GWR - Trainee Train Driver - Recruitment Discussion

[DLG333]

Talking from a hiring manager’s experience, this isn’t necessarily a wise idea. But yeah, it’s a roll of the dice really.

How much detail did you go into in the text fields?

 

[Kasw]

How much detail did you go into in the text fields?

Also be interested how much detail others went into.
Did anyone else use multiple boxes to reflect multiple roles/jobs for their varying qualities?
I didn't see anywhere that specified a total word count other than the individual boxes?

 

[Reetzaboi]

Also be interested how much detail others went into.
Did anyone else use multiple boxes to reflect multiple roles/jobs for their varying qualities?
I didn't see anywhere that specified a total word count other than the individual boxes?

I put 1600 characters just got across the key info about me and my achievements don’t want them to forget about the key achievements if there is so much text

 

[Cross City]

How much detail did you go into in the text fields?

A few lines which were short and to the point.

Obviously I could be completely wrong and will be getting a rejection email in due course however, when I'm hiring, I hate waffle and to me it shows that you can't get across what you want to say efficiently and succinctly.
Hiring managers for these kinds of jobs which will have 1000s of applications to sift through will not have time to read War & Peace.

Just because the text box has a thousand character limit, doesn't mean you should use it or that they even want that much from you, it's more of a web page restriction than a direct instruction from the hiring company.

 

[HaylStonee]

A few lines which were short and to the point.

Obviously I could be completely wrong and will be getting a rejection email in due course however, when I'm hiring, I hate waffle and to me it shows that you can't get across what you want to say efficiently and succinctly.
Hiring managers for these kinds of jobs which will have 1000s of applications to sift through will not have time to read War & Peace.

Just because the text box has a thousand character limit, doesn't mean you should use it or that they even want that much from you, it's more of a web page restriction than a direct instruction from the hiring company.

I did the complete opposite haha. I went to town on my answers and wrote as much as I could, highlighting my skills, abilities, and qualities, emphasising how my experience from my role(s) are vital for this job.

I have been in my current job for a while (I work for the police) and my experience of their applications is that they like war and peace. I know not every employer is the same, but I just went with what I'm used to and wrote loads.

I even went as far as giving an examples, like when I've demonstrated good customer service etc... to again, show my competency.

Hopefully the hiring manager has patience to read it!

 

[Kasw]

I did the complete opposite haha. I went to town on my answers and wrote as much as I could, highlighting my skills, abilities, and qualities, emphasising how my experience from my role(s) are vital for this job.

I have been in my current job for a while (I work for the police) and my experience of their applications is that they like war and peace. I know not every employer is the same, but I just went with what I'm used to and wrote loads.

I even went as far as giving an examples, like when I've demonstrated good customer service etc... to again, show my competency.

Hopefully the hiring manager has patience to read it!

Sounds like my application was very similar to yours.

Ah well, guess we'll all have to suck it and see.

In my opinion they should be more specific. If they don't want too much then state how many characters, how many boxes, limit how much.

Although I wrote a considerable amount, I feel it is all relevant to the role. Therefore due to the lack of clarity on quantity, the employer should take it all into consideration.

 

[eSTeeSCe]

Sounds like my application was very similar to yours.

Ah well, guess we'll all have to suck it and see.

In my opinion they should be more specific. If they don't want too much then state how many characters, how many boxes, limit how much.

Although I wrote a considerable amount, I feel it is all relevant to the role. Therefore due to the lack of clarity on quantity, the employer should take it all into consideration.

I have been successful twice before with two other operators and have found that I tried to keep the info relevant and to the Point. I would look at what the question was asking and try to answer the Q rather than putting loads of info down which might not be relevant.

I have always tried to include phrases like 'safety critical', 'customer focused' and so on but make sure they are written into the example I have given rather than just dropping them into a sentence.

I always think, if 'I' had loads of these to read through, would I want punchy and brief or long and more challenging to pick out the info the person is trying to put across. I know what my answer would be.

