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Scotrail Trainee Drivers (Ongoing)

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tallpaulself

Member
Joined
25 Jul 2024
Messages
36
Location
Argyll
Just sat the 1st assessment. I feel pretty good about it. I gave it my best, which is all I can ask for really.

Now the wait for the pass or fail email.
Interested to know how you get on with an invite to dmi. I believe we share managers!
 

DavidAtkin

Member
Joined
11 Mar 2024
Messages
188
Location
Glasgow
Has anyone from the march 24 application & Glasgow based been emailed about sitting stage1 tests recently? Not seen many from this thread. Still waiting to hear regarding sitting stage1, roughly 15 weeks ago I got the met the standard email from recruitment.
 

funbox55

Member
Joined
4 Apr 2023
Messages
7
Location
Johnstone
I literally just got an invite to the assessment this afternoon, reapplied in March after applying initially the previous January.
 

funbox55

Member
Joined
4 Apr 2023
Messages
7
Location
Johnstone
Did you get the met the standard email from the January application from last year also ?

Last year all i got was the status on the portal saying under consideration before it disappeared. This year I got the tests x2, notified i passed and then the shortlist email about 8 weeks ago.
 

DavidAtkin

Member
Joined
11 Mar 2024
Messages
188
Location
Glasgow
Sweet pal. Good luck with the assessments. Online tests x2,SJT , then meet the standard email for me, just a waiting game everyone seems to be moving at different paces
 

RiverDon

On Moderation
Joined
11 Mar 2024
Messages
297
Location
UK
Got a worrying email from Scotrail today basically saying that although I have passed stage 1 assessement they are maxxed out for driver manager interviews and are concentrating on putting higher priority candidates through. So they are putting my application on hold until next year. Anyone else here had the same?
 

DavidAtkin

Member
Joined
11 Mar 2024
Messages
188
Location
Glasgow
Got a worrying email from Scotrail today basically saying that although I have passed stage 1 assessement they are maxxed out for driver manager interviews and are concentrating on putting higher priority candidates through. So they are putting my application on hold until next year. Anyone else here had the same?
stay positive pal. It’s not over yet
 

alicc98

Member
Joined
12 Mar 2024
Messages
18
Location
edinburgh
Hi I’ve just been invited for my first assessment centre tests in Glasgow. I’m based in Edinburgh and got my met the standards email in April. Can someone explain the process from this point onwards as I’ve heard and read a lot of things so looking for some clarification.
 
Joined
4 Jan 2023
Messages
126
Location
Edinburgh
Got a worrying email from Scotrail today basically saying that although I have passed stage 1 assessement they are maxxed out for driver manager interviews and are concentrating on putting higher priority candidates through. So they are putting my application on hold until next year. Anyone else here had the same?
That’s no good, although still promising as when they are looking to progress people next year, you should be one of the first to get going then I’d imagine.

What Depot is it you’ve applied for or are closest to? It may be Depot depending. I am currently waiting for a DMI date myself, Edinburgh based. It’s been 6 weeks since I sat and passed stage 1.
 

Scottt

Member
Joined
6 Apr 2024
Messages
56
Location
Glasgow
Has anyone from the march 24 application & Glasgow based been emailed about sitting stage1 tests recently? Not seen many from this thread. Still waiting to hear regarding sitting stage1, roughly 15 weeks ago I got the met the standard email from recruitment.
Still nothing here, I'm running the same time scales as yourself for Glasgow mate.
 

Kuksoolgirl

Member
Joined
30 Aug 2019
Messages
131
Location
Inverness
Got a worrying email from Scotrail today basically saying that although I have passed stage 1 assessement they are maxxed out for driver manager interviews and are concentrating on putting higher priority candidates through. So they are putting my application on hold until next year. Anyone else here had the same?
You've passed. That's great. Things would have been worse if you hadn't passed. Right now you're in a positive place, unfortunately none of us can call when our depots have got vacancies.

I applied 2019, passed tests, passed DMI, 1 vacancy so I was put in Reserve Pool....then they decided to shut everything down.

Applied March this year...much further on in process, but it's not in the bag until I've got a contract.
 

