New career change

[Cotty30]

Hi I wonder if anyone can help me. I am a current serving full time firefighter and have reached a point in my career where i feel i need a new challenge and more responsibility. Therefore a career as a train driver really appeals to me so I would be really grateful if anybody could give me any indication of when rail companies are recruiting or are likely to in the near future. I am 30 years old and i live in birmingham so wouldnt really like to relocate due to young baby. Any information is appreciated.

 

[notadriver]

Have you considered joining the railway in another job such as platform staff or ticket inspector ? Thousands apply for drivers jobs it's difficult to even get past the paper sift especially if you won't relocate.

 

[Cotty30]

Nar i i sort of have my heart set on driving now. All i want to know is if there opportunities comming up. Thousands applied for the job im in at the minute and i was successful. Im quite optimistic, i just want the opportunity to try. And i would travel to work, would just before to be stationed around the west mids if thats the correct terminology?

 

[TDK]

Nar i i sort of have my heart set on driving now. All i want to know is if there opportunities comming up. Thousands applied for the job im in at the minute and i was successful. Im quite optimistic, i just want the opportunity to try. And i would travel to work, would just before to be stationed around the west mids if thats the correct terminology?

Go on to Chiltern Railways, London Midland, Arriva Cross Country and Virgin Train web sites, go to the recruitment pages and set up email alerts for Trainee Train Driver jobs and then sit and wait for ages for a job to come up in Birmingham or Wolves. Oh yeah if you are not relocating don't bother if the advertised depot isn't within an hour by road from your home.

 

[387star]

Go on to Chiltern Railways, London Midland, Arriva Cross Country and Virgin Train web sites, go to the recruitment pages and set up email alerts for Trainee Train Driver jobs and then sit and wait for ages for a job to come up in Birmingham or Wolves. Oh yeah if you are not relocating don't bother if the advertised depot isn't within an hour by road from your home.

Indeed relocating is both essential and also prevents you getting a job ie some won't take you on if not close to a depot but you can't plan your life that way luckily most are ok with relocating but you have to be a good candidate

Virgin crosscountry and chiltern are very hard to get into (chiltern were due to advertise again but AFAIK have enough for several years from the recent recruitment) ... with crosscountry impossible as a trainee however london Midland may be a good bet

Firefighting is a great background for driving and I think many have made the move however if you can manage a pay cut working your way up the ranks ie guard or operational. Gives you invaluable experience and despite what some say on here internals (meaning anyone working for the railway with the experience required) should be the first choice for recruiters

 

[hughavinalaf]

Cotty,i left the Ambulance service to become a guard,i couldnt wait to get away from a career that the govt had ripped the heart out of.
It was a great decision,so.....my advice - if a vacany arises,dont rule this option out.Driving can come later once you have a foot in the door.

Just food for thought pal.

 

[387star]

Cotty,i left the Ambulance service to become a guard,i couldnt wait to get away from a career that the govt had ripped the heart out of.
It was a great decision,so.....my advice - if a vacany arises,dont rule this option out.Driving can come later once you have a foot in the door.

Just food for thought pal.

And guards can earn more than well a hell of a lot of,people oh and time off and conditions aren't bad either

 

[Joof]

Hi Cotty30. I can't speak for everybody so I'm not sure about the internal / external applicants issue. I have applied for 2 positions as trainee driver. The first I made it through to Driver manager interview but had a terrible interview ( all my fault by the way ) and then I applied for my 2nd with another TOC late last year. I have just done my medical and passed n now waiting for a contract in the post. I think it's all about putting the right things in the application n every process there after. The information on here has been invaluable so spend some time looking and you should get a good feel for what you need. As far as relocating, it does help if your willing as your more flexible in the eyes of a prospective employer, however, like you I was not keen on the idea and the TOC I'm waiting for the contract from are quite local and doesn't allow drivers to live outside a 45 minute traveling distance of the depot you apply to. Don't know if I'm lucky in some respect but I have tried my socks off with research and effort to get here. I can't wait to start and wish you the best of luck. Onwards and upwards!!!! I have never worked within the rail industry and also like you I wanted to go straight in as driver because this is what I want to do.

 

[elbee]

Cotty30, I was a firefighter for twelve and a half years before a back injury required surgery to put right and my operational role was over. I was offered an office based role or an ill health pension,I decided to take the pension and take my chances elsewhere.