I had my CV reviewed earlier this year and the feedback I received was that it was far too wordy and it was easy to lose interest hen reading about something I did 15 years ago which has no relevance to what i'm applying for.

Good luck in whatever you do.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Sep 2024 ==

I have just received an email:

Thank you for your application for Trainee Train Driver. Your application is currently with the hiring manager for review.

Given the volume of applications we receive, the shortlisting process may take some time to complete. We appreciate your patience during this period, and we will contact you via email as soon as there is an update.

Thank you for your understanding.




Kind regards,

GWR Recruitment Team

I've received the same for 'Plymouth'.

Good luck everyone.

 

[NSEWonderer]

Slightly Offtopic: Looks like Westbury and Bristol Temple Meads are out for trainee applications

 

[jma18]

Slightly Offtopic: Looks like Westbury and Bristol Temple Meads are out for trainee applications

Yeah I’ve gone for Bristol. Think we’re gonna be about 2 weeks behind everyone else. The thread has been useful for time scales.

Just done the 2 online tests and now the long wait.

Being an external candidate, I’ve never known recruitment like it, the long waits with no correspondence is tough.

Good luck to everyone.

 

[NSEWonderer]

Yeah I’ve gone for Bristol. Think we’re gonna be about 2 weeks behind everyone else. The thread has been useful for time scales.

Just done the 2 online tests and now the long wait.

Being an external candidate, I’ve never known recruitment like it, the long waits with no correspondence is tough.

Good luck to everyone.

Could end up being quicker. Depends on how many Vaccancies are needed immediately for these depots and which are preemptive.

 

[DLG333]

I did the complete opposite haha. I went to town on my answers and wrote as much as I could, highlighting my skills, abilities, and qualities, emphasising how my experience from my role(s) are vital for this job.

I have been in my current job for a while (I work for the police) and my experience of their applications is that they like war and peace. I know not every employer is the same, but I just went with what I'm used to and wrote loads.

I even went as far as giving an examples, like when I've demonstrated good customer service etc... to again, show my competency.

Hopefully the hiring manager has patience to read it!

Did we just become best friends?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Sep 2024 ==

I have been successful twice before with two other operators and have found that I tried to keep the info relevant and to the Point. I would look at what the question was asking and try to answer the Q rather than putting loads of info down which might not be relevant.

I have always tried to include phrases like 'safety critical', 'customer focused' and so on but make sure they are written into the example I have given rather than just dropping them into a sentence.

I always think, if 'I' had loads of these to read through, would I want punchy and brief or long and more challenging to pick out the info the person is trying to put across. I know what my answer would be.

I had my CV reviewed earlier this year and the feedback I received was that it was far too wordy and it was easy to lose interest hen reading about something I did 15 years ago which has no relevance to what i'm applying for.

Good luck in whatever you do.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Sep 2024 ==


I've received the same for 'Plymouth'.

Good luck everyone.

Mine is punchy, only relevant information including all the usual key phrases and very much to the point. But also over 4000 characters.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Sep 2024 ==

Sounds like my application was very similar to yours.

Ah well, guess we'll all have to suck it and see.

In my opinion they should be more specific. If they don't want too much then state how many characters, how many boxes, limit how much.

Although I wrote a considerable amount, I feel it is all relevant to the role. Therefore due to the lack of clarity on quantity, the employer should take it all into consideration.

We'll said. This was very much my approach.
The most important thing of course is the content rather than the quantity. I think some of the above advice from people presumes that the longer answers will be full of waffle and difficult to extract key information. (without knowing everyone's actual experience to draw on its impossible to guess.)

 

[soswales]

Finally had something happen with my application for Bristol after not hearing anything since January... it's now with the hiring manager. Fingers crossed the process might move along a little now. I'm guessing next steps will hopefully be a video interview?
Anyone else for Bristol had this?

