Southeastern - Trainee Driver - Recruitment Discussion

[Ludus]

My assessment is 24 hours away, I have been doing the tests for a few hours daily, reading through everything and I noticed again after reading the email thoroughly, that smart attire is required for the assessment day. I haven't worn my suit in years. I have a blue blazer white shirt and blue tie but trousers wise I have smart blue performance tailored trousers and all black smart trainers. Hoping that's good enough,I feel like we will be monitored not just on how we do in the tests but how we present ourselves too by the assessor's.

I wore black trousers with suit shoes and a shirt and smart jumper combo and I was the smartest dressed in my group.

 

[mickeyC]

My assessment is 24 hours away, I have been doing the tests for a few hours daily, reading through everything and I noticed again after reading the email thoroughly, that smart attire is required for the assessment day. I haven't worn my suit in years. I have a blue blazer white shirt and blue tie but trousers wise I have smart blue performance tailored trousers and all black smart trainers. Hoping that's good enough,I feel like we will be monitored not just on how we do in the tests but how we present ourselves too by the assessor's.

I wore grey suit trousers, blue shirt and shoes.
Some people had full on suits, others a little more casual.
look smart but feel comfortable.

 

[cwhd87]

Thanks guys I have a old prison officer colleague who is on her 2nd year with GWR she said smart casual is perfectly fine, so gonna go with what I suggested.

 

[Folkestonechap]

Anyone else starting in September been asked to sit a maths and English test? I read something about them changing things recently and that before you didn’t need to do an assessment they just relied on your school grades but I guess it’s a case of we need to sit exams now before we start regardless of school grades?

Yes got an email about it a few days ago. Finished it this morning.

 

[cwhd87]

Hey guys, unfortunately I didn't pass my paper exams, computer exams aced then but my accuracy on paper was spot on but I need to be a little quicker, bummer about it was I was only few marks off on my dots and valve test. Examiner said you need just a few more on those and I would got through to last test I'm coming back in a years time and having another go but will be on the lookout for other companies doing trainee programmes too, cheers again for the help

 

[Twin82]

Hey guys, unfortunately I didn't pass my paper exams, computer exams aced then but my accuracy on paper was spot on but I need to be a little quicker, bummer about it was I was only few marks off on my dots and valve test. Examiner said you need just a few more on those and I would got through to last test I'm coming back in a years time and having another go but will be on the lookout for other companies doing trainee programmes too, cheers again for the help

Sorry to hear the outcome of assessments. Well now that you have the experience of assessment day, you will know what to expect next time around. I wish you all the best moving forward.

 

[typicalalex1]

Hey guys, unfortunately I didn't pass my paper exams, computer exams aced then but my accuracy on paper was spot on but I need to be a little quicker, bummer about it was I was only few marks off on my dots and valve test. Examiner said you need just a few more on those and I would got through to last test I'm coming back in a years time and having another go but will be on the lookout for other companies doing trainee programmes too, cheers again for the help

Sorry to hear that. I failed my DMI the first time around, passed it 2nd time so don't give up.
With the dots, just print out 20 pages that you find online and practice over and over again. You'll get to know the patterns and it'll make you so much faster.

 

[Lukeyp]

DMI coming up in a few days. TPWS is pretty much learned although I wouldn’t say word for word, but I can hit all the points on the sheet. Looking through the southeastern site at the info there, ie train stock, stations and numbers. Struggling for answers for all the core bank questions but with some prodding I can probably answer well enough.

Is there anything else anyone would recommend looking up? Interview is for Dartford, with the ops manager and a DM. Also, if anyone has had the same interviewers, any insight on what the guys are like? Cheers

 

[Cookie_Monster]

DMI coming up in a few days. TPWS is pretty much learned although I wouldn’t say word for word, but I can hit all the points on the sheet. Looking through the southeastern site at the info there, ie train stock, stations and numbers. Struggling for answers for all the core bank questions but with some prodding I can probably answer well enough.

Is there anything else anyone would recommend looking up? Interview is for Dartford, with the ops manager and a DM. Also, if anyone has had the same interviewers, any insight on what the guys are like? Cheers

Ive got mine in a few days for dartford as well but having it at the slade green depot. Im about the same as you bud, mostly got TPWS, London stations, depot stations, running stock and general facts about the company. What day is your interview?

 

[Lukeyp]

Ive got mine in a few days for dartford as well but having it at the slade green depot. Im about the same as you bud, mostly got TPWS, London stations, depot stations, running stock and general facts about the company. What day is your interview?

I’ve spoken to a few drivers from dartford and it seems everyone’s interview was different to the other, some gave minimal in their interview and some went on like they wrote the process so will be interesting to see how it goes! Mines also slade green, Wednesday at 10.30, you?

