First Great Western - Trainee Drivers

[BromleyBoi]

Hi Anthonyekwe I applied for Paddington on the advert that closed in early May & sat the 1st stage assessments at the Penta Hotel in Reading at 9.30 am today.

 

[TPA]

Been a busy week, how has it gone for everyone, well I hope?

 

[welshjpc]

Was at the Penta on Thurs 30th, I feel that I had a damn good go at it, I was a bundle of nervous energy during the dots but I did many, many more than the two guys sitting behind me. Think I smashed the Glop bit and got to 28 on the dials with none wrong. Was the quickest eight minutes of my life mind.

There was a lot more people there than I imagined, however I gather that they were for Paddington, Reading & Oxford. The invigilator reckoned that there were about 600 applicants for them to get through in a week - how many openings are there going here? I heard that there are about 200 applicants per trainee driver job - think I'd have better odds if I went on Britain's Got Talent!!

At 33 I think I was well below the average age of applicants. One guy who showed up 20 minutes late got let in (as we hadn't started the dots yet but he had missed the all important fire brief) and one bloke who just couldn't get his head round the dials test was annoying, sorry mate but if you can't get your head round this part (or have not done enough research on what to expect, especially when there is an incredibly helpful forum just one Google search away) maybe you're not cut out for the job? Harsh?

Just having to wait and see really......If I've not done enough I can't complain, I've gave it my best shot and so if people are better than me then they deserve it!

 

[TPA]

Was at the Penta on Thurs 30th, I feel that I had a damn good go at it, I was a bundle of nervous energy during the dots but I did many, many more than the two guys sitting behind me. Think I smashed the Glop bit and got to 28 on the dials with none wrong. Was the quickest eight minutes of my life mind.

There was a lot more people there than I imagined, however I gather that they were for Paddington, Reading & Oxford. The invigilator reckoned that there were about 600 applicants for them to get through in a week - how many openings are there going here? I heard that there are about 200 applicants per trainee driver job - think I'd have better odds if I went on Britain's Got Talent!!

At 33 I think I was well below the average age of applicants. One guy who showed up 20 minutes late got let in (as we hadn't started the dots yet but he had missed the all important fire brief) and one bloke who just couldn't get his head round the dials test was annoying, sorry mate but if you can't get your head round this part (or have not done enough research on what to expect, especially when there is an incredibly helpful forum just one Google search away) maybe you're not cut out for the job? Harsh?

Just having to wait and see really......If I've not done enough I can't complain, I've gave it my best shot and so if people are better than me then they deserve it!

Thanks for the update mate, it's interesting to hear how folks find the process. I really hope it goes well for you it sounds like you we're all over it! Daunting when you consider the numbers involved but just like BGT even Mr Pink gets to have his day!!!

Can't agree more about preparation and I know it's an emotive issue but no interviewer in the land would agree with a candidate turning up having not prepared, so why would you turn up for selection tests having not researched and prepared for them as well? In my previous job there were very sophisticated tests to identify the most likely candidates who would survive 3 years of flying training and be worth the £5 million pound plus investment but in the end it always came down to the person. Success is a state of mind and it's the interview where the experts will exercise their judgement to select the right people and with so many to choose from candidates had better be well prepared, well dressed and on time! Very best of luck and if you can spare a moment to keep those of us still waiting on the sidelines informed then it would be much appreciated.

 

[carlejo]

Was at the Penta on Thurs 30th, I feel that I had a damn good go at it, I was a bundle of nervous energy during the dots but I did many, many more than the two guys sitting behind me. Think I smashed the Glop bit and got to 28 on the dials with none wrong. Was the quickest eight minutes of my life mind.

There was a lot more people there than I imagined, however I gather that they were for Paddington, Reading & Oxford. The invigilator reckoned that there were about 600 applicants for them to get through in a week - how many openings are there going here? I heard that there are about 200 applicants per trainee driver job - think I'd have better odds if I went on Britain's Got Talent!!

At 33 I think I was well below the average age of applicants. One guy who showed up 20 minutes late got let in (as we hadn't started the dots yet but he had missed the all important fire brief) and one bloke who just couldn't get his head round the dials test was annoying, sorry mate but if you can't get your head round this part (or have not done enough research on what to expect, especially when there is an incredibly helpful forum just one Google search away) maybe you're not cut out for the job? Harsh?

Just having to wait and see really......If I've not done enough I can't complain, I've gave it my best shot and so if people are better than me then they deserve it!