 

[Reactor Scram]

Finally had something happen with my application for Bristol after not hearing anything since January... it's now with the hiring manager. Fingers crossed the process might move along a little now. I'm guessing next steps will hopefully be a video interview?
Anyone else for Bristol had this?

Yep I got that email 7 Aug for Bristol.

 

[Richard555]

Is anyone finding it hard to log onto GWR recruitment sometimes? To check status of application.
Site seems to be down often.

 

[Reactor Scram]

Been invited for a video interview for Bristol Parkway.

 

[soswales]

Been invited for a video interview for Bristol Parkway.

Same - away on holiday at the moment though. Emailed hoping for an extension.

 

[sazzle250]

Is anyone finding it hard to log onto GWR recruitment sometimes? To check status of application.
Site seems to be down often.

I had the same problem but checked a few days ago and seems to be ok now

 

[BongCups34]

I have been invited for a video interview I was wondering if anyone could help with some information on what to expect ? Like what type of questions are asked ? Are they competency type ones ?

Thank you and good luck

 

[Reetzaboi]

Hey guys,
Guess no one has heard anything as of yet

 

[PLY2AYS]

Going through the form it asks for the nearest station with a GWR service that you would use to get to interview. My nearest station to get to Oxford is Bicester Village but that's Chiltern - the nearest with a GWR service is Banbury but that doesn't appear on the list.

As someone who’s worked for both Chiltern and GWR… I cannot stress enough how glad I am to have moved from Green to Blue.
If a Chiltern role pops up (and I’m sure some will very soon) I’d recommend applying to them.

 

[DLG333]

Hey guys,
Guess no one has heard anything as of yet

Nothing yet for me pal

 

[Hamna]

As someone who’s worked for both Chiltern and GWR… I cannot stress enough how glad I am to have moved from Green to Blue.
If a Chiltern role pops up (and I’m sure some will very soon) I’d recommend applying to them.

Do you have any idea when chiltern is opening that role?

 

[PLY2AYS]

Do you have any idea when chiltern is opening that role?

Taking on for Aylesbury and potentially Bletchley in the next couple of weeks is the rumour.

I’ll post or DM as soon as hear anything firm.

 

[soswales]

As someone who’s worked for both Chiltern and GWR… I cannot stress enough how glad I am to have moved from Green to Blue.
If a Chiltern role pops up (and I’m sure some will very soon) I’d recommend applying to them.

What didn't you like about GWR if you don't mind me asking?

 

[PLY2AYS]

What didn't you like about GWR if you don't mind me asking?

I have an extremely long list.
End of my first week of driver training, I was put into a Depot driver training group, which I was told was ‘the norm’ and that would be the only way in which trainees now progress to the mainline. Which means you must do 2 years (minimum) on a depot link, 70% pay and 80-90% nights.
The new GWR contract essentially means you have “a commitment to work rostered Sundays” which are essentially enforced overtime. Something which (amongst other things) was absent from the job description when I initially took the job.
Additionally, every time I spoke to/emailed a manager, their response would NEVER be in writing, as to ensure weaponised incompetence. Any information I and my cohort were therefore fed from management, was never concrete or in fact on record, so was lied to constantly.
When progressing to mainline, there is a graded salary system. Depot drivers 70% of salary (same as the Mano grade at Reading who do an entirely different job) 80% for PQA1, 90% for PQA2 and 100% for fully fledged drivers.
However, if you are forced into a depot driver role, you will do 2 years at 70% rate (despite possibly doing exactly the same work content as other mainline drivers who are on 100% rate) before being allowed to progress to mainline, where instead of being put onto the 90% rate until all routes are signed, you’ll be placed on 80% rate instead, despite being a fully qualified mainline driver, you’ll be placed back onto a PQA rate.
I must stress this 2 year period is a MINIMUM, and plenty of drivers who joined in 2019 are still left on depot links months and months after their 2 years had expired, waiting for jobs to appear, whilst the company bring in external drivers and recruit more trainees off the street.
On top of this, drivers are penalised for going out of their way to opt for overtime in a ludicrous rest day count penalty fine… which is a pointless economy.
The green driver handbook for trainees is edited and messed around with constantly at the whim of GWR to suit their Ts&Cs, and ultimately will affect your progress, training and work life until you pass out of your 3rd year of driving (likely 4 years into the role - 5 to 6 if you take the Depot Driver)

I will state though that all of these qualms, whilst not all entirely my own, are in fact prevalent in the West country (Plymouth to Penzance) and aren’t necessarily applicable to the other depots around GWR.

