GWR trainee drivers?

[Busandrail]

First post so hello guys!

So last year I applied to gwr for a trainee train drivers position. What a headache. Passed the online tests then didn't hear anything for weeks . Pestered them and eventually got told to attend the assessment centre. I went and did that and then heard nothing for about 3 months. After emailing them and ringing them weekly I finally got told I'd passed but to this day don't know my scores. Then a few more months passed and got the MMI/DMI on the same day back to back. The day before they rang me to tell me it'd been cancelled and re arranged for the week after. Again I attended waited 2hrs and then got told one of the interviewers had to go back to the depot to cover sickness so they couldn't do it. Fortunately I was able to do the MMI and passed. I finally had my DMI final interview the other week and honestly thought I'd messed it up as I lost my thoughts on a couple of questions, but to my surprise I got the email saying I had been successful for the trainee drivers talent pool and that's now where I'm waiting, for a medical and training start date. Hopefully won't be waiting too long as I know gwr is expanding quite a bit down here in Cornwall .

Is the anyone else that's from around here and going through the same process?

Cheers guys

 

[tiptoptaff]

For which depot? There haven't been trainee jobs in Cornwall for as long as I've worked for them

 

[Busandrail]

Penzance .Trainee job was advertised September 2017 .That's when I applied .they're taking on for Penzance and exceter.

 

[tiptoptaff]

Internal?

If not you will have some wait.

 

[Busandrail]

Sort of. I work for first obviously the parent company .applied via the internal site. Was told at interview wouldn't be too long?

 

[tiptoptaff]

Sort of. I work for first obviously the parent company .applied via the internal site. Was told at interview wouldn't be too long?

You'll be placed ahead of externals but behind any GWR employees. From what I can tell, Penzance is at compliment, as is Par. Exeter will always need drivers but there will always be a steady stream of internal staff ready to fill the vacancies

 

[Riyad]

First post so hello guys!

So last year I applied to gwr for a trainee train drivers position. What a headache. Passed the online tests then didn't hear anything for weeks . Pestered them and eventually got told to attend the assessment centre. I went and did that and then heard nothing for about 3 months. After emailing them and ringing them weekly I finally got told I'd passed but to this day don't know my scores. Then a few more months passed and got the MMI/DMI on the same day back to back. The day before they rang me to tell me it'd been cancelled and re arranged for the week after. Again I attended waited 2hrs and then got told one of the interviewers had to go back to the depot to cover sickness so they couldn't do it. Fortunately I was able to do the MMI and passed. I finally had my DMI final interview the other week and honestly thought I'd messed it up as I lost my thoughts on a couple of questions, but to my surprise I got the email saying I had been successful for the trainee drivers talent pool and that's now where I'm waiting, for a medical and training start date. Hopefully won't be waiting too long as I know gwr is expanding quite a bit down here in Cornwall .

Is the anyone else that's from around here and going through the same process?

Cheers guys

Hi Busandrail, just a question please. I passed stage 1 assessment with GWR last week, just want to know what stage 2 assessment involves

 

[Busandrail]

Hi Busandrail, just a question please. I passed stage 1 assessment with GWR last week, just want to know what stage 2 assessment involves

Stage 2 was just the multi modal interview .was fairly straight forward. You'll get given a sheet with questions and you need to provide very short answers which you can expand on. I used the STAR method and wrote them all out to get it to stick in my head. You'll need to be honest as they do dig and ask you "how did this make you feel".

Which depot are you applying for?

Good luck mate I'm sure you'll be fine

 

[Riyad]

Hi Busandrail, just a question please. I passed stage 1 assessment with GWR last week, just want to know what stage 2 assessment involves

Thanks mate, I'll start practicing for it soon, I hope I don't wait too long for it as they said in the email that the next stage in the process may be extended as a result of workforce requirement. I applied for Paddington

 

[Busandrail]

I had the same thing on pretty much all communication from gwr. At some points I honestly thought they'd forgotten about me aha. I think they just take their time with things.

 

[Riyad]

I had the same thing on pretty much all communication from gwr. At some points I honestly thought they'd forgotten about me aha. I think they just take their time with things.