I'm sorry but the bloke who turned up late is a fool, for any assessment you make sure you get there on time

As for age, I was surprised when I done mine, most applicants were mid 40's, I think they're after maturity and people with life experience IMHO

 

[Trainer74]

Hi I'm still waiting too for paddington. Has anyone had a date yet? Mine has said that from the day it closed. Awaiting short listing

 

[TDK]

I was a bundle of nervous energy during the dots but I did many, many more than the two guys sitting behind me.

If you made mistakes and ommitted any and the others that did less didn't or if you was not consistant and the others with less were they will pass and you will not - as said before it isn't quantity it is quality and accuracy the test is aimed at and this would have been explained by the assessor - however if you did a lot with no mistakes and none ommited you will get a good pass

 

[welshjpc]

TPA:
The good pass is what I'm hoping for, I hammered Chris Gresham's group bordon program for days before my assessment and this was a massive help, the two older guys behind me hadn't even heard of the dots, both were talking afterwards about the letters test that was on the PDF file that was sent to all attendees... bless.

And yes I will happily let you know should I hear good news, I am considering building a mock up of the reaction test control panel (I've stripped and refurbished an arcade machine before so I've still got all the tools) after all its just a few coloured buttons, microswitches and a keyboard encoder....

Carlejo:
As I'm coming up to the end of a 15 year RAF career where I've been to a lot of places and done many, many things (including actually flying a Panavia Tornado F3) I'd like to think that I have I reasonable amount of maturity and life experience

 

[carlejo]

TPA:
The good pass is what I'm hoping for, I hammered Chris Gresham's group bordon program for days before my assessment and this was a massive help, the two older guys behind me hadn't even heard of the dots, both were talking afterwards about the letters test that was on the PDF file that was sent to all attendees... bless.

And yes I will happily let you know should I hear good news, I am considering building a mock up of the reaction test control panel (I've stripped and refurbished an arcade machine before so I've still got all the tools) after all its just a few coloured buttons, microswitches and a keyboard encoder....

Carlejo:
As I'm coming up to the end of a 15 year RAF career where I've been to a lot of places and done many, many things (including actually flying a Panavia Tornado F3) I'd like to think that I have I reasonable amount of maturity and life experience

Brilliant, you've automatically got the job then

 

[Aviator88]

welshjpc,

Were you at the 9:30 assessment?

If so, I remember there was some guy near the back of the room who just couldn't understand anything that was being told to us! It was question after question about things we'd just been explained!

I remember a lot of people looking around to check that the dials test hadn't started - we seemed to spend about 10 minutes on the three example questions before the test began.

I must admit, if I failed it will be on the group bourdon test. I promised myself I would set a pace and treat it as a marathon as opposed to a sprint. But taking that test under exam conditions just sent my heart rate sky high and I was working at an extremely high pace and having to keep it throughout the test. Like you, I am hoping for a good pass. It will either be that or a fail, there is no middle ground!

I found the trainability tests nice and straightforward. The dials were a little more involved than practice material available online, but not too tough to work out a good method for getting through them accurately. I don't know about you but if I could take that test again I'm sure I could add another 5-6 on top of what I got to (about 32).

Either way, best of luck to you from a fellow pilot! They did say that there are dates provisionally booked for mid June for the second phase, but they also said it could be up to two weeks before we hear anything. If my maths is correct, I would say it's better to start preparing for the structured interview right now, pass or fail!

 

[mindthedoors]

Hi I'm still waiting too for paddington. Has anyone had a date yet? Mine has said that from the day it closed. Awaiting short listing

Some people have heard from paddington. A few have been assessed, and a few have already had managers interviews this week.

I'm one of the 'awaiting shortlisting' people. I wonder if they're doing this alphabetically?

 

[welshjpc]

Carlejo,

Hint of sarcasm there?

Aviator,

I'm not a pilot, just groundcrew who was given the opportunity to have a go in the trainer jet (with full controls in the rear seat) so once we were safely over the North Sea I was then allowed to take controls, pulling loops & barrel rolls. Quite a good day at work that one.

I was the same with the assessments though, we'll either both be at the next stage or neither of us will!

 

[rob12]

I was there on Wednesday and think I did ok, The dots I got three quarters of the way down the page and pretty sure I didn't get any wrong, The memory test I maybe got one max two wrong?? Probably not good enough and the dials I got 25 and defiantly didn't get any wrong double checked them all because it was easy to pick the wrong answer as they where very similar with just one letter changed from the correct answer easy mistake to make.