I am grateful to GWR for gaining my key… but don’t get trapped on a depot link, ensure you have EVERYTHING in writing from a manager, check everything with LDC and know your Terms and Conditions.
There are infinitely better TOCs out there who have a much better union to management working relationship and much better Ts&Cs.

Any more questions, feel free to drop me a DM and I can put you in touch with scores of new drivers who are at odds with GWR in the South West.

 

[irish_rail]

I have an extremely long list.
End of my first week of driver training, I was put into a Depot driver training group, which I was told was ‘the norm’ and that would be the only way in which trainees now progress to the mainline. Which means you must do 2 years (minimum) on a depot link, 70% pay and 80-90% nights.
The new GWR contract essentially means you have “a commitment to work rostered Sundays” which are essentially enforced overtime. Something which (amongst other things) was absent from the job description when I initially took the job.
Additionally, every time I spoke to/emailed a manager, their response would NEVER be in writing, as to ensure weaponised incompetence. Any information I and my cohort were therefore fed from management, was never concrete or in fact on record, so was lied to constantly.
When progressing to mainline, there is a graded salary system. Depot drivers 70% of salary (same as the Mano grade at Reading who do an entirely different job) 80% for PQA1, 90% for PQA2 and 100% for fully fledged drivers.
However, if you are forced into a depot driver role, you will do 2 years at 70% rate (despite possibly doing exactly the same work content as other mainline drivers who are on 100% rate) before being allowed to progress to mainline, where instead of being put onto the 90% rate until all routes are signed, you’ll be placed on 80% rate instead, despite being a fully qualified mainline driver, you’ll be placed back onto a PQA rate.
I must stress this 2 year period is a MINIMUM, and plenty of drivers who joined in 2019 are still left on depot links months and months after their 2 years had expired, waiting for jobs to appear, whilst the company bring in external drivers and recruit more trainees off the street.
On top of this, drivers are penalised for going out of their way to opt for overtime in a ludicrous rest day count penalty fine… which is a pointless economy.
The green driver handbook for trainees is edited and messed around with constantly at the whim of GWR to suit their Ts&Cs, and ultimately will affect your progress, training and work life until you pass out of your 3rd year of driving (likely 4 years into the role - 5 to 6 if you take the Depot Driver)

I will state though that all of these qualms, whilst not all entirely my own, are in fact prevalent in the West country (Plymouth to Penzance) and aren’t necessarily applicable to the other depots around GWR.

I am grateful to GWR for gaining my key… but don’t get trapped on a depot link, ensure you have EVERYTHING in writing from a manager, check everything with LDC and know your Terms and Conditions.
There are infinitely better TOCs out there who have a much better union to management working relationship and much better Ts&Cs.

Any more questions, feel free to drop me a DM and I can put you in touch with scores of new drivers who are at odds with GWR in the South West.

Yes there has been a lot of anger and upset about the depot driver roles at Plymouth, but it's a learning curve and a new thing, and I think it's starting to settle down somewhat. Is it fair that depot drivers are on 70 percent? No, of course not, but it is a damn good way of getting your key, and at a location that until recently was "dead man's shoes". Whilst it takes a while, once you get into the main links you are driving intercity trains all the way to London via Dawlish, Penzance etc etc, it's pretty desirable work. I'm pretty sure the last of the 2019 cohort are now progressing through to the mainline now (or in some cases next month). Its also a way of getting a key in order to move to other TOCs ad you have done, or indeed driver CN who is now transferring to Holyhead with Avanti of all places!

