SWT Commercial Guard

[Stigy]

I noticed on SWT's website that Commercial Guards get around £28,000 after training, however last month I checked a vacancy and it was a more realistic £31,000 (sounds about right given the increases over the years). I fear that SWT recruitment got the salary incorrect as they often do on the website, that or they dont pay as much now as they did last month? It appealed to me at £31,000, but not so much at 28k....Anyone shed any light?

 

[Urban Gateline]

I noticed on SWT's website that Commercial Guards get around £28,000 after training, however last month I checked a vacancy and it was a more realistic £31,000 (sounds about right given the increases over the years). I fear that SWT recruitment got the salary incorrect as they often do on the website, that or they dont pay as much now as they did last month? It appealed to me at £31,000, but not so much at 28k....Anyone shed any light?

I noticed that too...thought that at £28k it's hardly worth it compared to £26k for non-commercial guard, I believe the London allowance even brings the non-commercial guard's salary near £28k!

So my reckoning was that the commercial positions available atm are not in the London area, so that could be why the salary is less as it doesn't warrant the London allowance.

 

[Stigy]

I noticed that too...thought that at £28k it's hardly worth it compared to £26k for non-commercial guard, I believe the London allowance even brings the non-commercial guard's salary near £28k!

So my reckoning was that the commercial positions available atm are not in the London area, so that could be why the salary is less as it doesn't warrant the London allowance.

The £30,000 last advertised was without allowances. All vacancies are advertised at SWT with allowances listed seperately I believe, so the £30,000(ish) equates to £32,000 if at Waterloo as an example. Also, you'll notice that a Fratton Guard is listed as getting paid more than a Farnham Guard, which, even if the allowances were included, wouldn't make sense as you'd receive an out london/ home counties allowance in Farnham, where you'd receive the bear minimum at Fratton. Strange...

 

[Urban Gateline]

The £30,000 last advertised was without allowances. All vacancies are advertised at SWT with allowances listed seperately I believe, so the £30,000(ish) equates to £32,000 if at Waterloo as an example. Also, you'll notice that a Fratton Guard is listed as getting paid more than a Farnham Guard, which, even if the allowances were included, wouldn't make sense as you'd receive an out london/ home counties allowance in Farnham, where you'd receive the bear minimum at Fratton. Strange...

Ah yes, you are right! I suppose the only way to find out if they've made an error is to call them and query the salary levels, but it could be as you said that the salaries have decreased

 

[Stigy]

Ah yes, you are right! I suppose the only way to find out if they've made an error is to call them and query the salary levels, but it could be as you said that the salaries have decreased

I think it's more likely that recruitment are using the old salaries in the adverts, as it wouldn't be the first time they've done this. I also noticed how in the article it says, or did recently anyway, that you won't at present be required to work Christmas Day and Boxing Day....A sign of things to come maybe?

 

[Matt Taylor]

I noticed that too...thought that at £28k it's hardly worth it compared to £26k for non-commercial guard, I believe the London allowance even brings the non-commercial guard's salary near £28k!

So my reckoning was that the commercial positions available atm are not in the London area, so that could be why the salary is less as it doesn't warrant the London allowance.

Non-Commercials in London are on £28001 exactly. I want to go commercial, I'll lose my London allowance probably but I'll gain in commission on ticket sales (5%) so I don't lose out financially although my reason for wanting to go commercial is not a financial one.

 

[387star]

how much is it per hour or is it difficult to work out (I realise there is commission)

 

[Urban Gateline]

Non-Commercials in London are on £28001 exactly. I want to go commercial, I'll lose my London allowance probably but I'll gain in commission on ticket sales (5%) so I don't lose out financially although my reason for wanting to go commercial is not a financial one.

I'm guessing it's either to work on different units/routes and/or because learning and doing the ticketing side of things makes the job more interesting?!

 

[Stigy]

how much is it per hour or is it difficult to work out (I realise there is commission)

In my role, although 37-hrs a week as opposed to a Guard's 42(?), I get about £26,500 which equates to about £12.80 I believe. I would imagine a Commercial Guard would get a could of quid more per hour given the salary increase, but taking in to account the extra 5-hrs per week.

 

[Matt Taylor]

Non-Commercial is £11.87 ph. London Allowance is around £150 per month.

 

[BestWestern]

I'm pretty sure that Fratton does qualify for an additional allowance of some level, about £800 I seem to recall. Unless they've changed that now. But an SWT Commercial Guard should be on circa £30k, all in. This includes Sunday working of course, which is part of the SWT working week.

 

[bailey19]

Ive recently applied for a commercial guard and Guard job with SWT im sure theirs been loads of applicants but just wondering if anyone has had any feed back?
many thanks
scott

 

[313103]

On London Overground Conductors are paid £26,444 for a 36 hr week, Sundays are outside the working week, however with the current amount of Sunday work that is rostered it puts the salary up to £30,700. Maximum turn length is 10hrs 15mins.

