Private assessments

[strange6]

http://www.rail.dbschenker.co.uk/training/pdad.htm

Are these assessments really worth the money?

Coming from a personal perspective, I would want to carry out the tests myself and decide rather than rely on a 3rd party

 

[185]

----that's actually nice of them not to rip people off.

Many applying will be out of work or in low paid jobs, and I think £145 is very reasonable.

Good on DB for keeping it sensible and affordable.

 

[GB]

While it's up to the individual to decide whether they want to go for a private assessment of not, you should consider the fact that it is in no way a gaurentee of a job or interview, you may fail and lose your £145 as well as one of your chances and you might find the TOC you apply for may well make you sit their own tests aswell.

 

[E&W Lucas]

It's a fair price, and I know people that this approach has worked for.

Whoever, those examples were a few years ago, and in the interim, there seems to have been an increase in the involvement of HR departments in trainee driver recruitment. That means more box ticking, and less common sense, so I'm not sure a test pass would be as helpful as previously. The companies are increasingly concerned about discrimination claims, and are making sure that they cover their backsides accordingly. They need to be able to demonstrate that they have treated every applicant equally; you can be sure that they will be able to prove that they have.

If you can afford the money, it won't do you any har, but the advice at the bottom if the advert is very honest.The test pass absolutely doesn't guarantee you a job; there are many other factors that will be considered before you are employed.

Before you spend the money, have a read if the Structured Interview questions, which have been listed on here before. Can you honestly say that you have experience in those areas? If you haven't, you are wasting your money.

 

[strange6]

----that's actually nice of them not to rip people off.

Many applying will be out of work or in low paid jobs, and I think £145 is very reasonable.

Good on DB for keeping it sensible and affordable.

I thought that. 145 pounds does sound very reasonable indeed. I have a lot of respect for EWS / DB Schenker And Mr Lucas is 100 percent correct; that structured interview is the most critical aspect and the TOC will always want to carry one out for themselves

 

[Beveridges]

I did it privately and paid £250 when I did it with CCL. £150 is a good deal.

Reasons I did it:

1) so that I had a set test date to work towards and prepare for. If you do it with a TOC you can just suddenly get asked to go in about 4 days notice, not ideal at all.
2) as I was on my final attempt(1 more fail and out!) I just wanted to see if I failed so I don't need to waste any more time applying for drivers positions and to start looking elsewhere for careers.
3) to get it out of the way with
4) to shortern the recruitment process so it is simply app form > interview > medical/job offer
5) to make myself sound better in the app form and interview
6) If I ever get a job out of it, less chance of being put "on hold" as I would have completed the process earlier

 

[strange6]

I did it privately and paid £250 when I did it with CCL. £150 is a good deal.

Reasons I did it:

1) so that I had a set test date to work towards and prepare for. If you do it with a TOC you can just suddenly get asked to go in about 4 days notice, not ideal at all.
2) as I was on my final attempt(1 more fail and out!) I just wanted to see if I failed so I don't need to waste any more time applying for drivers positions and to start looking elsewhere for careers.
3) to get it out of the way with
4) to shortern the recruitment process so it is simply app form > interview > medical/job offer
5) to make myself sound better in the app form and interview
6) If I ever get a job out of it, less chance of being put "on hold" as I would have completed the process earlier

Plus, for 145 quid, it's good experience no matter what the outcome. AND it gives you good research material for a TOC test. Well worth the money if you're serious in my humble opinion

 

[es373]

Brilliant idea but give it a few years and I can see most toc's saying this won't be valid.
Some people seem to think that just because they pass the test, it means they've got the agility to be a driver.

Humm.. I'd like to see what other drivers think of this bearing in mind that the wide audience here is mostly 15-19 year olds.

 

[Beveridges]

There are also people who are Drivers and would not be able to pass the psychometric tests - Drivers who luckily got the job before the tests came out 15 or so years ago.

The tests are not as good as the assessors seem to think. The assessor I had seemed to say the tests were created to be 100% accurate on whether you'd make a good driver or not. I seriously think not. The Dots test is a little 10 minute test I cannot really see how that proves you can maintain concentration for long periods. All it proves is you can concentrate very well for 10 minutes.

Still does not stop me from bringing it up in the Interview as evidence of some abilities as test results are 100% provable evidence, unlike (for example) giving an example of a real life situation which may not be proven and could be seen as potentially exaggurated or even made up.

 

[francisoldfield]

its worth pointing out that even with valid test pass (mine was with FCC) your not always successful. I applied at SWT and they didn't even look my application as they had too many, even though I told them a couple of times that I have an assessment pass!

 

[mac]

If you pass the assessment then don't get a job while it's valid you have then lost a chance if you only have 2 goes.

 

[Beveridges]

You can only fail it twice, but you can take it an unlimited amount of times if you keep passing! I have took it 3 times myself. Failed the first time (sent there by Northern) in the Structured Interview despite passing the assessments with ease. Then I did it again privately and passed with ease (including the SI), then again with ATW and passed the lot with ease.

 

[GB]

A pass does not count towards the two attempt limit so in that respect you will be no worse of then before you took.

 

[Beveridges]

Also if you fail it twice, some companies will still take you on as a Depot Driver, so at least you can do some form of train driving. It just means you can't ever drive on Network Rail tracks.
I know of one person who failed twice then passed it 3rd attempt and went into Maintenance Depot Driving.

 

[185]

I passed by guards assessment with DB (was EWS) in Doncaster - they were streets ahead of CCL in Crewe, who managed to cancel their assessment after they went short of assessors.