A friend if mine was a senior supervisor on the railway and offered to set up an interview for me. My time and experience as a firefighter went a long way, the training I have received, the discipline of a uniformed service, the ability to work to rules and regulations, the hundreds of examples of being involved in emergency situations are all well received on the railway and managed to get a non physical job on the railway. This opened my eyes to the various roles available in the railway and started looking at the role of a driver.

There are a lot of transferable skills from the role of a firefighter to the role a train driver as mentioned above and decided that's what I was going to aim for. My wife is settled in her career and my children are settled in their schools, so my only option was to wait until a local TOC where recruiting. As mentioned above there is a time limit on the distance you can live from the depot you will be working out off.

It's a long old process, as you will be able to gauge from reading some of the stories on this forum. It took me just over a year from submitting my application form to starting as a trainee driver. I have passed out now and love every minute of the job.

I am under no illusions it was my firefighting experience that was a major factor in me getting my driving job, and speaking to some of my still serving firefighter mates they are interested in applying for the driving role when I tell them my story.

My advice to you is to thoroughly research the passenger and freight companies who have a depot within an hour of where you live. This time limit will severely narrow down your options to the companies you can apply to. Send them a speculative letter asking their future plans for recruitment, you might get a reply. Sign up to job alerts on their websites. Regularly check the websites on a daily/weekly basis as trainee vacancies don't stay around for long. Companies remove the vacancy as soon as enough applications have been received. As you mentioned, you have beaten the odds before and been successful in gaining a job where lots if people apply, this is a similar situation.

When you post five messages on this forum you are allowed to send private messages. Post a few more messages and send me a private message and I will share my recruitment experience with you and help you as much as I can to hopefully get your driving job.

 

[387star]

Hi Cotty30. I can't speak for everybody so I'm not sure about the internal / external applicants issue. I have applied for 2 positions as trainee driver. The first I made it through to Driver manager interview but had a terrible interview ( all my fault by the way ) and then I applied for my 2nd with another TOC late last year. I have just done my medical and passed n now waiting for a contract in the post. I think it's all about putting the right things in the application n every process there after. The information on here has been invaluable so spend some time looking and you should get a good feel for what you need. As far as relocating, it does help if your willing as your more flexible in the eyes of a prospective employer, however, like you I was not keen on the idea and the TOC I'm waiting for the contract from are quite local and doesn't allow drivers to live outside a 45 minute traveling distance of the depot you apply to. Don't know if I'm lucky in some respect but I have tried my socks off with research and effort to get here. I can't wait to start and wish you the best of luck. Onwards and upwards!!!! I have never worked within the rail industry and also like you I wanted to go straight in as driver because this is what I want to do.

Well done you put in for freightliner originally like me?

Like you I failed managers with freightliner since passed a FGW telephone and final interview now on hold and currently passed all for abellio greater anglia but managers (got to wait for everyone to finish assessments etc) so not putting eggs in one basket

Great to see many on here realising their dream joof Pompey and pepperami to name a few

 

[elbee]

Cotty30, I was a firefighter for twelve and a half years before a back injury required surgery to put right and my operational role was over. I was offered an office based role or an ill health pension,I decided to take the pension and take my chances elsewhere.

A friend if mine was a senior supervisor on the railway and offered to set up an interview for me. My time and experience as a firefighter went a long way, the training I have received, the discipline of a uniformed service, the ability to work to rules and regulations, the hundreds of examples of being involved in emergency situations are all well received on the railway and managed to get a non physical job on the railway. This opened my eyes to the various roles available in the railway and started looking at the role of a driver.

There are a lot of transferable skills from the role of a firefighter to the role a train driver as mentioned above and decided that's what I was going to aim for. My wife is settled in her career and my children are settled in their schools, so my only option was to wait until a local TOC where recruiting. As mentioned above there is a time limit on the distance you can live from the depot you will be working out off.

It's a long old process, as you will be able to gauge from reading some of the stories on this forum. It took me just over a year from submitting my application form to starting as a trainee driver. I have passed out now and love every minute of the job.

I am under no illusions it was my firefighting experience that was a major factor in me getting my driving job, and speaking to some of my still serving firefighter mates they are interested in applying for the driving role when I tell them my story.