 

[PLY2AYS]

Yes there has been a lot of anger and upset about the depot driver roles at Plymouth, but it's a learning curve and a new thing, and I think it's starting to settle down somewhat. Is it fair that depot drivers are on 70 percent? No, of course not, but it is a damn good way of getting your key, and at a location that until recently was "dead man's shoes". Whilst it takes a while, once you get into the main links you are driving intercity trains all the way to London via Dawlish, Penzance etc etc, it's pretty desirable work. I'm pretty sure the last of the 2019 cohort are now progressing through to the mainline now (or in some cases next month). Its also a way of getting a key in order to move to other TOCs ad you have done, or indeed driver CN who is now transferring to Holyhead with Avanti of all places!

Yeah absolutely, I’ve some fantastic and fond memories of the people I worked with in Plymouth, and I miss them… and it’s absolutely a great foot in the door for prospective drivers, that shouldn’t be overlooked.

I wholeheartedly think if First group surrender the franchise, I’d be extremely tempted to come back, as it has a wonderful variety of routes and work and is an extremely desirable part of the world to live!

Ultimately, I don’t think my experiences should deter people from applying, as it is on people to make their own minds up, but there’s definitely some scope for improvement.

I have heard about some people transferring to AWC!

 

[Leon Tallis]

I have an extremely long list.
End of my first week of driver training, I was put into a Depot driver training group, which I was told was ‘the norm’ and that would be the only way in which trainees now progress to the mainline. Which means you must do 2 years (minimum) on a depot link, 70% pay and 80-90% nights.
The new GWR contract essentially means you have “a commitment to work rostered Sundays” which are essentially enforced overtime. Something which (amongst other things) was absent from the job description when I initially took the job.
Additionally, every time I spoke to/emailed a manager, their response would NEVER be in writing, as to ensure weaponised incompetence. Any information I and my cohort were therefore fed from management, was never concrete or in fact on record, so was lied to constantly.
When progressing to mainline, there is a graded salary system. Depot drivers 70% of salary (same as the Mano grade at Reading who do an entirely different job) 80% for PQA1, 90% for PQA2 and 100% for fully fledged drivers.
However, if you are forced into a depot driver role, you will do 2 years at 70% rate (despite possibly doing exactly the same work content as other mainline drivers who are on 100% rate) before being allowed to progress to mainline, where instead of being put onto the 90% rate until all routes are signed, you’ll be placed on 80% rate instead, despite being a fully qualified mainline driver, you’ll be placed back onto a PQA rate.
I must stress this 2 year period is a MINIMUM, and plenty of drivers who joined in 2019 are still left on depot links months and months after their 2 years had expired, waiting for jobs to appear, whilst the company bring in external drivers and recruit more trainees off the street.
On top of this, drivers are penalised for going out of their way to opt for overtime in a ludicrous rest day count penalty fine… which is a pointless economy.
The green driver handbook for trainees is edited and messed around with constantly at the whim of GWR to suit their Ts&Cs, and ultimately will affect your progress, training and work life until you pass out of your 3rd year of driving (likely 4 years into the role - 5 to 6 if you take the Depot Driver)

I will state though that all of these qualms, whilst not all entirely my own, are in fact prevalent in the West country (Plymouth to Penzance) and aren’t necessarily applicable to the other depots around GWR.

I am grateful to GWR for gaining my key… but don’t get trapped on a depot link, ensure you have EVERYTHING in writing from a manager, check everything with LDC and know your Terms and Conditions.
There are infinitely better TOCs out there who have a much better union to management working relationship and much better Ts&Cs.

Any more questions, feel free to drop me a DM and I can put you in touch with scores of new drivers who are at odds with GWR in the South West.

Thanks for this helpful information. Could you elaborate on ‘drivers are penalised for going out of their way to opt for overtime in a ludicrous rest day count penalty fine’.