Does SWT offer better then this? i once did consider moving to SWT but got put off by the travelling and cost of travelling. Yet rather strangely quite a few former SWT employees now work for LO and their main reason for moving was the fact that they can rostered up to a 11hr.30 minute diagram, and that Management often did not support them when something happened to them.

 

[Stigy]

I'm pretty sure that Fratton does qualify for an additional allowance of some level, about £800 I seem to recall. Unless they've changed that now. But an SWT Commercial Guard should be on circa £30k, all in. This includes Sunday working of course, which is part of the SWT working week.

All areas get an additional allowance, but I believe Fratton would be the lowest level given it's distance from London (£300 rings a bell?). Inner London allowance is around £2,000pa with SWT, and Outer allowance (including Guildford but no further south I don't think) is around £800pa.

 

[geordierob]

Ive recently applied for a commercial guard and Guard job with SWT im sure theirs been loads of applicants but just wondering if anyone has had any feed back?
many thanks
scott

I also applied for the commercial guard at Farnham, as well as the non commercial guard at Guildford, got a date for the non commercial about two weeks before the closing date, but not heard anything for the commercial guard. Now waiting till December to re-apply as failed the customer service services roll part of the tests.

 

[bailey19]

Im sorry to hear that mate.I hope to hear from SWT soon, just have to wait i guess .

 

[387star]

I know there is disagreement but is it only guard and train driver roles its two shots and your out?i

 

[bailey19]

Anyone else still waiting to hear from SWT about guard and commercial guard vacancies out of Farnham and Guildford?

 

[francisoldfield]

for some waiting for guards positions...

they have sent letters (especially for Fratton guards positions) saying thanks for waiting but there are no jobs and if you want to stay on the system for when vacancies to arise then fill in this slip at the bottom and send it back to us.

for waterloo, guildford and wimbledon they are advertising again on the website for these roles!!

useless of what~?

 

[387star]

Are these people who have passed assessment/interview or were invited for assessment only for it to be called off?

 

[bailey19]

I had a email from SWT to say they still had'nt sreened my application for vancancies at Farnham and guildford, that was last week there now readvertising for the Guildford role so i think i'll call them tomorrow and see what they say.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Well spoke to SWT recruitment today ,all they said was that my applications are waiting to be screened still, its a little frustrating but all i can do is wait. Im sure theirs many others like me.

 

[geordierob]

I can't see why there is a problem with the guards roll at Guildford, I was asked to attend the assessment center two weeks before the closing date at the start of August, there were nine on the course, it must be down to SWT failing large amounts of candidates, at the assessment center...... One guy had been waiting four months for Guildford from applying to the assessment day....

 

[387star]

If not many people pass assessments do they tend to readvertise the role before they carry out the interviews so that it is fair? That might explain waiting times too

 

[455driver]

Mess room gossip is that Guildford is VERY short of non commercial guards, 7 is the figure doing the rounds.

 

[Matt Taylor]

We just lost one to Guildford from Strawberry Hill, I might consider such a move but Fratton is where I would prefer to be.

 

[bailey19]

Spoke to SWT today i've been told that there's not much chance of being called to an assesment this side of christmas ,regards to the guildford position ,commercial guard no idea .

 

[Urban Gateline]

It's official now...

SWT Commercial Guard earns LESS than a Non-commercial Guard...!

From the SWT Site (http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/job-search.aspx) Latest job vacancies:

Commercial Guard, Basingstoke
Reference number SWT00684

- Salary £14,823 rising to £26,951 after qualifying
- Plus Regional Allowanceouth East-inc Basingstoke, Bournemouth, Salisbury, Southampton and Portsmouth - £379
_____________________________________________________________
Guard, Waterloo
Reference number SWT00686

- Salary £17,335 rising to £26,001after qualifying
- Plus Regional Allowance:£1,949 London(Inner)-inc Waterloo and Wimbledon

So why does a Commercial Guard get £2.5k p/a less than a non-commercial Guard during training?!

Even excluding the allowances (as London jobs do tend to get more) a Commercial Guard only gets £950 p/a more than a non-commercial Guard...that is pretty dismal if correct, for the extra revenue and cash-handling responsabilities.

Yes I know that SWT used to advertise commercial guards at around £32k p/a (incl. allowances I think), so why the big drop in salary, unless this is a mistake?!

 

[richw]

what are the differences in the job roles?

 

[Urban Gateline]

Non-commercial Guard just operates the doors, only doing operational duties, whilst the Commercial Guard does the above PLUS also issuing and checking tickets!

 

[185]

SWT were a bit concerned at applications from outide the 1 hour area, even though applications were clearly marked 'will relocate immediately'. Still waiting to hear back from them.