My advice to you is to thoroughly research the passenger and freight companies who have a depot within an hour of where you live. This time limit will severely narrow down your options to the companies you can apply to. Send them a speculative letter asking their future plans for recruitment, you might get a reply. Sign up to job alerts on their websites. Regularly check the websites on a daily/weekly basis as trainee vacancies don't stay around for long. Companies remove the vacancy as soon as enough applications have been received. As you mentioned, you have beaten the odds before and been successful in gaining a job where lots if people apply, this is a similar situation.

When you post five messages on this forum you are allowed to send private messages. Post a few more messages and send me a private message and I will share my recruitment experience with you and help you as much as I can to hopefully get your driving job.

 

[Cotty30]

Hughavinalaf yea i know how u feel having the gvnt rupping the job apart. Its not the job i joined 7 years ago due to all the cuts and pension attacks. Thanks for your input

 

[Cotty30]

Joof thanks its good to see that people with no background in the job can succeed.

 

[Cotty30]

Elbee i am keen to hear your experience and advice its nice to see that there is hope for somebody else in the fire service making a career change. You will know serving fireman and know how bad the job has become doing less actual firefighting and more like a computer desk job. I will message you when i can

 

[elbee]

Yes mate, if I'd stayed in the fire service I would have been in my 20th year this year. I still have a lot of mates in the job and all are looking at other things because of the way the job has gone.

That being said it is still a relatively secure job in a poor job market and people leaving the role are few.

Let me be proof there is life outside the fire service, and you can still apply for the drivers job while continuing your fire service roll. There were two coppers on my training course so people from the emergency services are starting to transfer over.

Send me that PM.

 

[W230]

You will know serving fireman and know how bad the job has become doing less actual firefighting and more like a computer desk job. I will message you when i can

Sounds like my time in the police. Wasted best part of a decade and thought time for a change and am now a driver.

It seems the TOCs look favourably on those with emergency services/military background so best get applying. It's still not easy though but tackling it with an optimistic attitude will definitely help!

Good luck!

 

[Marks13]

Cotty,i left the Ambulance service to become a guard,i couldnt wait to get away from a career that the govt had ripped the heart out of.
It was a great decision,so.....my advice - if a vacany arises,dont rule this option out.Driving can come later once you have a foot in the door.

Just food for thought pal.

Snap, I also left the ambulance service to become a guard . Cotty, It's a role I would recommend with its own challenges and responsibilities. The conditions are generally very good as is the pay. It's certainly been a shock to the system after leaving the public services after nearly 16years (armed forces and ambulance) but it's a move I feel is the right one more everyday . There is allot of transferable skills which TOCS want , like working under pressure also working to strict procedures , something you will have done very day in the fire service . Been a guard is also a great foot in the door to a industry which is difficult to find employment in from the outside.

Good luck mark

 

[E&W Lucas]

To second what lots of other Drivers are saying to you, you'll be a strong candidate for direct entry to driving, provided you make a good job of your application. You've the skill set required.

Do not be put off by the "nay sayers", who haven't landed the job yet, and think that everyone else should have to work their way up, just because they are having to!
Day one of driver training, everyone starts with a clean slate, whatever their background. Everyone has to go through the same process, whatever their background. What no instructor likes to hear is "I was a guard, etc, so I already (think I) know......"


Thinking about relocating, if you've a young baby, now might be a good time to consider it, before they start school?
Move a little further south, and you come in range of big training depots like Bedford, or you could commute into London, as many already do.

Their are loads of ex emergency services people driving - go for it!

 

[Cotty30]

Cheers lucas for your response. I think if the right job came up then of course i would have to seriously consider commuting. Does anybody not know of any upcomming recruitment drives or is it a case of constantly getting on the net and hopefully comming across a trainee driver job?

 

[E&W Lucas]

Cheers lucas for your response. I think if the right job came up then of course i would have to seriously consider commuting. Does anybody not know of any upcomming recruitment drives or is it a case of constantly getting on the net and hopefully comming across a trainee driver job?

The reason I mentioned Bedford, etc. Thameslink - Great Northerm likely to be looking for a large number of drivers over the next couple of years.

Register everywhere for vacancy alerts though. Speculative CV's are worth a shot too.