Jabbaheed

Member
Joined
17 May 2024
Messages
23
Location
Scotland
Can I ask what the stages were for you to get to this point and the timescale from the first assessment day
Hi mate from the first assessment day until the job offer was about a month and a half.

The stages were:
First assessment
DMI
Second assessment & MMI
Medical
 

Kuksoolgirl

Member
Joined
30 Aug 2019
Messages
131
Location
Inverness
Fingers crossed for you.
Time frame for me, I'm sure varies for everyone,
1st Assessment on 24th June,
DMI 30th July,
2nd Assessment 14th August
It all seems so long when you're waiting 'patiently'

Can I ask what the stages were for you to get to this point and the timescale from the first assessment day

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

Fingers crossed for you.
Time frame for me, I'm sure varies for everyone,
1st Assessment on 24th June,
DMI 30th July,
2nd Assessment 14th August
It all seems so long when you're waiting 'patiently'

Can I ask what the stages were for you to get to this point and the timescale from the first assessment day

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==


== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
Medical 27th August
 

DavidAtkin

Member
Joined
11 Mar 2024
Messages
188
Location
Glasgow
Hello everyone. Question- does anyone know how often they run the assessments at atrium court ? And how many people actually sit them on the day ?
 

ZackCulross

Member
Joined
9 Oct 2016
Messages
197
Location
Edinburgh
Hello everyone. Question- does anyone know how often they run the assessments at atrium court ? And how many people actually sit them on the day ?
My stage 1 there was about 15-20 of us and when I was there, the lovely woman said they are doing them all week, so must be alot.
 

robin_cox

Member
Joined
17 Jul 2024
Messages
14
Location
Tayside
Got a worrying email from Scotrail today basically saying that although I have passed stage 1 assessement they are maxxed out for driver manager interviews and are concentrating on putting higher priority candidates through. So they are putting my application on hold until next year. Anyone else here had the same?

I don't know when you went for the in-house stage-1 assessment (a few hours of paper exams at Atrium Court). I had mine on the 16th of July in Glasgow. The test centre staff were lovely and do everything they can (much more so than at University or school) to put you at ease and ensure that you know how to fulfil the exam requirements. One note .. someone needs to change the light or tube starter in the exam waiting room area toilet entrance as it was strobing at around 1 second intervals and really not fit for purpose!

A couple of weeks later (end July) I was in England fetching my daughter from school holiday with family received Email to attend what I now believe was the DMI step in Aberdeen under a week later on 8th Aug. I was able to arrange that but was already booked working up to the night before with week shifts already committed.

Used Email printout for travel through Dundee to Aberdeen - all Scotrail booking office staff and gateline as well as train manager were lovely and very encouraging.

I had spent some time before reading about probable next steps in the process, and I had spent the previous few days when on my own at work trundling around Perthshire running through MMI / situational questions in my head having spent time working on STAR - situation/task/action/result narratives based on those that I could remember from the online questions in the initial application.
When I went in, I was interviewed by a couple of senior staff members. They could not have been nicer or more professional. However, it became clear to me in the first minute that I was completely unprepared for the interview I was sitting in and that my preparation had been directed towards the wrong situation.

@RiverDon - you might find the delay frustrating.
Seriously though : if you've been good enough to get to this stage - play it to your advantage - take time to think or read your way around all of the characteristics required of a driver as well as those pertinent for someone in a customer-facing environment. And then do it again a few times - and then more, and repeat it to yourself and then make it natural. I know I read loads of generic pages online in Feb / March when this process opened called "7 (or) 10 things that you need to be a train driver" - and although initially sceptical - realised through these that I had a lot of the cited characteristics already from my educational and professional as well as personal background completely unrelated to the rail industry. I then believed I fitted the criteria completely with a bit of elastic thinking and some talking to myself.

In the interview room I was a mess because I couldn't recall most of these criteria at all - I just went blank when hit with the "So. What makes you a possible train driver" question (not that exact wording, but thereabouts) because I wasn't prepared for that line of questioning. I could think of loads of anecdotal trainspottery info (not all involving trains) but nothing apparently useful. At the same time I didn't want to just recite "Wikipedia"'s first paragraph about Scotrail when they wanted to know what I knew about the company - and again I was floundering there. If you've got the time, exploit it and get your interview technique down pat. I didn't, and I'm fully expecting to be "maximising my potential" elsewhere when they get round to that part of the process. And if by some mischance I do get through another step, I'm never under-estimating the requirements again.

