NR Apprenitships

[Wazza082]

I've been looking into the Network Rail Apprenticeship Roles and weighing it all up to see if it is all worth it in my situation.

I'm 34 and have a mortgage and a young family. I've always wanted to work on the railways and been applying on and off for the last 10 years with countless rejection letters. On many occasison it's because I'm just been unlucky and some becasued I failed assessment tests.

Anyway if I would have done an Apprenitships 10 years ago then I probabaly wouldn't be typing this message. My main concern is the £163 a week, which just isn't good for me. But Im wondering if the risk is worth it in the end. Most of the roles available I've seen on indeed going straight into the job with training provided and full pay.
Roles like track oppritivties, off track maintance, signalling with full training provided.

Its either that I keep applying for these positions and hope for the best or go for an Apprenitships knowing I'll possibly be in that role after 3 years.

Has anyone been in a similar situation or can share their thoughts?

 

[Simon11]

I'm not able to provide advice on the NR apprenticeships scheme (worth looking through this section of the forum for past posts).

However at what stage are you being rejected? It seems that you are being rejected at the initial CV sift?

If so, I would highly recommend that you get someone to review your CV and application. Your post above is littered with spelling mistakes, so I'm wondering whether this is coming across in your applications and thus getting rejected?

Simon

 

[trainmania100]

I applied to the apprenticeship scheme down in hms sultan but failed the aptitude test.
The apprenticeship can be done in different areas such as track and plant electrical sognalling etc.
They occasionaly hold open days at depots I went to lovers walk one. Best thing to do is check website. Your age doesn't matter when I went to open day people of all ages were applying. Good luck

 

[Lord_Percy]

Simon11 makes a great point about getting someone to review your CV and application. You seem to have a lot of dedication which is commendable so I would advise you to take a step back and get your CV and application checked over.

 

[Wazza082]

Thanks for you replys.

I have had my CV looked over many times and always had get good positive feedback, however some people tell me your CV has to be adapted depending on the job you are applying for? So maybe this could be why as I always keep it the same way.

When I apply online I do have my partner or dad checking it over before I click the send button.

I think in my cause its the assesment tests becuase I do get conussed with muiltaple choice questions, when to me alot of the anwsers on offer seem correct but I can only pick one of them. Maths is my weak point and I do have to read some of the questions 2/3 times over, which doesnt help when being timed.

As for these message I type very fast and I dont go back over my spelling mistakes ect.

 

[JohnFM]

Thanks for you replys.

I have had my CV looked over many times and always had get good positive feedback, however some people tell me your CV has to be adapted depending on the job you are applying for? So maybe this could be why as I always keep it the same way.

When I apply online I do have my partner or dad checking it over before I click the send button.

I think in my cause its the assesment tests becuase I do get conussed with muiltaple choice questions, when to me alot of the anwsers on offer seem correct but I can only pick one of them. Maths is my weak point and I do have to read some of the questions 2/3 times over, which doesnt help when being timed.

As for these message I type very fast and I dont go back over my spelling mistakes ect.

I think that the problem is staring you in the face. With respect to your family your CV might seem like it is good but to someone reading the CV it isn't relevant to the role or just doesn't offer enough information.

CV's should be targeted CV's. In other words if a job asks for someone who deals with shift patterns and has an engineering background ensure that the CV highlights this.

Keeping a CV the same is just wasting the effort if it continually fails to land you an interview.

There's lots of helpful tips on CV writing here: http://www.rssb.co.uk/rgs/standards/gogn3655%20iss%202.pdf

You need to ask someone else, other than family, to look at what you are writing. They might not be aware of how it sounds or are biased enough to not see the problems with your CV.

Good luck

 

[alxndr]

I was on the opposite end of the scale when I joined three years ago as I was 17 with no commitments. That said there seems to be a handful of older people (25–35+), and a couple who are married/have children, each year. As far as opportunities and a way onto the railway goes it's very good, with the vast majority of people getting a job at the end, providing they put the effort in and don't do something monumentally stupid. They spend a lot of money training you, so it's in their interests to keep you once you've finished.

It comes down to whether you can afford to take that sort of pay cut. When I was an apprentice we spent 39 weeks at HMS Sultan where food and accommodation was provided, so if you were careful you could get away with spending very little. It's now changed to only 20 weeks at Westwood, which is less of a saving opportunity, but their page states they're reviewing pay, so there may be a slight increase. In the second and third years you do get something of a pay rise as well, although I've known people to carefully plan a bank loan to pay their rent, and paid it back once they completed their apprenticeship.

The applications for this intake finish at the end of the month, so if I was in your shoes I'd start working on a good application now to keep your options open, and if you get through the first stage start working out the finances. You can always turn it down if you decide it's not a feasible option for you.

 

[Simon11]

You should always change and tweak your CV for each job that you apply for.

If a job asks for skills in X and Y make sure that you mention this in your CV and expand upon this. Also, remove or reduce sections which aren't relevant to the role.

 

[ZombieLaydee]

Hi, Im currently in a very similar situation. Im 25 and with a partner who is dependent on my income and have three stepchildren part time. I am part of the first Westwood intake and really enjoying it but yes financially it is hell. If you can do it then go for it because its worth muddling through and you wont be the oldest apprentice (there are currently at least three apprentices in their thirties on this cohort and theyre doing well.) Im happy to give you any advice you need so that you get the same chance as other applicants. First two things Id mention were look into tax credits, thats what makes my situation livable as it tops up the apprentice wage and practice aptitude tests online. Also in year 2 the salary increases as per UK law for anyone 19 and over but is actually slightly higher than min wage and in year 3 it increases again. It depends how big the difference in your income is I guess but Ill do what I can to help you work it out because I think its sad that people should have to miss out.