TfW Conductor Talent Pool

[Matt11]

Wowee well done you as well. Another potential starter then. Fantastic news and celebrations in order. Well worth the wait and such a relief at last. I bet you cant wait to get the uniform on as well. I think its a 07790 number off a work phone she rang. We had an initial chat on the phone a few days ago. I tried to send a text with attachment off google maps to prove im still within the hour commute limit but wouldnt go through with it being a work phone.

Im hoping to hear back next week with further updates to get a date for my medical etc. I dont know if It might be a different person depending which depot you are at. Said she was a conductor recruiting manager. Dont worry they will get round to you. They said they are very busy at the moment doing assessments all day for other training courses but we have plenty of time between now and Jan. We might well end up being on the same course. What depot will you be based at?

Thanks, looking forward to finding out what’s next. Carmarthen depot, training Cardiff I imagine. Great, I will make sure I answer that call!

 

[thematrix]

Thanks, looking forward to finding out what’s next. Carmarthen depot, training Cardiff I imagine. Great, I will make sure I answer that call!

Looks like we would be on different training courses then. If you are Carmarthen you will train in Cardiff down south. Im North wales so my training will be in the Northern areas around Chester / Crewe. have they said when your start date might be? I imagine it would be around a similar time Jan/Feb

 

[LiamHolloway]

That’s good to know
Do you know when the courses
are starting in the new year ?

Couldn’t say I’m afraid. They seem to just start whenever training rooms are free to be booked. My course started right as one course finished. And the course behind me has started as we've reached the halfway point.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Oct 2022 ==

Wowee well done you as well. Another potential starter then. Fantastic news and celebrations in order. Well worth the wait and such a relief at last. I bet you cant wait to get the uniform on as well. I think its a 07790 number off a work phone she rang. We had an initial chat on the phone a few days ago. I tried to send a text with attachment off google maps to prove im still within the hour commute limit but wouldnt go through with it being a work phone.

Im hoping to hear back next week with further updates to get a date for my medical etc. I dont know if It might be a different person depending which depot you are at. Said she was a conductor recruiting manager. Dont worry they will get round to you. They said they are very busy at the moment doing assessments all day for other training courses but we have plenty of time between now and Jan. We might well end up being on the same course. What depot will you be based at?

congratulations, welcome to the team. Good luck with your medical and your course!

 

[MP393]

I’m currently in my 7th week about to be out for minders week. Courses are currently planned well in to 2023 and starting one after another.

Hope you’re enjoying it mate.. We were on the induction together but I’m on the North course Got our minders week next week too. Good luck with the rest of it

 

[Matt11]

Looks like we would be on different training courses then. If you are Carmarthen you will train in Cardiff down south. Im North wales so my training will be in the Northern areas around Chester / Crewe. have they said when your start date might be? I imagine it would be around a similar time Jan/Feb

Ah that’s a shame. No not yet, Im sure that’s what will be discussed when I get the call. Could possibly be similar dates as yourself as you’ve been notified the same time

 

[LRV3004]

Only just noticed this thread so I'll chuck in my 50p!
I was successful at getting a place in the talent pool for a Conductor vacancy at Crewe around February 2018 (I think), back when it was Arriva Trains Wales. I enquired further and was told I was second in the queue.
During my waiting time I did apply, and succeed, at getting a job as a shunter/trainperson at DRS, and started there in June 2018. Round about September/October I got a call from ATW saying there was a course starting in November and was I still interested.
I told them that while I was, I had started with another operator and was on my probationary time. I asked if I could defer it to see if things worked out at DRS or not, and they said I could.
I never heard from them again, and would have been removed from the talent pool around February 2020.
Luckily things did work out at DRS - I'm about three weeks away from qualifying as a driver!
I'm assuming that the higher you place in the talent pool, the more likely you are to receive a call asking about potential start dates.

 

[Tevion539]

I had my interview on the 11th and the following thursday I got an email to say I was successful. I'm not sure how long I will be waiting, but my mate who is a driver at Carmarthen said he was in the pool for three months when he applied in 2018. I applied for Cardiff, but said Carmarthen is my second choice in the interview. So hopefully I get something soon?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Oct 2022 ==

Well, sooner than later any way

 

[thematrix]

I had my interview on the 11th and the following thursday I got an email to say I was successful. I'm not sure how long I will be waiting, but my mate who is a driver at Carmarthen said he was in the pool for three months when he applied in 2018. I applied for Cardiff, but said Carmarthen is my second choice in the interview. So hopefully I get something soon?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Oct 2022 ==

Well, sooner than later any way

Cardiff is a big busy depot with a large staff turnover so recruitment turnaround times are really quick. They may say 12 months waiting in talent pool but more likely anywhere between a few weeks to a few months at most. They will call you back for a start date shortly. Most likely it will Cardiff as they always seem to need the most staff.