What I did find annoying and just plain wrong was that I got speaking to a guy who was 52 and he RETIRED at 50 from the fire service where he was station chief, I reiterate RETIRED AT 50 not many people now a days are lucky enough to retire at 50 after having worked fulltime in the same job for 24 years and his pension is £20,000 + a year!!! my farther is working now at 59 and isn't poor but will work well into his 60's because life is so expensive now, What i find very annoying is that this guy has had his time, there are young fellas like me at 33 and older struggling at the moment and hoping for a new carrer with our whole working lives in front of us with no pension and bills to pay In my opinion this greedy man should not be allowed to potentially take a young mans job especially a retired ex fireman who their whole careers have had second jobs because they only work part time ( I know many fireman and every single one has a second job) and with a fat pension it's wrong in my opinion if you are in your 50s and looking for work because you need to then of course that's absolutely fine and all the best to you, BUT FOR A RETIRED MAN ON A GOOD PENSION TO DO IT IS PLAIN WRONG AND SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED he has had his time and should be grateful for his lot it's pure greed and ignorance to those who have none of what he has and have mouths to feed Ok that my rat over with

I would just like to add that retired service personal in 20's 30's and 40's are not included in my rant as of course they are young men and still need to work plus their pensions have been cut, This guy told me he retired on purpose at 50 to get his pension as the rules where about to change

 

[Red18]

BUT FOR A RETIRED MAN ON A GOOD PENSION TO DO IT IS PLAIN WRONG AND SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED....

He probably isn't doing it just for the money though.
I think a person with no / few financial worries would be a good person to employ. He must live a much less stressful life than most.
If he is the best candidate for the job then good luck to him I say.

 

[455driver]

What i find very annoying is that this guy has had his time, there are young fellas like me at 33 and older struggling at the moment and hoping for a new career with our whole working lives in front of us with no pension and bills to pay In my opinion this greedy man should not be allowed to potentially take a young mans job

BUT FOR A RETIRED MAN ON A GOOD PENSION TO DO IT IS PLAIN WRONG AND SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED he has had his time and should be grateful for his lot it's pure greed and ignorance to those who have none of what he has and have mouths to feed Ok that my rat over with

Wow talk about sweeping statements!

Train driving is not a "young mans job" it is a job for people with the necessary life skills.

This bloke has no doubt scrimped and saved so he could retire only to find out he likes working not sitting watching television.

This is a free country and he is free to work if he wants to.

The job isnt "yours" to dictate who gets it.

The company will take on the people they feel will offer them the best return on their investment, end of.

 

[reapz]

I was there on Wednesday and think I did ok, The dots I got three quarters of the way down the page and pretty sure I didn't get any wrong, The memory test I maybe got one max two wrong?? Probably not good enough and the dials I got 25 and defiantly didn't get any wrong double checked them all because it was easy to pick the wrong answer as they where very similar with just one letter changed from the correct answer easy mistake to make.

What I did find annoying and just plain wrong was that I got speaking to a guy who was 52 and he RETIRED at 50 from the fire service where he was station chief, I reiterate RETIRED AT 50 not many people now a days are lucky enough to retire at 50 after having worked fulltime in the same job for 24 years and his pension is £20,000 + a year!!! my farther is working now at 59 and isn't poor but will work well into his 60's because life is so expensive now, What i find very annoying is that this guy has had his time, there are young fellas like me at 33 and older struggling at the moment and hoping for a new carrer with our whole working lives in front of us with no pension and bills to pay In my opinion this greedy man should not be allowed to potentially take a young mans job especially a retired ex fireman who their whole careers have had second jobs because they only work part time ( I know many fireman and every single one has a second job) and with a fat pension it's wrong in my opinion if you are in your 50s and looking for work because you need to then of course that's absolutely fine and all the best to you, BUT FOR A RETIRED MAN ON A GOOD PENSION TO DO IT IS PLAIN WRONG AND SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED he has had his time and should be grateful for his lot it's pure greed and ignorance to those who have none of what he has and have mouths to feed Ok that my rat over with

I would just like to add that retired service personal in 20's 30's and 40's are not included in my rant as of course they are young men and still need to work plus their pensions have been cut, This guy told me he retired on purpose at 50 to get his pension as the rules where about to change

Lol the railway is full of 2nd lifers, not his fault he did better than you in life before you heard about the railway.