 

[Folkestonechap]

Does anyone who is/has done their training at Ashford received a parking permit whilst training is taking place?

 

[ollie_3D]

Does anyone who is/has done their training at Ashford received a parking permit whilst training is taking place?

Funny you should ask, I just had my meeting with my apprenticeship lead and asked this very question, he said that should receive a station parking permit soon during the time of our induction

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DMI coming up in a few days. TPWS is pretty much learned although I wouldn’t say word for word, but I can hit all the points on the sheet. Looking through the southeastern site at the info there, ie train stock, stations and numbers. Struggling for answers for all the core bank questions but with some prodding I can probably answer well enough.

Is there anything else anyone would recommend looking up? Interview is for Dartford, with the ops manager and a DM. Also, if anyone has had the same interviewers, any insight on what the guys are like? Cheers

You’ve got pretty much everything covered there, in the case of my interview I made sure to include a few little obscure facts that required a bit of digging, I spoke about the local community work they do, the fact they want to install toilets on the 707’s and spoke about their status in the investing in people’s scheme. I’m not saying use these specific examples in your interview but it’s those sorts of small things that show you’ve dug a little further into the company and it’s something they will appreciate.

 

[Folkestonechap]

Funny you should ask, I just had my meeting with my apprenticeship lead and asked this very question, he said that should receive a station parking permit soon during the time of our induction

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Cheers, ive got mine tomorrow.
See you Monday.

 

[Twin82]

Are you guys on the September course? If so, how’s it going? Anyone knows if that the last course for the year?

 

[smg8703]

Hi All, new to this forum!

How long after the psychometric tests at the centre did people receive details for the MMI?

 

[Cookie_Monster]

Thats interesting. Mines thursday at 9am. Youll have to let me know how you get on and who your interviewer was.

Cheers

 

[smg8703]

Just got a phone call for my DMI in early September. Revising
- TPWS
- Running Stock
- The 5 main SE Depots
- SE company info and ethos
- The two handouts given after the assessment

Ive had a look through the forum and think thats a good start.

My interview is with Tony and im going for Dartford. Any advice is always appreciated.

Thanks

Hi Cookie Monster, Congrats! Could I ask how long ago you took your assessment centre psychometric tests?

 

[Cookie_Monster]

Hi Cookie Monster, Congrats! Could I ask how long ago you took your assessment centre psychometric tests?

I took my assessment in November 2025. So just under a year from assessment to interview.

 

[ollie_3D]

Hi All, new to this forum!

How long after the psychometric tests at the centre did people receive details for the MMI?

I did my assessment day back in 2024 and they did my MMI on the same day so it seems things have changed a bit

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Cheers, ive got mine tomorrow.
See you Monday.

See you then!

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Are you guys on the September course? If so, how’s it going? Anyone knows if that the last course for the year?

Yeah I’m on the September course. Things are going good at the moment, there’s quite a bit of prep work you need to do before you start but I’ve done everything now, just waiting for cooperate induction on Monday. I’m not sure if it’s the last course of the year, but I think I remember them saying it was during my interview. Hope that helps!

 

[typicalalex1]

Are you guys on the September course? If so, how’s it going? Anyone knows if that the last course for the year?

I was offered September or January. Sounds like it might be the last one.
I remember being told they don't run courses starting in November and December due to xmas though.

 

[Twin82]

I was offered September or January. Sounds like it might be the last one.
I remember being told they don't run courses starting in November and December due to xmas though.

Ah ok. So I take it you didn’t take the September course…? Ok I see

I can see the logics in that. So next year it is.

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I did my assessment day back in 2024 and they did my MMI on the same day so it seems things have changed a bit

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See you then!

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Yeah I’m on the September course. Things are going good at the moment, there’s quite a bit of prep work you need to do before you start but I’ve done everything now, just waiting for cooperate induction on Monday. I’m not sure if it’s the last course of the year, but I think I remember them saying it was during my interview. Hope that helps!

Ok good. Hope you settle in get into the swing of things. Thanks for replying

 

[smg8703]

I took my assessment in November 2025. So just under a year from assessment to interview.

Good to know, thank you

 

[Chewie]

Are you guys on the September course? If so, how’s it going? Anyone knows if that the last course for the year?

I'm on an October course so I'm assuming this would be the last course for the year. Also wanted to ask anyone who has started the course what kind of hours they do while training like 9-5 etc... I'm assuming they will send me all this info nearer the time but just wanted to get an idea, many thanks!

 

[typicalalex1]

Ah ok. So I take it you didn’t take the September course…? Ok I see

I can see the logics in that. So next year it is.

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Ok good. Hope you settle in get into the swing of things. Thanks for replying

I took September, I start Monday