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LU progression
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It's very easy to move within TfL and London Underground. Difficult to answer your question with specifics, but if you want to move, you can.
A lot of the people I speak to who feel 'stuck' have a sense of entitlement that prevents advancement.
A lot of the people I speak to who feel 'stuck' have a sense of entitlement that prevents advancement.
Yes.
Dunno, they're nothing to do with TfL or London Underground.
Wouldn't know (see above).
Makes sense. Wanted to ask one last question. You know with the 33k for csa. Does it include anymore add ons like pay and competency pay?
Or is that all added during the 33k base pay?
Also if you do over time or Sunday is it time and half per hour or more?
Or is that all added during the 33k base pay?
Also if you do over time or Sunday is it time and half per hour or more?
Overtime is time and a quarter, no matter the day. There's nothing additional for weekends or bank holidays.
You need to pass your probation (six months), before applying for anything else, but progression is good. They've now moved to a model where there's a recruitment window for supervisor (CSS2 - stations on the outskirts of London) every three months or so, and Train Operator tends to have a recruitment window once a year or so, but then it takes a while to go through the process.
You need to pass your probation (six months), before applying for anything else, but progression is good. They've now moved to a model where there's a recruitment window for supervisor (CSS2 - stations on the outskirts of London) every three months or so, and Train Operator tends to have a recruitment window once a year or so, but then it takes a while to go through the process.
Thank you so much.
So with the base of 33k, is that night pay, competency pay, London weighting etc all included?
Or you get extra with that
From what I've heard from those that I know that work in TFL you can move around if you so wish to providing you pass your probation (6 months I believe it is). Another thing I'd say is to self study and possibly shadow other departments to get a feel. When you're intentional about that then it usually shows you're serious about wanting to move onwards and upwards. One other thing NETWORKING IS KEY!!!!
KingKiev123
Member
Yes everything is included. There is no need for night pay as if you are a CSA2 you won't be doing nights unless you're picking up a night tube shift on overtime.
The progression in LU is very good . After passing your probation at 6 months you can apply for any job in the company. In fact after your probation you can nominate stations where you can become a CSA1 and that would be 9k salary increase and 3 weeks extra annual leave without even having to apply.
Is it easy to progress towards csa1?
Are there many vacancy of that, that comes up every year?
Do people usually quickly become csa1 after join in to csa2c
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Sorry for my ignorance?
What do you mean by networking in the company?
I seem to remember that towards the end of last year, they changed the initial CSA training course, so that all new joiners receive training up to CSA1 as part of the initial training. So you'd still start off in a CSA2 role, but it does mean you'd be able to pick up CSA1 duties on overtime (and be paid at the higher CSA1 rate when doing so) right away.
How quick you could become a CSA1, could depend on how picky you are about the location you work. You would be more likely to get a CSA1 position quicker, if you nominate as many stations as possible that you'd be happy to work at. Stations with more desirable rosters, or are perhaps closer to home for lots of people, will have longer waiting lists.
Thanks. Great info
When you get to meet other departments and managers of said department that you are interested in. You build your connections by knowing the team and what they do so in the future if you ever want to have a look because of the way you present yourself (in a good light) they'll remember you but of course you still need to do the assessments if required if that makes sense.
Great advice
Halfway Boy
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So progression in LU is essentially, after 6 months, you can apply for any role that you’re eligible for.
Some roles have typical paths.
So for example if you want to become a SOO your career path will look something like:
CSA - T/Op - Service Controller - Service Manager - SOO
Or
CSA - T/Op - DRM - NIRM - SOO
They are moving to an ongoing recruitment model for certain positions where every quarter they will open internal recruitment for roles like Service Control, and essentially have continually operating recruitment and wait lists.
It started with service control and next will be T/Op I believe.
The idea is you apply, if you’re unsuccessful you need to wait a year to apply again.
You can try and skip steps - for example you can try to go CSA - Service Control.
It’s not impossible but you would struggle.
Even in the timetable test in assessments you’d find it much easier as a T/Op who knows how they work, even if they don’t look at them often, than a CSA.
Then if you managed to get into a room, a T/Op understands a controllers job from the other side of the radio so they know about turning trains early to bring them back on time, what the controller will say to them if they have a SPAD or an Overrun, etc.
Coming at that completely new as a former CSA would be a tough ask.
Overall progression is mainly internal and I think favourable compared to most companies.
Some roles have typical paths.