 

[red2005]

hiya mate!

i am in my training at the moment and in the process of doing my handling hours......i have an emergency services backround myself and to echo others on here it IS very helpful in getting you through the application stage etc.

but remember, due to the state of the emergency services at the moment there may be quite a few others with a backround similar to yourself applying so it will still be incredibly fierce in terms of competition!

if you want to go straight for the driver grade i say go for it!! there were 3 perfectly acceptable externals on my course!.....HOWEVER.....like someone said earlier if you see another role within the industry that would be an extra helping hand in you getting into the grade, my advice to you is try your hardest to get it!......it could be the difference maker remember!

I'd also say be very flexible in terms of location! when i was applying for jobs i had applications in as far north as wick and as far south as selhurst and many in between!.......people say i was mad applying for wick but i looked at it strategically!........do i apply for positions in London where every man and his dog are applying or do i take another approach and apply to the places where competition may be less due to location etc!?

It is easy for me to say that as i didn't have a small child at the time but if 2 years in an unfamiliar area gets you the ticket you need it's worth doing buddy!

 

[387star]

hiya mate!

i am in my training at the moment and in the process of doing my handling hours......i have an emergency services backround myself and to echo others on here it IS very helpful in getting you through the application stage etc.

but remember, due to the state of the emergency services at the moment there may be quite a few others with a backround similar to yourself applying so it will still be incredibly fierce in terms of competition!

if you want to go straight for the driver grade i say go for it!! there were 3 perfectly acceptable externals on my course!.....HOWEVER.....like someone said earlier if you see another role within the industry that would be an extra helping hand in you getting into the grade, my advice to you is try your hardest to get it!......it could be the difference maker remember!

I'd also say be very flexible in terms of location! when i was applying for jobs i had applications in as far north as wick and as far south as selhurst and many in between!.......people say i was mad applying for wick but i looked at it strategically!........do i apply for positions in London where every man and his dog are applying or do i take another approach and apply to the places where competition may be less due to location etc!?

It is easy for me to say that as i didn't have a small child at the time but if 2 years in an unfamiliar area gets you the ticket you need it's worth doing buddy!

Applying for all vacancies which arise also improves your application skill

 

[red2005]

Applying for all vacancies which arise also improves your application skill

exactly!! and as negative as living more than an hour from a depot can look......it can also look favorable as if you are willing to move from one side of the country to the other to get the job it also shows that you really do want the job!

my willingness to go pretty much anywhere to get the job was a HUGE!!! factor in my job offer!

 

[russmcp]

Another ex 999 here. Trainee driver, off the street. Work hard on your applications. Competition is fierce! Good luck.

 

[Cotty30]

Thanks, i really appreciate everybodys input on here. Its nice to see people have made the change and gone for it. In the meantime i will be looking for trainee posts and i will hopefully be back on the forum for interview and test advice! If anybody does hear of any job opportunities comming up please contact me.

 

[Johncleesefan]

Keep checking this forum religiously everyday. Someone usually posts a new thread which appears at the top of this section when a new company is advertising. I check here daily and google and indeed. Hope that helps

 

[TomHaley]

I think I went through the process with at least 4 firefighters, all from the same town as me so that says it all about the way that job is! I know for definite that one of them got through, I was offered talent pool or a trainee depot driver position so took that.

 

[TDK]

exactly!! and as negative as living more than an hour from a depot can look......it can also look favorable as if you are willing to move from one side of the country to the other to get the job it also shows that you really do want the job!

my willingness to go pretty much anywhere to get the job was a HUGE!!! factor in my job offer!

There is one downfall with applying for a location far from home, the interviewer will grill you intensely to see whether your intentions are to get your ticket for 2 years and then move on, so if you do apply for a location where you intend to relocate take some solid evidence that you intend it to be permanent or you may fail at the managers interview.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Recruited ex (retired) firefighters as conducters in the 1990's - (they were looking for a few years work after earliesh retirement) - they were excellent. I would have thought your application would stand out ...so go for it.

 

[D3910]

Sounds like my time in the police. Wasted best part of a decade and thought time for a change and am now a driver.

It seems the TOCs look favourably on those with emergency services/military background so best get applying. It's still not easy though but tackling it with an optimistic attitude will definitely help!

Good luck!

How did you find the move from the Police to being a driver? Any regrets? I am currently in the Police having nearly done a decade and have applied for a trainee