Train driver going back to school...for a careers fair

[S-Car-Go]

I've been in the railways for over 20 years, a driver for 6. Along with other former students of my old school, this month I've been invited back to talk to year 12 6th formers about careers and "loving your work".

What sort of questions do you think I'll get?
If you are currently in full time education, what would you ask me or what would be useful to you? (Props/tools? What's in a drivers bag? Roster/diagram examples?)

Let me know your thoughts please.

 

[Wolfie]

I've been in the railways for over 20 years, a driver for 6. Along with other former students of my old school, this month I've been invited back to talk to year 12 6th formers about careers and "loving your work".

What sort of questions do you think I'll get?
If you are currently in full time education, what would you ask me or what would be useful to you? (Props/tools? What's in a drivers bag? Roster/diagram examples?)

Let me know your thoughts please.

Would you recommend the job. What qualifications do you need. How does the application process work. How hard and long is the training. Good and bad things about the job. Pay levels. What's shift working like.

Edited to add:
Very clever name incidentally.

 

[MerlinRail 804]

I've been in the railways for over 20 years, a driver for 6. Along with other former students of my old school, this month I've been invited back to talk to year 12 6th formers about careers and "loving your work".

What sort of questions do you think I'll get?
If you are currently in full time education, what would you ask me or what would be useful to you? (Props/tools? What's in a drivers bag? Roster/diagram examples?)

Let me know your thoughts please.

Drivers bag and example rosters and diagrams seems interesting.

Also things like tips for the application and training as @Wolfie said.

 

[DarloRich]

I am not in full time education but I have done careers stuff before. A lot depends on the school and the kids/teachers. A lot depends on how engaging you are. There might be no questions ( have been for me before!)

Questions:

• How much do you get paid
• What time do you have to get up ( a sensible kid will ask what shifts are like)
• Where do you go to the toilet
• How did you get your job
• Was it easy to get the job
• Do you really do ( insert latest Daily Mail nonsense here)
• Good and bad aspects of the job
• What are the holidays like

 

[Gloster]

As a long-ago signalman, I would suggest that it is worthwhile making clear that railway jobs require some sacrifices in and adjustments to their lifestyle or accepting that they can’t adopt the same habits as friends in non safety-critical or jobs where failure to turn up doesn’t affect others. It may put off a few, but better than they or the railway waste time on training for a job they can’t hack.

 

[styles]

I am not in full time education but I have done careers stuff before. A lot depends on the school and the kids/teachers. A lot depends on how engaging you are. There might be no questions ( have been for me before!)

Questions:

• How much do you get paid
• What time do you have to get up ( a sensible kid will ask what shifts are like)
• Where do you go to the toilet
• How did you get your job
• Was it easy to get the job
• Do you really do ( insert latest Daily Mail nonsense here)
• Good and bad aspects of the job
• What are the holidays like

I work with teenagers and I think this list is most likely.

Part of it will depend on whether those students have chosen to attend the train driver Q&A session specifically. If they have, some of them may have done some research already and ask some different kinds of more specific questions, but in general I think that's a good list.

 

[Rail Quest]

I attended a few such events as a student a couple of years back. One of my key questions to employers was "How do I get into this career"? I'd be looking to know if I need to go to University and get a degree, look into apprenticeships, go straight into the workplace, apply directly, etc. I think bringing a couple of examples of entry points would be helpful as I'm assuming you'll get asked this a lot.

 

[DarloRich]

Part of it will depend on whether those students have chosen to attend the train driver Q&A session specifically. If they have, some of them may have done some research already and ask some different kinds of more specific questions

agreed - I found better questions came from people who have chosen to be there. To do that they must have at least some interest in the role or company. They tend to have therefore thought about questions.

If just a a general thing you will either get silence or silly question from the class smarty pants.

 

[scotraildriver]

When I visited a school I printed out group bourdon tests from this site and let them have a go. It worked really well, got them engaged and became quite competitive!

 

[AndrewP]

Not in the industry but have been involved with various external events and my tips are as follows:

• Expect the unexpected
• Be honest with your answers
• Don't be afraid to say you don't know something but try and have a way of getting the information to them
• Don't be surprised to be asked questions by people outside the main session by the more quiet people who are not confident of speaking up in the main session

It's great when organisations do this kind of thing

 

[172007]

Certanly speak to the teaching staff and the head / CEO of the school to see the best approach when a kid invevitably asks if you have had a fatality.