Very best of luck all!
 

Kuksoolgirl

Member
Joined
30 Aug 2019
Messages
131
Location
Inverness
@Kuksoolgirl , how did your medical go?
All good, although got to go to opticians tomorrow to check re distance sight as I mistook a letter on the 2nd last row. I was told will just be a case of emailing the medical guys the prescription. I only got my eyes tested in Feb this year and all was good then for distance. Possibly being on my phone for much of the 3.5 hour journey there didn't help.

Apart from that passed all the others that they could tell me there and then. So just waiting on the drugs results, which hopefully will be back within a week.
 

jmcculloch674

Member
Joined
28 Apr 2024
Messages
18
Location
Montrose
All good, although got to go to opticians tomorrow to check re distance sight as I mistook a letter on the 2nd last row. I was told will just be a case of emailing the medical guys the prescription. I only got my eyes tested in Feb this year and all was good then for distance. Possibly being on my phone for much of the 3.5 hour journey there didn't help.

Apart from that passed all the others that they could tell me there and then. So just waiting on the drugs results, which hopefully will be back within a week.
Good stuff. Good luck with the rest x
 

rd1988

New Member
Joined
11 Mar 2024
Messages
1
Location
Dundee
I don't know when you went for the in-house stage-1 assessment (a few hours of paper exams at Atrium Court). I had mine on the 16th of July in Glasgow. The test centre staff were lovely and do everything they can (much more so than at University or school) to put you at ease and ensure that you know how to fulfil the exam requirements. One note .. someone needs to change the light or tube starter in the exam waiting room area toilet entrance as it was strobing at around 1 second intervals and really not fit for purpose!

A couple of weeks later (end July) I was in England fetching my daughter from school holiday with family received Email to attend what I now believe was the DMI step in Aberdeen under a week later on 8th Aug. I was able to arrange that but was already booked working up to the night before with week shifts already committed.

Used Email printout for travel through Dundee to Aberdeen - all Scotrail booking office staff and gateline as well as train manager were lovely and very encouraging.

I had spent some time before reading about probable next steps in the process, and I had spent the previous few days when on my own at work trundling around Perthshire running through MMI / situational questions in my head having spent time working on STAR - situation/task/action/result narratives based on those that I could remember from the online questions in the initial application.
When I went in, I was interviewed by a couple of senior staff members. They could not have been nicer or more professional. However, it became clear to me in the first minute that I was completely unprepared for the interview I was sitting in and that my preparation had been directed towards the wrong situation.

@RiverDon - you might find the delay frustrating.
Seriously though : if you've been good enough to get to this stage - play it to your advantage - take time to think or read your way around all of the characteristics required of a driver as well as those pertinent for someone in a customer-facing environment. And then do it again a few times - and then more, and repeat it to yourself and then make it natural. I know I read loads of generic pages online in Feb / March when this process opened called "7 (or) 10 things that you need to be a train driver" - and although initially sceptical - realised through these that I had a lot of the cited characteristics already from my educational and professional as well as personal background completely unrelated to the rail industry. I then believed I fitted the criteria completely with a bit of elastic thinking and some talking to myself.

In the interview room I was a mess because I couldn't recall most of these criteria at all - I just went blank when hit with the "So. What makes you a possible train driver" question (not that exact wording, but thereabouts) because I wasn't prepared for that line of questioning. I could think of loads of anecdotal trainspottery info (not all involving trains) but nothing apparently useful. At the same time I didn't want to just recite "Wikipedia"'s first paragraph about Scotrail when they wanted to know what I knew about the company - and again I was floundering there. If you've got the time, exploit it and get your interview technique down pat. I didn't, and I'm fully expecting to be "maximising my potential" elsewhere when they get round to that part of the process. And if by some mischance I do get through another step, I'm never under-estimating the requirements again.

Very best of luck

I don't know when you went for the in-house stage-1 assessment (a few hours of paper exams at Atrium Court). I had mine on the 16th of July in Glasgow. The test centre staff were lovely and do everything they can (much more so than at University or school) to put you at ease and ensure that you know how to fulfil the exam requirements. One note .. someone needs to change the light or tube starter in the exam waiting room area toilet entrance as it was strobing at around 1 second intervals and really not fit for purpose!