 

[Tevion539]

Cardiff is a big busy depot with a large staff turnover so recruitment turnaround times are really quick. They may say 12 months waiting in talent pool but more likely anywhere between a few weeks to a few months at most. They will call you back for a start date shortly. Most likely it will Cardiff as they always seem to need the most staff.

I suspect as much, honestly. Not sure what to expect if I do get a start date. What line I'll be covering etc. Honestly, though. I got a job with SWR as a commercial guard February last year, but never got a start date. All they tell me is they still have no updates! Cardiff is my home, though. So I'll be happy if I even get my foot in the door. Wonder why there's a huge staff turn over

 

[LiamHolloway]

Hope you’re enjoying it mate.. We were on the induction together but I’m on the North course Got our minders week next week too. Good luck with the rest of it

Christ induction doesn’t that feel like half a decade ago now. Hope you’re enjoying too bud. I’m off to Crewe on Monday morning. Good luck with the rest of yours as well!

 

[thematrix]

Couldn’t say I’m afraid. They seem to just start whenever training rooms are free to be booked. My course started right as one course finished. And the course behind me has started as we've reached the halfway point.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Oct 2022 ==


congratulations, welcome to the team. Good luck with your medical and your course!

Thanks Liam. Really looking forward to 9th Jan start date and really hoping it doesnt end up all falling through. Will let you know how I get on for medical and all the rest etc.
Hope training is all going well for you so far mate. Good luck on minders week. I imagine it will make it all seem more real to you now.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Oct 2022 ==

I suspect as much, honestly. Not sure what to expect if I do get a start date. What line I'll be covering etc. Honestly, though. I got a job with SWR as a commercial guard February last year, but never got a start date. All they tell me is they still have no updates! Cardiff is my home, though. So I'll be happy if I even get my foot in the door. Wonder why there's a huge staff turn over

More opportunities for promotion in Cardiff as its so huge as guards move onto driver roles or other senior promotion areas or simply move and change depots leaving more vacancies to be filled. Massive expansion in the works as well creating more vacancies as been a huge intake plan with these past few years with courses planned well into through 2023. Dont worry, you will get there, most likely within the next few weeks I imagine. Let us know if you hear anything. Might very well end up sharing the same induction with others on here lol.

 

[Tevion539]

Thanks Liam. Really looking forward to 9th Jan start date and really hoping it doesnt end up all falling through. Will let you know how I get on for medical and all the rest etc.
Hope training is all going well for you so far mate. Good luck on minders week. I imagine it will make it all seem more real to you now.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Oct 2022 ==


More opportunities for promotion in Cardiff as its so huge as guards move onto driver roles or other senior promotion areas or simply move and change depots leaving more vacancies to be filled. Massive expansion in the works as well creating more vacancies as been a huge intake plan with these past few years with courses planned well into through 2023. Dont worry, you will get there, most likely within the next few weeks I imagine. Let us know if you hear anything. Might very well end up sharing the same induction with others on here lol.

I'll need to leave the DVLA first honestly something I've been chasing since I was a kid watching Thomas the Tank with my grandad at Christmas! He used to work in maintenance in some capacity but died when I was young. So it'll be something intake pride in if I get a start date for sure

 

[thematrix]

Bear in mind there are only 9 conductors at Pwllheli so jobs don't come up very often.

The advice I always give to people in the talent pool is to not overthink it too much - there really isn't much you can do to change how long you're going to be in there, and it's near impossible to predict when a position will come up, so it's best not to think about it too much and to try and get on with your life, as frustrating as that can be.

By all means message HR and remind them of your existence, and hopefully you might get an update, but beyond that once your in the pool there's not much left in your control.

Hiya, does anyone know off hand how strict TFW is with the 1 hour commute time? Ive been offered a provisional start date for 9th January. The lady I spoke to says she has some concern as her google maps search is coming up 1 hour and 8 minutes for my commute route which she said is too high. I told her ive always known it to be within an hour myself and driven there within an hour when I applied. The maps app on the I phone along with AA/Rac maps show under an hour. She replied stating TFW policy is to go by google maps only which shows a higher commute time.

I mentioned im willing to move and rent a room nearer the depot if that helps and was told to take 2 weeks to think about it. The online application states 1 hour under normal road conditions. Ive noticed on google maps there are now 4 sets of roadworks on my route which is making the time higher than an hour. The roadworks website state these should be finished by the time I start. If i mention this to the recruitment team, do you think they will take that under consideration?