Good on the bloke, I know a few like this no need to be nasty about it, its just life

 

[Quickthorn]

[...]
I think a person with no / few financial worries would be a good person to employ. He must live a much less stressful life than most.
If he is the best candidate for the job then good luck to him I say.

From my experience, I'd disagree. When I employed people, I found that the people who said that they didn't really need the money were the least reliable when we had to do stuff they didn't particularly like, or if weather conditions made the job miserable.

I can understand ayamonte's point of view: it doesn't seem fair that someone who has enjoyed a well paid job, retired and now drawing a pension in excess of many people's wages, could then slide into another equally well paid job at a time when there isn't really enough work to go around. Then again, who ever said that life is fair?

 

[rob12]

vvvvvvvvvvv

 

[DRFT101]

Lol the railway is full of 2nd lifers, not his fault he did better than you in life before you heard about the railway.

Good on the bloke, I know a few like this no need to be nasty about it, its just life

Well, glad you got that 'rant' off your chest, but I couldn't quite believe that someone thinks they are more entitled to a job as they are not in as good a financial position as someone else. As someone has already said, that's life so learn to live with it.

Oops, wrong quote included! Didn't mean to respond to reapz, but ayamonte...

 

[reapz]

You need to pay more attention to what I said before your ignorant reply makes you look foolish !! I never said that train driving is a young mans job!! Nor do I imply that ''its mine to dictate who gets it'' Open your mind to what I am saying. Times are tough the government has reduced pensions across the board they have raised retirement age and many people through absolutely no fault of their own are unemployed, IM not never have been and I work for my self, My point is and I stand by it that a man who took early retirement on purpose and who has enjoyed a full working life with a great pension should walk away wipe his mouth and be grateful for what he has got. In times of high unemployment rising living costs and a ever higher unemployment rate of good honest young, middle aged hard working men and women its morally right for him to walk away and if he is bored then go travelling go work for yourself make your own wage enjoy your life because you obviously have very limited imagination if all you would do is watch telly on a £ 20,00 a year pension instead of people like this gentleman potentially taking a career away form someone who can put 25 yrs into it. And if you cannot see that and understand my point then I am afraid sir you are ignorant as well.

And as for him being more successful than me?? What a completely childish and ignorant thing for you to say how do you know how successful I have been admittedly times are not as easy for me as they where 5 years ago I have made 12 people redundant over the last 6 years. That sir is a very sobering and hurtful thing to have to do and through no fault of your own or the person you are making jobless Both of you obviously have very limited life experience by your comments.

Like I said thats life and the railway is full of it I know an ex police chief who has a 60k a year pension, He took a guard job to just keep his money up and to not get bored

 

[Red18]

What you need to remember is that this is a business and not a charity and so the best person should get the job.
This guy has obviously worked hard to acheive what he has in his previous career. I doubt, therefore, that he will be unreliable/unmotivated as suggested by someone in an earlier post. Got money =unreliable/unmotivated ? Don't get it. Some of the wealthiest people I know are in that position because they are so motivated.
Does anyone object to Prince William flying search and rescue helicopters when there are lots of potential pilots with less money, smaller houses and uglier wives?
Or maybe we should just all retire at 40 and leave our jobs to some school leaver? Not because they can do the job any better but because it's their turn.

In any case. If this fireman retired early then he has already left a position open for someone else to be promoted into and presumably further down the ladder (pardon the pun) created an opening for a new recruit.

 

[carlejo]

What you need to remember is that this is a business and not a charity and so the best person should get the job.
This guy has obviously worked hard to acheive what he has in his previous career. I doubt, therefore, that he will be unreliable/unmotivated as suggested by someone in an earlier post. Got money =unreliable/unmotivated ? Don't get it. Some of the wealthiest people I know are in that position because they are so motivated.
Does anyone object to Prince William flying search and rescue helicopters when there are lots of potential pilots with less money, smaller houses and uglier wives?
Or maybe we should just all retire at 40 and leave our jobs to some school leaver? Not because they can do the job any better but because it's their turn.

In any case. If this fireman retired early then he has already left a position open for someone else to be promoted into and presumably further down the ladder (pardon the pun) created an opening for a new recruit.

I wonder if that could be said for Branson, Sugar and all the other rich people, sportsperson, movie starts, etc ??

