ATW Trainee Train Driver

[Zontar]

You could email the hotel info.cardiff@claytonhotels.com and check there is a reservation for you....?

 

[Spiderman1]

Anyone got an assessment on Monday but not had the train/hotel details sent through yet?

I emailed them regarding hotel and travel arrangements as original letter stated they would arrange this and cover costs. They told me they do not do this anymore! Must be to do with the new Fran chaise. When I had my first interview at Shrewsbury travel was free but it was still under Arriva then. I had to cover travel arrangements to Cardiff under new franchise.

 

[RadioFlyer2]

I emailed them regarding hotel and travel arrangements as original letter stated they would arrange this and cover costs. They told me they do not do this anymore! Must be to do with the new Fran chaise. When I had my first interview at Shrewsbury travel was free but it was still under Arriva then. I had to cover travel arrangements to Cardiff under new franchise.

I spoke to her earlier she said they do? she will be arranging it however they've had major issues with IT and as a result have had to cancel Mondays assessments all together. I'm gutted. She said she will get back to me with a new date etc.

Obviously anyone else going Monday don't just rely on this information, phone and speak to them yourself to double check. It's just that's what they've told me. Never mind hopefully I will get a new date soon

 

[RadioFlyer2]

You could email the hotel info.cardiff@claytonhotels.com and check there is a reservation for you....?

Thanks for your help but my assessments been cancelled

 

[richfoz84]

I’ve just emailed to ask about Tuesday!

 

[RadioFlyer2]

I've got he number if you need it?

 

[Spiderman1]

I spoke to her earlier she said they do? she will be arranging it however they've had major issues with IT and as a result have had to cancel Mondays assessments all together. I'm gutted. She said she will get back to me with a new date etc.

Obviously anyone else going Monday don't just rely on this information, phone and speak to them yourself to double check. It's just that's what they've told me. Never mind hopefully I will get a new date soon

We are getting mixed info

 

[RadioFlyer2]

We are getting mixed info

I don't know maybe when my new date comes around they will be telling me the same which is fair enough

 

[142Pilot]

Accomodation?

Christ they must be getting despirate for staff - I had a nice 6am jolly over snake pass to get to Doncaster, or pay for a hotel overnight.

Good luck to those with assessments anyway, the time flies. Don't dwell over any part of it - just work quickly and accurately

 

[Zontar]

Thanks for your help but my assessments been cancelled

Have they said they will rearrange ?

 

[RadioFlyer2]

Have they said they will rearrange ?

Yes she's going to get back to me with a new date but she's not too sure when. I'm gutted but I'm sure I'll get a new date soon enough

 

[Zontar]

Yes she's going to get back to me with a new date but she's not too sure when. I'm gutted but I'm sure I'll get a new date soon enough

More time to stew over it, but also more time to prepare.... I'm due next week and not heard anything either yet. Could see it all getting pushed back. Could be a big job, rescheduling all staff and resources ....

 

[RadioFlyer2]

More time to stew over it, but also more time to prepare.... I'm due next week and not heard anything either yet. Could see it all getting pushed back. Could be a big job, rescheduling all staff and resources ....

I think they'll sort it over the weekend and only monday will be affected hopefully and they can just re do the Monday folk with any luck

 

[richfoz84]

I’ve emailed to ask about accommodation and travel for Tuesday, the reply was an hour later to confirm that they will be booking a hotel but it then captions a snippet from the email.. so I guess we’ll see. I’m prepared to drive or get the train if they don’t cover travel

 

[Leavesontrack]

sour grapes maybe, but its not really altogether professional is it?? Its such a strange time to be going through all of this with the change in franchise etc, they should really have waited for a couple of months... good luck to you all but it makes you wonder what kind of company you could be working for if they cant organise the logistics of this even

 

[Spiderman1]

Do we have another interview on the assessment day to go alongside the SJE part? Is there a written communication assessment that could also precede an interview based on your answers?
I'm getting a little confused with all the different types of interviews!
Surely there can't be anymore interviews on assessment day!!!

 

[sw1ller]

Do we have another interview on the assessment day to go alongside the SJE part? Is there a written communication assessment that could also precede an interview based on your answers?
I'm getting a little confused with all the different types of interviews!
Surely there can't be anymore interviews on assessment day!!!

MMI interview at the very end. Basically they’ll ask you 6 situational questions and you have to give an example. Fail this and it counts as a strike.

 

[Spiderman1]

MMI interview at the very end. Basically they’ll ask you 6 situational questions and you have to give an example. Fail this and it counts as a strike.

Thank you. That sounds similar to the ftf interview! Do you mean if you have done ok in rest of assessment and not this one you could survive? Or if you bomb on this & one strike & you are out?

 

[sw1ller]

Thank you. That sounds similar to the ftf interview! Do you mean if you have done ok in rest of assessment and not this one you could survive? Or if you bomb on this & one strike & you are out?