 

[L401CJF]

Hiya, does anyone know off hand how strict TFW is with the 1 hour commute time? Ive been offered a provisional start date for 9th January. The lady I spoke to says she has some concern as her google maps search is coming up 1 hour and 8 minutes for my commute route which she said is too high. I told her ive always known it to be within an hour myself and driven there within an hour when I applied. The maps app on the I phone along with AA/Rac maps show under an hour. She replied stating TFW policy is to go by google maps only which shows a higher commute time.

I mentioned im willing to move and rent a room nearer the depot if that helps and was told to take 2 weeks to think about it. The online application states 1 hour under normal road conditions. Ive noticed on google maps there are now 4 sets of roadworks on my route which is making the time higher than an hour. The roadworks website state these should be finished by the time I start. If i mention this to the recruitment team, do you think they will take that under consideration?

I would imagine so. When they offered me another depot while in the pool it was further away, but still within the hour under "normal conditions" (just) hence why they offered it. It did however involve a big stretch of the M6 which as many know quite easily makes journey times considerably longer if it goes pear shaped! If there where road works on that route (or a motorway closure), it would have easily pushed it over the hour limit.

If you're confident it's usually less than 1 hour then I would explain the current situation and let them know.

 

[thematrix]

I would imagine so. When they offered me another depot while in the pool it was further away, but still within the hour under "normal conditions" (just) hence why they offered it. It did however involve a big stretch of the M6 which as many know quite easily makes journey times considerably longer if it goes pear shaped! If there where road works on that route (or a motorway closure), it would have easily pushed it over the hour limit.

If you're confident it's usually less than 1 hour then I would explain the current situation and let them know.

Hiya
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. Thats useful to know. I will look to get back to the recruitment team and explain it to them then. Ive been waiting 18 months and didnt want it to fail.

Ive been checking google maps myself throughout the day and sometimes glitches different times just under an hour and then later on just over an hour with roadworks. Im going to try and take a snapshot of it and email it to them. Will let you know how I get on, fingers crossed.

I would mention to other people viewing this forum to be wary of commute times if they are on the upper end of their commute time and borderline one hour and check google maps to keep an eye out for roadworks or accidents on the road which may push it over the hour and take that into account. If the recruitment team calls you for an offer, they will view google maps for your route when they call you.

Hope you are keeping fit and well yourself. What depot are you at now? Have you passed out now?

 

[L401CJF]

Hiya
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. Thats useful to know. I will look to get back to the recruitment team and explain it to them then. Ive been waiting 18 months and didnt want it to fall through.

Ive been checking google maps myself throughout the day and sometimes glitches different times just under an hour and then later on just over an hour with roadworks. Im going to try and take a snapshot of it and email it to them. Will let you know how I get on, fingers crossed.

I would mention to other people viewing this forum to be wary of commute times if they are on the upper end of their commute time and borderline one hour and check google maps to keep an eye out for roadworks or accidents on the road which may push it over the hour and take that into account. If the recruitment team calls you for an other they will view google maps for your route when they call you.

Hope you are keeping fit and well yourself. What depot are you at now? Have you passed out now?

The thing with Google maps is it'll pick a route based on which is fastest at that time and factors in current traffic levels and reported roadworks so it does vary depending when you look!

Yes I've been passed out a while, excellent job but you do need to put the effort in for the training. Thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it, I'm sure you will too!

 

[thematrix]

The thing with Google maps is it'll pick a route based on which is fastest at that time and factors in current traffic levels and reported roadworks so it does vary depending when you look!

Yes I've been passed out a while, excellent job but you do need to put the effort in for the training. Thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it, I'm sure you will too!

Yeah ive noticed that looking at it sometime shows an alternate route which takes over an hour compared to my regular route which is usually within an hour. Sometimes when the roads are flooded and traffic is being re routed hence roadworks to build a new by pass and bridge which shouldn't reflect a normal typical commute route once the roadworks are finished

I think the recruitment Lady did a search on a really bad day when there was an accident on the road combined with roadworks. Like you said it went ‘pear shaped’ Will ask them to check again and discuss it with them during the week.

Well done for passing out. Im really hoping to enjoy my start date and induction myself. Will let you know how I get on.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Nov 2022 ==

The thing with Google maps is it'll pick a route based on which is fastest at that time and factors in current traffic levels and reported roadworks so it does vary depending when you look!

Yes I've been passed out a while, excellent job but you do need to put the effort in for the training. Thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it, I'm sure you will too!

Hiya, just to keep everyone updated. I am going ahead with the trainee train conductor role at Machynlleth on 9th Jan.

I managed to take a snapshot of my commute route on google maps just under an hour and I emailed it over to the recruitment team. I also asked them to double check the address they had for me as the time they were giving me seemed rather high and I explained some of the roadworks have calmed down now giving a better commute time. The rest being finished by the time I commence a start date. I spoke to a nice lady who said she would check it.

