it coming back.

 

[wooden_work]

Passed my RAAT. Now on to the tct