Current recruitment intakes

[Bafferty]

Hi all,

I am currently a tram driver and want to go from light rail to heavy rail. I know from my current employers they recruit from within first before offering positions to external candidates. For the last 3 years or so its always been from within. I enquired to East Midlands Trains who said they do the same but keep a special file for prospective trainee drivers. They have advised I take the standard tests first at DB Schenker if its what I want to pursue.

Whats the external recruitment market like at the moment? Or is it better to join a rail firm as a conductor and work your way up?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[E&W Lucas]

Hi all,

I am currently a tram driver and want to go from light rail to heavy rail. I know from my current employers they recruit from within first before offering positions to external candidates. For the last 3 years or so its always been from within. I enquired to East Midlands Trains who said they do the same but keep a special file for prospective trainee drivers. They have advised I take the standard tests first at DB Schenker if its what I want to pursue.

Whats the external recruitment market like at the moment? Or is it better to join a rail firm as a conductor and work your way up?

Many thanks in advance.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but tram/ tube does not count for much.

The advice to take the tests is sound. It has worked for trainee drivers that I have worked with. As for being a guard, it varies from TOC to TOC. It seems to work with Northern, but almost seems to be a disadvantage at some others. lot of the training is done by suburban operators, and a lot of their work is driver only, so they do not have a pool of internal candidates.

Don't wait for jobs to be advertised. Get your CV in to all the companies that are likely to train. This means the suburban outfits. You've the most chance closer to London. Think FCC, LOL, London Midland, Southern, etc. The only FOC that's ever trained is EWS, and they're laying off. Inter City companies tend to poach qualified drivers. A small amount of recruitment, split between internal & external candidates.

Best of Luck.