Chiltern - Apprentice Train Driver - Marylebone, Aylesbury and Birmingham (20/09/24)

[12LDA28C]

Best bet would be to take it anyway. If you pass no problem. If you happen to fail then let them know you still have a previous valid Pass

I don't believe @Hamna has said they have previously taken the VSE and anyway if it was more than 6 months ago it would no longer be valid.

 

[meganeasx]

If you’ve applied for the February course already, why did you try to apply for the April start too? And why would your application have been ‘transferred over’ without you being informed?

Because I haven’t heard back from the February one and when I click to apply for the April one it is states I have already applied. Similar to what the other comment say

 

[12LDA28C]

Because I haven’t heard back from the February one and when I click to apply for the April one it is states I have already applied. Similar to what the other comment say

I believe it means you've already applied for an apprentice driver job, not for the April course specifically. Unfortunately railway recruitment is a slow process and you may not get a response to your application for a few weeks. This does not (necessarily) mean that your initial application has been overlooked.

 

[Mizzmo]

I am told that I am to expect the VSE link tomorrow and have until 1st November to complete. They've said to keep an eye on junk folder within emails, so I would recommend anyone on here to keep an eye in that folder if you're waiting for the link.

you should have had the link by now. If you haven't I would contact them and still practice for the test

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[Ryder]

you should have had the link by now. If you haven't I would contact them and still practice for the test

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Good Morning, I’ve had it and completed it. Deadline was today, so made sure I submitted within plenty of time. I practiced as much as I could, in between current work and home commitments. Hoping for the best and good luck to all.

 

[adrsanda]

Just got my email saying I was successful for the VSE, and been invited to attend stage 1 & 2 assessments. I’ve already completed them to enhanced standards so have messaged them back with my NI number saying I’ve already passed. I applied for the Marylebone deport.

 

[dalaw]

Got the passed vse email too and invite to next stage. If I was lucky enough to pass the next stage do the results stay valid when applying to other TOC’s then… from what you’ve just said it sounds like they do. If so how long are they valid for?

 

[Neatro]

Just got my email saying I was successful for the VSE, and been invited to attend stage 1 & 2 assessments. I’ve already completed them to enhanced standards so have messaged them back with my NI number saying I’ve already passed. I applied for the Marylebone deport.

Enhanced standard for one TOC isn't the same as another TOC.

It's just a generic standard each TOC has a different enhanced level.

 

[adrsanda]

Enhanced standard for one TOC isn't the same as another TOC.

It's just a generic standard each TOC has a different enhanced level.

Ah okay I understand. I’ll just have to wait to see what they reply.

I passed my OPC assessments with ARL who is also under Arriva so maybe the enhanced levels are similar

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Got the passed vse email too and invite to next stage. If I was lucky enough to pass the next stage do the results stay valid when applying to other TOC’s then… from what you’ve just said it sounds like they do. If so how long are they valid for?

Yes they do and It’s 2-5 years depending on the TOC

 

[dalaw]

Ah okay I understand. I’ll just have to wait to see what they reply.

I passed my OPC assessments with ARL who is also under Arriva so maybe the enhanced levels are similar

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Yes they do and It’s 2-5 years depending on the TOC

Thanks for that

 

[12LDA28C]

I passed my OPC assessments with ARL who is also under Arriva so maybe the enhanced levels are similar

That doesn't really follow I'm afraid. Each individual TOC tailors its suite of OPC tests to its own specific requirements. Chiltern for example only recently started using the VSE test as an additional sifting tool to 'weed out' a percentage of unsuitable candidates prior to full OPC testing.

 

[Elf]

The suite of psychometric tests, the same or very similar to those you would have to take when applying for any trainee driver role.

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No, there is no London weighting and the salary at all locations once qualified will be around £65,400 excluding Sundays which are outside the working week. Working only rostered Sundays will add around £6,000 to the base salary.

Impossible to say accurately how long until pass out as it depends on many factors. Anything between ten months and two years.

Earlier this year, I was told by Chiltern recruitment that the base pay would have been £57,000. Working only rostered Sundays would have added only around £3,000 in Aylesbury. That seemed to agree with the allegedly outdated [TOC pay rate chart March 2023]. Thus I thought Chiltern paid around the same as WMT.

