Southeastern Station Staff

[dlj83]

I've recently applied for a role with Southeastern as station staff but I've been accepted to start University in 2023.

The Southeastern role is full time, so I'm just wondering if Southeastern would be willing to accommodate my studies with a full time job?

In my previous job before I was made redundant due to COVID (it was also a customer service role) I was told I'd only be able to progress in work if I had a degree, after being with that company for 12 years I have made it my ambition to get my degree so I can get a better job.

My last thing, I'm currently 38 so after finishing a degree I'd be 41, if Southeastern wouldn't accept someone who studying and working would I stand a chance of being successful for applying for a station staff role at 41 or do they prefer younger people?

Any tips appreciated.

 

[bill55bill]

Can't answer most of that but I've recently been told I passed the interview for train guard with a different company and I'm 59...

Don't think age is a barrier these days, this will be a complete career change for me.

Good luck!

 

[dlj83]

Can't answer most of that but I've recently been told I passed the interview for train guard with a different company and I'm 59...

Don't think age is a barrier these days, this will be a complete career change for me.

Good luck!

Good to know about age, just in case they require me to study first.

Congratulations for passing your interview

 

[bill55bill]

Good to know about age, just in case they require me to study first.

Congratulations for passing your interview

Thank you!

 

[Class2ldn]

I very much doubt they'd take you on knowing you want to go and study full time, they won't employ you and then accommodate you to study.
You're best doing your studies and applying for a job after.
You also certainly don't need a degree to progress in that job.

 

[377390]

My experience is with another TOC but all the customer service roles where I work are on a rolling roster. You will join a line on the roster and so you will know your working hours and days off in advance. I think it's unlikely that Southeastern would give you a full time role that also allows you fit your working hours around University.

 

[PaulJ]

Can't answer most of that but I've recently been told I passed the interview for train guard with a different company and I'm 59...

Don't think age is a barrier these days, this will be a complete career change for me.

Good luck!

Congratulations! I joined the railway as a Conductor at the age of 56 after 30 odd years in retail banking. I wish I'd jumped earlier!

 

[Roger1973]

I can't give an informed opinion on South Eastern, but it has (for a while) been illegal for employers to discriminate on grounds of age in recruitment decisions. While there are a few employers out there who still haven't even quite adjusted to the 1970s sex and race discrimination laws, the larger the corporate, the more likely they are to have processes that try to reduce discrimination.

I am a tad older, and had 3 job offers (I didn't accept them all) in the last year, one of which was for something that was a slightly new direction.

I'm not sure how SE would react to you wanting to go off or go part time (if that's an option) a year in to your new job, or if they would be happy to take you on in a permanent full time role if they know you're going to leave in a year. It's just possible they might accept you transferring to working weekends / holidays only, but I'm not convinced. Others who know SE better than I do may be able to comment.

You could of course not tell SE about the course offer, take the job, save as much money as you can, then resign next year and look for part time work while you study. It feels a bit unsporting to do that, but on the other hand I presume you need a job now. A few jobs that have lengthy training and a licence or qualification at the end of it (e.g. bus driving if you join without having a bus driving licence) tend to come with a clause that if you quit within (say) 2 years, you have to pay them something towards the training / licence, but I wouldn't have thought this would apply to station staff roles.

Would you want to continue as station staff once you have your degree? Many plc's including the train operators have a graduate training scheme, age discrimination laws presumably apply to these schemes as well, but I don't know how many ex mature students get on to them, or whether you would feel out of place if you did among what is likely to be a bunch of 21 year olds.

I'm also not sure what level of job you can get to on the railways without a degree - not all organisations have a rigid 'no non-graduates past this point' rule. Again, others who know SE may be able to offer thoughts. (Although SE may be franchised to one of the big groups in 3-4 years' time, and with the current take-overs in the air, how this group behaves now may not be how they behave in a few years' time.)

An alternative approach would depend on how far you have got with the university application process (not something I know much about.) Alternatives to full time study might be (assuming you must be fairly near London) seeing what Birkbeck College can offer - it's part of London University, and does full scale degree (and postgrad) courses, but does it part time. (although this may be more difficult to fit round variable shift work if that's what the role with SE would be.) And of course there's the Open University where you largely do it in your own time.

Best of luck whichever way you go.

 

[bill55bill]

Congratulations! I joined the railway as a Conductor at the age of 56 after 30 odd years in retail banking. I wish I'd jumped earlier!

Thanks Paul, 40 years in Local Government here, have the same wish!

 

[CockneySamurai]

Test.