So for example if you want to become a SOO your career path will look something like:
CSA - T/Op - Service Controller - Service Manager - SOO
Or
CSA - T/Op - DRM - NIRM - SOO
They are moving to an ongoing recruitment model for certain positions where every quarter they will open internal recruitment for roles like Service Control, and essentially have continually operating recruitment and wait lists.
It started with service control and next will be T/Op I believe.
The idea is you apply, if you’re unsuccessful you need to wait a year to apply again.
You can try and skip steps - for example you can try to go CSA - Service Control.
It’s not impossible but you would struggle.
Even in the timetable test in assessments you’d find it much easier as a T/Op who knows how they work, even if they don’t look at them often, than a CSA.
Then if you managed to get into a room, a T/Op understands a controllers job from the other side of the radio so they know about turning trains early to bring them back on time, what the controller will say to them if they have a SPAD or an Overrun, etc.
Coming at that completely new as a former CSA would be a tough ask.
Overall progression is mainly internal and I think favourable compared to most companies.
Thanks
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jefferyjsg
Member
do you know what the process is like in applying to be a Train operator from CSA, for example; once you’ve sent off an application, what are usually the next steps and the sort of difficulties you’d face
It's a 3 stage process after initial online application.
Stage 1:
- SCAT test - similar to the dot test used by national rail
- Following information test - a paragraph of text and questions related to that
- Understanding information test - similar to the above, but a very technical paragraph
- Error Identification test - designed to see if you can spot an error in a sequence
Stage 2:
- Scenario Based Interview
Stage 3:
- Recorded Voice Communication Test - you listen to a recording and have to make notes of the relevant information and relay those notes
jefferyjsg
Member
Thank you so much for sending this over it’s extremely helpful!
do you know on average how many train operator vacancies come out each year and also the how long it usually takes for a CSA to become an train operator?
Sorry for the late response. I don't know, but LU recruit train ops to a waiting list, so there isn't a restriction in each campaign like "we need 100 train ops this year" - if you are successful in passing the assessments, then you get the job offer. Again, I don't have figures for the length of time. I know CSAs that have waited 2 years for training, and I know an operator that passed their assessments in April 2024 and are driving already.
I have no definitive figures for the amount of recruitment campaigns, but I would guess at around every 2 years? Others may chip in if they have a better guess.
I haven't been through the SBI (was competency based when I did it), but the answer to nearly every question on LU is:
A. Can it be done safely?
B. Get the train moving ASAP.
A more serious answer would be: the rule books for train operators and other staff (Signallers and Controllers) are available on Sharepoint, so might be worth having a read through them in preparation?
As I understand it, the SBI format is that you get given an A4 sheet with 3 scenarios on and you have some time to make notes before having the discussion with the assessors about all 3.
Thank you , will check the rule books.
PizzaKing52
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I really hope the CSA application pops up soon because I’m so desperate to start working in my life and that this job is the one I tried my hardest to get the most out of anything else I applied for.
ThunderPumpkin
Member
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- 18 Mar 2016
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- 23
When I did it back in 2021 as an internal candidate it was a competency based interview and they sent you the competencies that you would be tested on ie customer service etc. You should answer in the STAR format
Hi! do you have any guidance on the scenario based interview? this is something that has me stumped at the moment. thank you in advance
Dont think they will be recruiting for a while. They probably have a long waiting list. Hopefully Mid 2025 Some roles open up
PizzaKing52
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Well I’m fed up of waiting that long and still feel terrible about not being able to get this the first time, as I’m extremely desperate to start earning money and keep myself busy than just staying at home all day doing nothing.
You do sound a bit fed up to be honest. I don't know if you're working at the moment, but having these kinds of negative thoughts can come across during the recruitment process, so if you can try and occupy yourself with some other kind of productive work until the applications open up again (whenever that may be - I don't have any information about that), then I think that would be beneficial.
There is good advice on other threads in this forum regarding CSA applications, so try not to despair, I'm sure your time will come.
NSEWonderer
Established Member
You can occupy yourself with other similar jobs. The Railway is always recruiting for similar roles, the Elizabeth Line often has more frequent job vaccancies and if you get in and do decent time, learning then come another CSA vaccancy you'd have a pretty good foundation.
Time flies when you're occupied. I joined a role I wasn't exactly looking for but learned so much and enjoyed my time with amazing colleagues and a good local management team. Was immersed with different experiences and skills especially coming into contact with people in the role I wanted which was Train Driver.
Took all of those and in the little year and half I'll be leaving to take up a seat as a Driver at a fantastic TOC but time has flown because I was occupied in a similar role. Try and look around, don't isolate yourself to waiting for just one role, you can be learning and occupying time elsewhere till the opportunity comes.
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