From Teacher To Driver - Scottish Content

[MTM]

Hi all,

I'm a Principal Teacher who is considering a change of career. I'm really keen to move my career in a totally different direction, hence my interest in train driving.

Living in Scotland (Glasgow to be precise), my research suggests that opportunities here are even more limited than those available to potential candidates south of the border.

I check the Scotrail and Virgin careers sites on a weekly basis but from what I gather, I could be waiting a long time for any such opportunities to appear.

If anyone has any information (or insider knowledge for that matter!) then I'd be grateful if you could let me know.

Thanks in advance

MTM

 

[SkinnyDave]

Hi all,

I'm a Principal Teacher who is considering a change of career. I'm really keen to move my career in a totally different direction, hence my interest in train driving.

Living in Scotland (Glasgow to be precise), my research suggests that opportunities here are even more limited than those available to potential candidates south of the border.

I check the Scotrail and Virgin careers sites on a weekly basis but from what I gather, I could be waiting a long time for any such opportunities to appear.

If anyone has any information (or insider knowledge for that matter!) then I'd be grateful if you could let me know.

Thanks in advance

MTM

I believe Scotrail are going to be starting a big campaign soon, you won't get a Trainee job at Virgin..

 

[MTM]

I noticed a post by Scotraildriver on here suggesting that a while back - haven't read anything on it since.

I take it Virgin only employ trained drivers then?
Are there any alternatives outwith Scotrail for trainee drivers up here?

Thanks for the reply btw.

 

[Jydo]

DB Schenker & Freightliners both have depots in Scotland if you were interested in freight trains

 

[SkinnyDave]

Only the Freight companies

DB Schenker and DRS have recently taken on Trainees as have Freightliner
Scotrail would be your best bet

 

[MTM]

Thanks for the info guys - I looked up the companies above. Freight would be an option but location may prove problematic. As said, Scotrail may be the most viable option.

 

[ctufudgey]

You are the second teacher to driver convert I have heard of, in addition to myself! Good luck with the position hunting!!

 

[euryalus]

You are the second teacher to driver convert I have heard of, in addition to myself! Good luck with the position hunting!!

Sounds like a good career move - in my experience, teaching has been a waste of my education, and a dead-end job of the very worst kind.

 

[scotraildriver]

As someone said above, keep a close eye on the website. There will be trainee opportunities coming up.

 

[MTM]

To be honest, my pay is good and the holidays are great. I have the potential to move up the ladder but I'm feeling a bit disillusioned with it all.

I'm in a difficult position because I earn around £37300 per year and there aren't many jobs you can walk into and earn that sort of money straight away as we all know. I think Scotrail might actually pay drivers less than this but I'm not sure. The training salary would be the most problematic issue for me but I'm jumping the gun...need to find a vacancy first!

What appeals to me about train driving is:

*the variety of shifts and I like the sound of the 4 days on and 3 off shift pattern.
*the responsibility and independence.
*It's something completely different.
*the opportunity to earn really good money as my experience increases.

As for the negative aspects of the job, I confess that I haven't really looked into those yet!

 

[scotraildriver]

Scotrail drivers earn just under 40k plus rostered Sundays so in reality around 45k. The shift pattern is a 4 day week but not 4 on 3 off. It is rolling days off, Mon Tue one week wed/thu the next then you get a long weekend Fri/sat/sun/Mon/Tue. But then you get 7 days on in a row.

It is a great job, the only negative for me is very early starts. Up at 3am is never fun. But
good luck. There are currently 3 classes in training, when these are done more jobs will come up, especially as Scotrail have lost a few drivers to freight companies.

 

[MTM]

Better money than I thought then - thanks very much for that info.

Do you know what the salary for trainees is and I am I right in saying that it would be a year at this level?

 

[SkinnyDave]

I think it's around 23k whilst training but you don't get up to full salary for around 18 months after passing out.

We are different at Great Western where we go straight up to full money which I believe is very unique in the industry.

 

[MTM]

Thanks Dave - a £14k drop in salary is going to be problematic although I knew it would be a substantial drop. I also didn't realise it took 18 mths to get to just under the £40k mark that Scotraildriver mentioned. These are the things that I need to know though! Thanks for all the replies so far...some hard thinking to do!

 

[SkinnyDave]

Thanks Dave - a £14k drop in salary is going to be problematic although I knew it would be a substantial drop. I also didn't realise it took 18 mths to get to just under the £40k mark that Scotraildriver mentioned. These are the things that I need to know though! Thanks for all the replies so far...some hard thinking to do!

I have took a 22k drop but I see it as an investment in my future to do something I want long term..
It's not easy but it will be definitely worth it..

I think Scotrail have not long had a pay deal accepted as well?

Once you pass out and do your rostered Sundays I wouldn't have thought you would be far away from what you are on just now

 

[scotraildriver]

Unfortunately it actually takes longer than that to reach 40k. I took13 months to pass out but the first year after that is your post qualified year which starts around 29k, increasing to 33k after 3 months,36k after another 3 months and eventually full salary. Although you can work extra shifts to make it up. In reality though 2 years to full salary. Despite that, absolutely worth it, and if you are as under pressure and stress as my teacher wife with the new national curriculum I would go for it without a doubt. The best thing for me is that when you finish you are finished. No working at home etc. I had to re arrange my mortgage to cope with the initial drop but long term well well worth it. Think seriously!

 

[MTM]

Food for thought I think! If it wasn't such a drastic drop at the start I would be in no doubt but I realise it's unrealistic to expect any more at that level of experience...or inexperience! Thinking seriously is something I'll definitely have to do!

Thanks again!

 

[scotraildriver]

Although it is a big drop you are really being paid to sit in a classroom so I don't think its bad at all. The future looks like you will have to pay for your own training like the airlines so if you are going good it I would do it now.

 

[whoosh]

The second year of a two-year pay deal will commence in April:

Trainee £23,960
Newly Qualified £33,296
6 months after qualifying £35,556
9 months after qualifying £38,193
Full drivers rate £42,158 (I assume 12 months after qualifying?)


Working your booked Sundays will get you about £2,600pa at the Newly Qualified rate so will be almost the same money you earn now really. Then it goes up!

You'll be a Trainee for about a year I would say. Sometimes a bit quicker, sometimes a bit longer. It depends on Instructor drivers being available and your hours actually driving (some of which have to be during the dark).

All the very best of luck - I have a friend who has gone back to working in a nursery as he was unhappy with teaching, and have heard numerous tales from a teaching assistant about the state of our education system, I don't blame you looking at a change in career!

 

[TDK]

Thanks for the info guys - I looked up the companies above. Freight would be an option but location may prove problematic. As said, Scotrail may be the most viable option.

You must live within one hour from your chosen depot or be able to relocate

 

[MTM]

Thanks again folks - appreciate it.