A couple of weeks later (end July) I was in England fetching my daughter from school holiday with family received Email to attend what I now believe was the DMI step in Aberdeen under a week later on 8th Aug. I was able to arrange that but was already booked working up to the night before with week shifts already committed.

Used Email printout for travel through Dundee to Aberdeen - all Scotrail booking office staff and gateline as well as train manager were lovely and very encouraging.

I had spent some time before reading about probable next steps in the process, and I had spent the previous few days when on my own at work trundling around Perthshire running through MMI / situational questions in my head having spent time working on STAR - situation/task/action/result narratives based on those that I could remember from the online questions in the initial application.
When I went in, I was interviewed by a couple of senior staff members. They could not have been nicer or more professional. However, it became clear to me in the first minute that I was completely unprepared for the interview I was sitting in and that my preparation had been directed towards the wrong situation.

@RiverDon - you might find the delay frustrating.
Seriously though : if you've been good enough to get to this stage - play it to your advantage - take time to think or read your way around all of the characteristics required of a driver as well as those pertinent for someone in a customer-facing environment. And then do it again a few times - and then more, and repeat it to yourself and then make it natural. I know I read loads of generic pages online in Feb / March when this process opened called "7 (or) 10 things that you need to be a train driver" - and although initially sceptical - realised through these that I had a lot of the cited characteristics already from my educational and professional as well as personal background completely unrelated to the rail industry. I then believed I fitted the criteria completely with a bit of elastic thinking and some talking to myself.

In the interview room I was a mess because I couldn't recall most of these criteria at all - I just went blank when hit with the "So. What makes you a possible train driver" question (not that exact wording, but thereabouts) because I wasn't prepared for that line of questioning. I could think of loads of anecdotal trainspottery info (not all involving trains) but nothing apparently useful. At the same time I didn't want to just recite "Wikipedia"'s first paragraph about Scotrail when they wanted to know what I knew about the company - and again I was floundering there. If you've got the time, exploit it and get your interview technique down pat. I didn't, and I'm fully expecting to be "maximising my potential" elsewhere when they get round to that part of the process. And if by some mischance I do get through another step, I'm never under-estimating the requirements again.

Very best of luck all!
Hi sorry it never went they way you expected but hopefully you still get good news. i have an interview coming up aswell and i think im maybe about to make the same mistake. Ive been preparing the way you said you have but im assuming by reading the above that i should maybe prepare for other questions aswell. In the email it says competency and situation based questions i take it that they never asked these types? Any help would be appreciated
 

robin_cox

Member
Joined
17 Jul 2024
Messages
14
Location
Tayside
Hi sorry it never went they way you expected but hopefully you still get good news. i have an interview coming up aswell and i think im maybe about to make the same mistake. Ive been preparing the way you said you have but im assuming by reading the above that i should maybe prepare for other questions aswell. In the email it says competency and situation based questions i take it that they never asked these types? Any help would be appreciated
Situational is (from what I've understood) mostly quite open-ended questions along the lines of "tell us a time that .... " similar to those in the initial March 24 online form - and these didn't really feature as far as I can remember and I suspect are more important for the in-person MMI (open to correction on this).
Competency appears to be as I've suggested above - what are the skills required to be a train driver and how do you relate to each of these points - and it was demonstrating these that I struggled on despite the fact that there is loads of generic info out there that should be usable as the basis for your "portfolio". I'd read through and thought about it months ago before focusing more on the Bourdon and various other shape / logic tests in the revision time I had available. Bottom line is that this interview is mostly about who you are as a person and how will you fit in with the team. The interviewers know what makes the team tick and who is likely to be a positive addition, so are giving you every opportunity to show them that you have the required attributes both personally and professionally.
 

alicc98

Member
Joined
12 Mar 2024
Messages
18
Location
edinburgh
I’m going to my first assessment day on Monday. It says I’m gonna be doing group bourdon, trainability for rules and procedures 1&2 and test of everyday attention (tea-occ). Is there any interviews after this or is it just strictly these tests for that day ? Been doing my revision for the bourdon and tea-occ. Any tips for the rules and procedures part ?
 

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