 

[styles]

When I visited a school I printed out group bourdon tests from this site and let them have a go. It worked really well, got them engaged and became quite competitive!

How many passed?

 

[NSE]

I do these for my railway employer (I’m not a driver but I work very closely with them) and they ask all sorts, but nothing that you wouldn’t expect. They often enjoy stats, the sort of ones like ‘no way that’s true’. I often drop the number of applicants to places to show how popular the job is. And when I do safety ones I often put things like stopping distances into football pitches or the distance from here to town etc etc.

I also printed off Bourdon Tests for one and, as well as general enjoyment, a couple of SEND students absolutely blitzed them and one of the teachers fed back that one student never felt good at anything, but came top in the Bourdon Test and it meant a great deal to them.

I love doing schools talks for the railway, both career and safety based. You’ll have a great time. Enjoy!

 

[styles]

For anyone who has done these - have you ever been asked about deaths/suicides on the railway? I appreciate it's not a nice topic to talk about but thinking back to when I was what 17-18 in 6th form, that might've been one of my questions.

 

[Minilad]

For anyone who has done these - have you ever been asked about deaths/suicides on the railway? I appreciate it's not a nice topic to talk about but thinking back to when I was what 17-18 in 6th form, that might've been one of my questions.

This doesn't just apply to school age. Pretty much everyone upon learning I am a train driver ask if I have ever had someone jump. I guess it's just morbid curiosity. 2nd most asked question, do you have to steer.

 

[styles]

This doesn't just apply to school age. Pretty much everyone upon learning I am a train driver ask if I have ever had someone jump. I guess it's just morbid curiosity. 2nd most asked question, do you have to steer.

Yes my dad is a train driver of nearly 50 years now. We were estranged for a long time. Even I asked him this very question (in a delicate way).

 

[Horizon22]

Drivers bag and example rosters and diagrams seems interesting.

Also things like tips for the application and training as @Wolfie said.

I agree, some “visual” tools to go alongside will make it more interesting instead of just talking. Do you have any photos of you with your relevant trains/stock? Maybe when you passed out - if you can dig them out!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Feb 2026 ==

For anyone who has done these - have you ever been asked about deaths/suicides on the railway? I appreciate it's not a nice topic to talk about but thinking back to when I was what 17-18 in 6th form, that might've been one of my questions.

True. I think the OP has to at least be mentally prepared for such a question, such is the morbid fascination of teens that age sometimes. Mental health is also a much hotter topic for them then it was even 10 years ago, so you could even steer in discussion about the good work Samaritans do.

Also @S-Car-Go I don’t know if you drive on routes with lots of level crossing, but a general sense of talking about safety over these and also good station and train etiquette probably wouldn’t go amiss!

 

[DarloRich]

These event are also a great way to tell kids about the whole range of jobs available "on the railway" - think of a job and I bet it is done! Not everyone want to be a driver or a guard.

 

[NSE]

Yeh I’ve answered questions on suicide/railway deaths. I’m animated in my approach to my talks and make jokes and wind the kids up where appropriate. But when they ask questions about that topic I naturally change to a much more sensible/respectful tone and the kids sense that. I’ve yet to come across any kid be anything but honestly inquisitive.

 

[northernbadger]

This is a great idea - a bit of an overview about the range of jobs out there on the railway and the ability to move around.

Also, taking the Bourdon tests in for them to have a go is another great idea.

 

[S-Car-Go]

Many thanks for all your input and suggestions. The morning went well, I think! It was all over so quickly.

It didn't take the format of a traditional presentation and FAQs, but more of a speed networking event. Small groups of students rotated between stations to meet multiple professionals for 8 mins at a time.

So no time to go in depth really, but more focused on career pathways, options, and a brief dip into my working life and how I got into the railways in the first place.

No one asked about suicides, yaaay!
1 person asked about strikes (pfft! they were settled 2 years ago!). The rest were pretty sensible and thoughtful. My faith in the youth of today has been somewhat restored!

 

[172007]

Glad to hear it went well.

 

[D6130]

Possibly also a good idea to mention that an ever-increasing number of train drivers are now female.