 

[Dave1987]

What you need to remember is that this is a business and not a charity and so the best person should get the job.
This guy has obviously worked hard to acheive what he has in his previous career. I doubt, therefore, that he will be unreliable/unmotivated as suggested by someone in an earlier post. Got money =unreliable/unmotivated ? Don't get it. Some of the wealthiest people I know are in that position because they are so motivated.
Does anyone object to Prince William flying search and rescue helicopters when there are lots of potential pilots with less money, smaller houses and uglier wives?
Or maybe we should just all retire at 40 and leave our jobs to some school leaver? Not because they can do the job any better but because it's their turn.

In any case. If this fireman retired early then he has already left a position open for someone else to be promoted into and presumably further down the ladder (pardon the pun) created an opening for a new recruit.

Prince William never went through selection to be a SAR pilot! He has no right what so ever to be in that position and there are plenty of people who could of been trained to do the same but would have put more than 6 years in. It's privilege by birth and it stinks!!

 

[Aviator88]

Dave1987,

What really stinks is that he wears glasses, which is a prohibiting factor in becoming a military pilot, rotary or fixed wing, for 'normal' (not royal) candidates.

For usual folk, glasses may only be worn if eyesight deteriorates DURING your service. Not allowed for initial applicants.

 

[TPA]

Dave1987,

What really stinks is that he wears glasses, which is a prohibiting factor in becoming a military pilot, rotary or fixed wing, for 'normal' (not royal) candidates.

For usual folk, glasses may only be worn if eyesight deteriorates DURING your service. Not allowed for initial applicants.

The reason that rule exists is because of the high number of candidates who apply for flying training and so they can afford to select the very best people for the job, not just the people capable of doing the job. In William's case it was him or Harry and who would you rather have pulling you out of a sticky situation?!!!!

Taking up the earlier thread about the Fireman:

The TOCs are in a very similar situation with a massive number of people applying for very few driver jobs. Surely this means they get to select the best and most suitably qualified people, hence the extensive interview and testing process. Assuming they know what they're doing and as they are the largest TOC and a huge global business then I'm more than happy to assume they do, then they will choose the most suitable candidates; your previous job, number of GCSEs, GBT test will not individually get you through. Once you've met the minimum standard they set in the tests, i think it's more important what you are like as a person and how you will cope in the role as a train driver. To be honest, if you are going to have an issue with people who have a different background to you, are older than you, wealthier than you, etc. then you might not be happy in the job.

Don't forget this is not about you or me or anyone else applying for the jobs for that matter, this process is about FGW operating as a business and employing the best resources to ensure they make a profit and grow in to a successful sustainable business that will hopefully create more job for us all, young and old. We all will have different things to offer in this process and anyone who goes in thinking that they've been successful at other jobs so will be successful at this are likely to fall flat on their faces. I used to be paid for my reaction time and coordination but you wouldn't believe it if you saw my practise test scores!!!

 

[Geargrinder]

"In my opinion this greedy man should not be allowed to potentially take a young mans job especially a retired ex fireman who their whole careers have had second jobs because they only work part time ( I know many fireman and every single one has a second job) and with a fat pension it's wrong in my opinion if you are in your 50s and looking for work because you need to then of course that's absolutely fine and all the best to you, BUT FOR A RETIRED MAN ON A GOOD PENSION TO DO IT IS PLAIN WRONG AND SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED he has had his time and should be grateful for his lot it's pure greed and ignorance to those who have none of what he has and have mouths to feed Ok that my rat over with "

Sorry ayamonte, but you are totally wrong.

 

[TDK]

" BUT FOR A RETIRED MAN ON A GOOD PENSION TO DO IT IS PLAIN WRONG AND SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED he has had his time and should be grateful for his lot it's pure greed and ignorance to those who have none of what he has and have mouths to feed Ok that my rat over with "

Sorry ayamonte, but you are totally wrong.

I have to dissagree with you, human rights and all that, why do millionaires do the lottery? This person has just as much right as anyone to apply for a job for waht ever reason and you or anyone else should not judge them without knowing their circumstances. For all you know he may need the job to support his own children who cannot get a job and have kids, if I was retired and my kids were destitute I would go out to work for them!

 

[tone]

, BUT FOR A RETIRED MAN ON A GOOD PENSION TO DO IT IS PLAIN WRONG AND SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED he has had his time and should be grateful for his lot it's pure greed and ignorance to those who have none of what he has and have mouths to feed

If you don't feel you are competitive enough to get the job then perhaps you need to work on improving yourself instead of asking the competition to bow out. If that's not the case then why are you worried about this guy?

 

[skizz]

This person has just as much right as anyone to apply for a job for waht ever reason

"It's a free country"

 

[rob12]

wwwwwwwwwwww