GWR Apprenticeship Scheme.

[Julius]

Hi all, I am 14 and in Year 10. Next year will be my GCSE’s and then after that, at 16 I am going to try for a GWR Level 2 Operations Apprenticeship Scheme. Has anyone got any tips on what it is like, the training? What you do? Thanks.

 

[TwinTurbostar]

For what it's worth, it's a Level 2 apprenticeship, so it's equivalent to your GCSE's. You'd ideally want to look for a Level 3 one, as long as you can get your 5 GCSE's above a C grade.

 

[Julius]

As long as I do well in GCSE’s I can apply for an Apprenticeship with GWR. I can then put this on my CV and my dream job is a Qualified GWR HST Mainline driver at 21. From 16-18 Level 2 Operations Apprenticeship, then at 18 I can apply for a Trainee driver job driving Units, do that till I am 21 then get my Mainline HST grade.

 

[greatkingrat]

You need to be 21 to be a train driver whether you are driving units or HSTs. Don't rush into anything, if you do well in your GCSE's you will probably be better off doing A-Levels and keeping your options open for the future.

 

[Dhassell]

As long as I do well in GCSE’s I can apply for an Apprenticeship with GWR. I can then put this on my CV and my dream job is a Qualified GWR HST Mainline driver at 21. From 16-18 Level 2 Operations Apprenticeship, then at 18 I can apply for a Trainee driver job driving Units, do that till I am 21 then get my Mainline HST grade.

GWR won't be running HST's on mainline routes by the time you reach 21, it would be IET's by that time. More than likely on West services between Cardiff/Taunton if everything goes to plan. Also I thought that all driver jobs, (With GWR at least) you have to be 21, even to drive units. Happy to be corrected.

Don't have your hopes set on 100% getting the apprenticeship role, have a secondary back-up plan. It is very competitive!

 

[Julius]

You need to be 21 to be a train driver whether you are driving units or HSTs. Don't rush into anything, if you do well in your GCSE's you will probably be better off doing A-Levels and keeping your options open for the future.

GWR said on it’s last vacancy for a Trainee Train Driver role the minimum age requirement was 18?

 

[Dhassell]

GWR said on it’s last vacancy for a Trainee Train Driver role the minimum age requirement was 18?

This was probably a typo then. The majority of jobs on the railway are 18+, apart from Driver, which is 21+.

 

[Julius]

Understandable then.

 

[Dhassell]

Another thing, don't bet on it being in the area closest to you. They come up in a wide range of places, and you need to live less than an hour from it.

 

[Julius]

Yes, I would have to live 1 hour away, which would mean moving to the correct place.

 

[Dhassell]

Yes, I would have to live 1 hour away, which would mean moving to the correct place.

At age 16?! Thats pretty young to be moving out to another town/city on your own! But that is your own choice. If it is legal to do so.

 

[Filton Bank]

As long as I do well in GCSE’s I can apply for an Apprenticeship with GWR. I can then put this on my CV and my dream job is a Qualified GWR HST Mainline driver at 21. From 16-18 Level 2 Operations Apprenticeship, then at 18 I can apply for a Trainee driver job driving Units, do that till I am 21 then get my Mainline HST grade.

Best of luck, and I hope it all goes well for you, but...

Don't assume that you will be successful when applying for the Apprenticeship - there is an awful lot of competition - and equally do not assume that the Apprenticeship will lead to a driving job, although it would be beneficial to your application. It's quite a specific skill set required for driving, and not necessarily the same one for the Apprenticeship.

If you do apply for a driving job and if you are successful, it may be a while before you can drive high speed services - you would need to start driving units as you say, but moving to the high speed links is by seniority, and there will be plenty of people ahead of you in the queue.

As I say, best of luck, but be realistic in your expectations.

 

[Johncleesefan]

It's good to be ambitious. Keep that spirit and you will go far. As for driving, minimum age is 21 to be a mainline driver, I believe the same for a shunter. Apply for the role when your 20 but don't be picky. You need to apply for every vacancy to have a shot of hearing back from 1. Get some experience of work before you do apply as that will be critical in interviews.

Driving is a good job, secure and pays well, I wouldn't change it for the world

 

[PudseyBearHST]

I would seriously think about doing a-levels if you can because you have the option of doing a degree/higher apprenticeship if you wish or at least by that time, you will be 18 so you have far more opportunities on the railways.

In regards to driving, mainline is 21 but tube driver is 18. Depot driver is usually 21 although under certain conditions, I think it can be 18 although rare. (From what I remember reading, I think it has to be restricted to depot and it must not be managed by NR although I could be wrong). Possibly heritage railway might be 18(?) and then you have a much better prospects of becoming a mainline driver at 21.

I am not sure when you say you want to be a HST driver, that you are referring to Class 43 or fast trains in general; I too would love to be a Class 43 driver but even in about a year's time when I come of age, if (I'll put this in bold before the "you have no chance of a driver's job at 21" brigade come along) I can become a driver at 21, most of the HSTs will be gone or at least from mainline services. Until then, I will stick to my simulators

 

[TheGreatISA]

For the Network Rail advanced apprenticeship scheme the age group is at least 18 and has no upper limit. It is a good scheme and opens up the options to have a technicians role at the end of it. This is a 3 year course.

 

[tiptoptaff]

I too would love to be a Class 43 driver but even in about a year's time when I come of age, if (I'll put this in bold before the "you have no chance of a driver's job at 21" brigade come along) I can become a driver at 21, most of the HSTs will be gone or at least from mainline services. Until then, I will stick to my simulators

I can say with certainty that at 21 you will NOT be driving GWR HSTs - even if you got a unit job at 21 it would be several years before you were progressed to the HSS side - last to join, back of the queue