New to the industry wanting to progress

[1stClassAcw]

Hello people, new to the forum as I’ve just managed to land a role with thameslink as station staff. I wanted to ask what progression is like in these roles as I have aspirations of becoming a train driver

I have worked many customer facing roles before such as sales and delivery driving but I saw this as a opportunity to get my foot in the door currently 25 and more than happy to work the role if I means I can progress down the the line later, any advice?

 

[DMckduck]

There is plenty of opportunity on the railway to progress your career further doing all sorts of different things.

But job hopping and attempting to use your first role as the stepping stone doesn't always work as plan.

Best advice would be to focus on your new role for now. Learn and master it, keep your head down with good punctuality and sickness records.

The rest will sort itself out later down the line.

 

[AverageJoe]

being with a toc in most capacities will probably give you access to internal recruitment websites so you will possibly see trainee driver roles before those on the outside but you will still have to pass all the tests and interviews that anyone else will so there is no real leg up.

Also you will likely be working with a different team and not really get to see much of driver managers and those that would be the ones interviewing you, so you probably won’t be able to build much of a rapport or showcase your skills/work ethic to them.

But as said doing your job well in any industry will always help towards getting a new job.

Also you will likely have interaction with drivers and guards and be able to get some insight into the role that will help during interviews.

Also learning to manage the shift pattern and knowing the station well is a bonus.

 

[Eurostar123]

Hello everyone,

I'm on the same track and have aspirations to become a train driver. I have recently applied for a ticket examiner role at GWR.

 

[Eurostar123]

I have also applied for the Service Delivery Assistant with GWR but my application was derailed by their online test. Where am I going wrong with it?

TIA

 

[lae150]

There are trainee driver roles advertised with a few TOC's at the moment. I would just get applying now, you won't stand a better chance going via another rail job (I'd argue you prob stand a worse chance sometimes). Apply when you see them as you never know when they will be advertised again.

 

[LCC106]

Another one here recommending you just apply for trainee driver roles as and when you see them. There isn’t necessarily a natural progression to driver these days. It’s not a line of promotion.