Yeah, you could do brilliantly on the tests but fail this and that’s a strike. It’s less formal than the FTF but equally as important. People don’t realise this.

 

[craigybagel]

Accomodation?

Christ they must be getting despirate for staff - I had a nice 6am jolly over snake pass to get to Doncaster, or pay for a hotel overnight.

Good luck to those with assessments anyway, the time flies. Don't dwell over any part of it - just work quickly and accurately

Bear in mind that TfW (and ATW before them) do their driver recruitment process in reverse to how most other TOCs do them. They only send a small amount of people for assessments, only those who have been whittled down through sifts and 2 interviews already, so I guess that makes it easier for them to be generous. At present Cardiff is the only place they can carry out the assessments, and some of the depots involved in this process are a long way from there! I was very grateful for my hotel stay, I suspect that without it I'd have forked out for one myself anyway rather then face the 0430 departure from my home on the day.

sour grapes maybe, but its not really altogether professional is it?? Its such a strange time to be going through all of this with the change in franchise etc, they should really have waited for a couple of months... good luck to you all but it makes you wonder what kind of company you could be working for if they cant organise the logistics of this even

Name a company that hasn't had an IT failure at some point? Yes it's unfortunate, as is the fact the training centre in Cardiff has just been forced to relocate (the building is being redeveloped and demolished, which again is entirely out of TfW hands) but new drivers are required NOW. People will be complaining even more if services are getting cancelled or timetable improvements are postponed months from now because TfW held back on recruitment when they needed staff.

 

[Spiderman1]

Yeah, you could do brilliantly on the tests but fail this and that’s a strike. It’s less formal than the FTF but equally as important. People don’t realise this.

Thank you for the heads up, appreciated

 

[sw1ller]

Bear in mind that TfW (and ATW before them) do their driver recruitment process in reverse to how most other TOCs do them. They only send a small amount of people for assessments, only those who have been whittled down through sifts and 2 interviews already, so I guess that makes it easier for them to be generous. At present Cardiff is the only place they can carry out the assessments, and some of the depots involved in this process are a long way from there! I was very grateful for my hotel stay, I suspect that without it I'd have forked out for one myself anyway rather then face the 0430 departure from my home on the day.



Name a company that hasn't had an IT failure at some point? Yes it's unfortunate, as is the fact the training centre in Cardiff has just been forced to relocate (the building is being redeveloped and demolished, which again is entirely out of TfW hands) but new drivers are required NOW. People will be complaining even more if services are getting cancelled or timetable improvements are postponed months from now because TfW held back on recruitment when they needed staff.

Very well put.

 

[Choice]

Does anyone have any ideas of numbers at this point? I was told on my phone interview that they had 2500 applications of which 1000-1500 were unsuccessful after the sift. Anyone know what it's down to now? How many assessment days and how many people per assessment? Also does anyone know how many trainee drivers they're actually recruiting?

 

[sw1ller]

Does anyone have any ideas of numbers at this point? I was told on my phone interview that they had 2500 applications of which 1000-1500 were unsuccessful after the sift. Anyone know what it's down to now? How many assessment days and how many people per assessment? Also does anyone know how many trainee drivers they're actually recruiting?

All I’m gonna say is, 2500 is a number I hear every time there’s a recruitment drive. So they must use that as a cut off when pulling the job advertisement.

 

[chris jones]

Just a thought about these assessments. I tried one I bought online. The reaction test. I had a white background then a grey square appears then sometimes turns to a black square. Does anyone know if we only hit the button when It goes black and not a darker grey? It seems sometimes it goes from grey to a darker shade of grey. Just wondered if we only hit the button when It goes black or dark grey also???? mind boggling

 

[craigybagel]

Just a thought about these assessments. I tried one I bought online. The reaction test. I had a white background then a grey square appears then sometimes turns to a black square. Does anyone know if we only hit the button when It goes black and not a darker grey? It seems sometimes it goes from grey to a darker shade of grey. Just wondered if we only hit the button when It goes black or dark grey also???? mind boggling

Don't worry - in the actual test they will make it clear what you need to do.

 

[chris jones]

Don't worry - in the actual test they will make it clear what you need to do.

ok great thankyou

 

[richfoz84]

they're a good program/activity to get yourself familiar. i'm sat doing something similar now.. however everything i have read online says they will explain each test clearly & to ask if you are not sure BEFORE the test starts and they will gladly explain it again so you understand.

 

[chris jones]

I'm just mindful that Id travel Sunday so would need the information today. I've tried ringing but it's just ringing out. I know their up the wall like

good luck for tomorrow in your assessment. you will be fine I'm sure

 

[RadioFlyer2]

good luck for tomorrow in your assessment. you will be fine I'm sure

Mine was supposed to be today it got cancelled on Friday. I don't know when it will be now.