That's what they do, keep you waiting, they are not in a rush, anyway congratulations and best of luck to you my friend

 

[Indy3995]

Hi all, just joined site.
I've just moved into the Exeter/Penzance talent pool from the Paddington/Oxford one that I originally applied for. I passed stage 1 at Swindon on 22nd June.
Ultimately it's where I want to be and I was advised by HR that I would be better moving pools before MMI's instead of after, as I would have to re sit the MMI's again (if I pass).
Does anyone know how many people are sat in this pool? I feel a very long and frustrating wait is ahead of me.
As I say, I'm still to do MMI so I'm hoping that comes along ASAP to at least feed my brain with some hope.

 

[Busandrail]

Hi all, just joined site.
I've just moved into the Exeter/Penzance talent pool from the Paddington/Oxford one that I originally applied for. I passed stage 1 at Swindon on 22nd June.
Ultimately it's where I want to be and I was advised by HR that I would be better moving pools before MMI's instead of after, as I would have to re sit the MMI's again (if I pass).
Does anyone know how many people are sat in this pool? I feel a very long and frustrating wait is ahead of me.
As I say, I'm still to do MMI so I'm hoping that comes along ASAP to at least feed my brain with some hope.

Hello mate. No idea of how many are actually sat in this pool in total. I know of a couple others but don't know them to talk to. Just know of them. IV passed everything and literally waiting for medical/training start date. IV heard services are going half hourly from January and that is what the driver uplift is for so hopefully not too long a wait. Could be wrong though.

 

[Indy3995]

Hello mate. No idea of how many are actually sat in this pool in total. I know of a couple others but don't know them to talk to. Just know of them. IV passed everything and literally waiting for medical/training start date. IV heard services are going half hourly from January and that is what the driver uplift is for so hopefully not too long a wait. Could be wrong though.

Hi Pal, cheers for that, I'm currently a Bus driver with First up in Bradford so it's a full relocation and new adventure in store for me.
The increase in services does sound promising. I hope you get a start date soon. Be sure to post it up when you do won't you, give us all more hope

 

[Derv Dooville]

Anyone heard anything about medicals and training courses yet? Had e-mail in April saying I was successful at my final interview. Spoke to someone a while back and was told there’s something occurring internally at the beginning of July and Things would start moving after that. I was asked about holidays at interview and got the impression August would be start date. Having to give a months notice from current job makes August seem a bit hopeful unless phonecall happens in next week or so. Here’s hoping, been trying since 2012.

 

[Busandrail]

Anyone heard anything about medicals and training courses yet? Had e-mail in April saying I was successful at my final interview. Spoke to someone a while back and was told there’s something occurring internally at the beginning of July and Things would start moving after that. I was asked about holidays at interview and got the impression August would be start date. Having to give a months notice from current job makes August seem a bit hopeful unless phonecall happens in next week or so. Here’s hoping, been trying since 2012.

Hello mate. Are you down for Penzance or exceter? I'm in the exact same boat as you then. Was successful as interview and in the pool .I have friends who work for gwr and have been trying to gauge a start for the new trainees .I have also heard July/August as it happens and that's from a fairly reliable source. I've also been told that what people are currently in the pool isn't enough to cover the new timetable that's being introduced and they may need to recruit more. Hopefully we will hear something soon

 

[Indy3995]

All I can offer is that I'm in the Pen/Ex pool and going for MMI next weds.
What you have heard sounds promising Busandrail, let's hope thats the case...oh and that I pass the interviews yet too haha.

 

[tiptoptaff]

August course for trainees filled by Internals. Much as I said it would be.

 

[Derv Dooville]

Hello mate. Are you down for Penzance or exceter? I'm in the exact same boat as you then. Was successful as interview and in the pool .I have friends who work for gwr and have been trying to gauge a start for the new trainees .I have also heard July/August as it happens and that's from a fairly reliable source. I've also been told that what people are currently in the pool isn't enough to cover the new timetable that's being introduced and they may need to recruit more. Hopefully we will hear something soon

I’m actually Reading Depot.

 

[Riyad]

Hi guys, I passed my first stage assessment in May 2018 for paddington/oxford , I've just been updated with an email, doesn't sound good news to me, it says that currently they do not have any predicted vacancies for paddington/oxford so they will not be able to progress my application at this point in time but they will keep my details in case this situation should change. Any advice of what to do please from anyone who got the same update or have been in same situation?