I am surprised (and delighted) that Chiltern is paying a lot more than what I was told. Could that really have happened in under 1 year? Please enlighten me, something must be missing...

 

[HeelBurton]

Earlier this year, I was told by Chiltern recruitment that the base pay would have been £57,000. Working only rostered Sundays would have added only around £3,000 in Aylesbury. That seemed to agree with the allegedly outdated [TOC pay rate chart March 2023]. Thus I thought Chiltern paid around the same as WMT.

I am surprised (and delighted) that Chiltern is paying a lot more than what I was told. Could that really have happened in under 1 year? Please enlighten me, something must be missing...

The class which started yesterday were sent new contracts internally which stated the new rates of pay which have been mentioned above.

I suspect new adverts will have the new rates of pay on from this point forward

 

[12LDA28C]

Earlier this year, I was told by Chiltern recruitment that the base pay would have been £57,000. Working only rostered Sundays would have added only around £3,000 in Aylesbury. That seemed to agree with the allegedly outdated [TOC pay rate chart March 2023]. Thus I thought Chiltern paid around the same as WMT.

I am surprised (and delighted) that Chiltern is paying a lot more than what I was told. Could that really have happened in under 1 year? Please enlighten me, something must be missing...

Base salary for a fully-qualified driver at Chiltern was £56,907 and rostered Sundays at Aylesbury (approx. 19 rostered in 52 weeks dependent on link position) added just over £6,000 to that, giving a total of just over £63,000.

Of course, there has been a pay rise agreed and implemented since then which has amalgamated pay increases from the last three years which means that the new rate I quoted above now applies.

 

[Mizzmo]

Good Morning, I’ve had it and completed it. Deadline was today, so made sure I submitted within plenty of time. I practiced as much as I could, in between current work and home commitments. Hoping for the best and good luck to all.

Good luck! now we await the results

 

[Ryder]

Good luck! now we await the results

Thank you, a nervous wait commences!! Good luck to you too!!

 

[Rs1886]

Is anyone else still waiting for a reply? I’ve logged in current status still shows as empty. Have sent an email chaser today

 

[michbridie]

Is anyone else still waiting for a reply? I’ve logged in current status still shows as empty. Have sent an email chaser today

I applied for Aylesbury and mine says the same as yours

 

[Brum_AVFC]

All in good time folks, have faith, I’ve known it take around a month before. Recruitment in the rail industry is notoriously slow.

 

[HeelBurton]

Patience is required with this people. I wouldn’t start sending chasing emails so soon into the pipeline

 

[adrsanda]

Got my DMI invite today, has anyone had a DMI with Chiltern and got any advice?

 

[Neatro]

Got my DMI invite today, has anyone had a DMI with Chiltern and got any advice?

If you've done your assessments before have you not already done a DMI?

I don't see how Chiltern would be much different than any other operator.

 

[12LDA28C]

If you've done your assessments before have you not already done a DMI?

I don't see how Chiltern would be much different than any other operator.

At Chiltern the OPC assessments are often done before the DMI which is done by the TOC.

 

[Neatro]

At Chiltern the OPC assessments are often done before the DMI which is done by the TOC.

He said further up that he's already passed his assessments, so I figured if he'd already had done it they'd be roughly the same.

 

[akaMcMonagle]

Just got an invite to go to OPC for Stage 1 & 2 assessments! Hard work begins now

 

[TomH1994]

Just got an invite to go to OPC for Stage 1 & 2 assessments! Hard work begins now

Congrats! For which depot may I ask?

 

[12LDA28C]

Congrats! For which depot may I ask?

Good question! Which Chiltern depot is within 45 minutes commute of Shrewsbury?

 

[Rs1886]

I’ve still got absolutely no update for Aylesbury. Even a no would be good!

 

[Brum_AVFC]

I’ve still got absolutely no update for Aylesbury. Even a no would be good!

You checked your application status? I’ve not had an email yet but my status has gone from VSE to OPC stage 1.

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You checked your application status? I’ve not had an email yet but my status has gone from VSE to OPC stage 1.

I’m Birmingham depot though

 

[niceman]

You checked your application status? I’ve not had an email yet but my status has gone from VSE to OPC stage 1.

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I’m Birmingham depot though

Have you not completed stage 1 before with a different TOC?