 

[soswales]

I have an extremely long list.
End of my first week of driver training, I was put into a Depot driver training group, which I was told was ‘the norm’ and that would be the only way in which trainees now progress to the mainline. Which means you must do 2 years (minimum) on a depot link, 70% pay and 80-90% nights.
The new GWR contract essentially means you have “a commitment to work rostered Sundays” which are essentially enforced overtime. Something which (amongst other things) was absent from the job description when I initially took the job.
Additionally, every time I spoke to/emailed a manager, their response would NEVER be in writing, as to ensure weaponised incompetence. Any information I and my cohort were therefore fed from management, was never concrete or in fact on record, so was lied to constantly.
When progressing to mainline, there is a graded salary system. Depot drivers 70% of salary (same as the Mano grade at Reading who do an entirely different job) 80% for PQA1, 90% for PQA2 and 100% for fully fledged drivers.
However, if you are forced into a depot driver role, you will do 2 years at 70% rate (despite possibly doing exactly the same work content as other mainline drivers who are on 100% rate) before being allowed to progress to mainline, where instead of being put onto the 90% rate until all routes are signed, you’ll be placed on 80% rate instead, despite being a fully qualified mainline driver, you’ll be placed back onto a PQA rate.
I must stress this 2 year period is a MINIMUM, and plenty of drivers who joined in 2019 are still left on depot links months and months after their 2 years had expired, waiting for jobs to appear, whilst the company bring in external drivers and recruit more trainees off the street.
On top of this, drivers are penalised for going out of their way to opt for overtime in a ludicrous rest day count penalty fine… which is a pointless economy.
The green driver handbook for trainees is edited and messed around with constantly at the whim of GWR to suit their Ts&Cs, and ultimately will affect your progress, training and work life until you pass out of your 3rd year of driving (likely 4 years into the role - 5 to 6 if you take the Depot Driver)

I will state though that all of these qualms, whilst not all entirely my own, are in fact prevalent in the West country (Plymouth to Penzance) and aren’t necessarily applicable to the other depots around GWR.

I am grateful to GWR for gaining my key… but don’t get trapped on a depot link, ensure you have EVERYTHING in writing from a manager, check everything with LDC and know your Terms and Conditions.
There are infinitely better TOCs out there who have a much better union to management working relationship and much better Ts&Cs.

Any more questions, feel free to drop me a DM and I can put you in touch with scores of new drivers who are at odds with GWR in the South West.

Thank you for the insight, that's not ideal is it. - is there same issues at Bristol do you know?

 

[PLY2AYS]

Thanks for this helpful information. Could you elaborate on ‘drivers are penalised for going out of their way to opt for overtime in a ludicrous rest day count penalty fine’.

Absolutely… on a lot of TOCs you just get a count of 1 if you ring up or work a rest day.

With GWR if you ring them up to cover an uncovered turn, you are penalised 10 rest day ‘credits’ where you accrue a count of 10; with the aim of pushing you to the bottom of the list.

It’s an absolutely absurd rule, because you just have 3 or 4 people a depot ringing up every time they see an uncovered turn… often with rest day counts of several hundred, sometimes 4 figures for the year. This means that a lot of drivers who play by the system often miss out. Which is fine because the company often have to pay each driver then, but it’s just a ludicrous practice in my opinion!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Sep 2024 ==

Thank you for the insight, that's not ideal is it. - is there same issues at Bristol do you know?

I’ll be honest, Bristol and Exeter (as I had another driver reach out) seem to have much less issues than the remainder of the south west (Plymouth and beyond) but I know there are still teething issues with depot drivers coming into the grade, and then ultimately aiming to step up to mainline links.

I’ll reiterate what I said above… it is still a bloody good way to get your key. Just don’t get caught in the trap of the depot… opt for mainline where you can! If you’ve made the grade to be taken on as a trainee in any capacity, then hold out for mainline. Don’t take the bait of a lesser position!