I had an appointment with her on the phone to discuss looking at trying to go forward with the 9th January start date. She was kind enough to keep trying google map searches for me sporadically throughout the day and she managed to take a snapshot of it coming up just under an hour to document as evidence I am still within an hour.

Massive relief as I don’t have to move and I can look at going ahead with the 9th January start date which I gladly bit their fingers off for. She said I would need to have a medical so Just looking at sorting out medical now.

 

[thematrix]

Christ induction doesn’t that feel like half a decade ago now. Hope you’re enjoying too bud. I’m off to Crewe on Monday morning. Good luck with the rest of yours as well!

Does anyone know with the Induction and conductor training in the classroom, do you get put up in a hotel? Is all your hotel and food paid for by the company whilst you are in training?

 

[craigybagel]

Does anyone know with the Induction and conductor training in the classroom, do you get put up in a hotel? Is all your hotel and food paid for by the company whilst you are in training?

If you live far away enough from the location that your training course will take place in, then yes you will be put up in a hotel, with breakfast and dinner, provided by the company.

 

[thematrix]

If you live far away enough from the location that your training course will take place in, then yes you will be put up in a hotel, with breakfast and dinner, provided by the company.

Thats good to know. Thank you for info. I live in North Wales so if training classes are around Chester, Crewe or Shrewsbury, then this would be over two hours for me to drive. 4 hours of daily commuting whilst trying to study for tests will be a knackering long day for me so I imagine I will take hotel option me thinks.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Nov 2022 ==

Only just noticed this thread so I'll chuck in my 50p!
I was successful at getting a place in the talent pool for a Conductor vacancy at Crewe around February 2018 (I think), back when it was Arriva Trains Wales. I enquired further and was told I was second in the queue.
During my waiting time I did apply, and succeed, at getting a job as a shunter/trainperson at DRS, and started there in June 2018. Round about September/October I got a call from ATW saying there was a course starting in November and was I still interested.
I told them that while I was, I had started with another operator and was on my probationary time. I asked if I could defer it to see if things worked out at DRS or not, and they said I could.
I never heard from them again, and would have been removed from the talent pool around February 2020.
Luckily things did work out at DRS - I'm about three weeks away from qualifying as a driver!
I'm assuming that the higher you place in the talent pool, the more likely you are to receive a call asking about potential start dates.

Talent pools seem to vary now with almost no rhyme or reason. There used to be speculation it was based around your talent pool score from interview and psychometric test. IE someone who scored higher in these areas would possibly be placed ahead of someone with lower scores even though they both technically passed the grade. There has also been distance from depot where someone who lives closest may get higher priority. Finally previous occupation seems to be taken into account. IE ex army and police will be snatched up the quickest as they seem to have the most desirable skills for the railway industry. Ive also found people who have been managers with lots of responsibility are also preferred. Different TOCs may have different criteria on how they manage their talent pools although its pretty much kept confidential and shrouded in mystery in how they decide on who to draw up from their list of candidate to fill a single vacancy and put someone forward. The above may be factors they consider but i cant say for certain.

 

[L401CJF]

Does anyone know with the Induction and conductor training in the classroom, do you get put up in a hotel? Is all your hotel and food paid for by the company whilst you are in training?

As @craigybagel says, yes you'd be put up in a hotel if you're over a certain distance. I had to commute it as it was under an hour although they did provide a letter to allow free travel on TfW services until my TOC passes arrived. Those on the course from further afield travelled down on a Monday and back home Friday, all meals etc included at the hotel.

 

[Tevion539]

Thats good to know. Thank you for info. I live in North Wales so if training classes are around Chester, Crewe or Shrewsbury, then this would be over two hours for me to drive. 4 hours of daily commuting whilst trying to study for tests will be a knackering long day for me so I imagine I will take hotel option me thinks.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Nov 2022 ==


Talent pools seem to vary now with almost no rhyme or reason. There used to be speculation it was based around your talent pool score from interview and psychometric test. IE someone who scored higher in these areas would possibly be placed ahead of someone with lower scores even though they both technically passed the grade. There has also been distance from depot where someone who lives closest may get higher priority. Finally previous occupation seems to be taken into account. IE ex army and police will be snatched up the quickest as they seem to have the most desirable skills for the railway industry. Ive also found people who have been managers with lots of responsibility are also preferred. Different TOCs may have different criteria on how they manage their talent pools although its pretty much kept confidential and shrouded in mystery in how they decide on who to draw up from their list of candidate to fill a single vacancy and put someone forward. The above may be factors they consider but i cant say for certain.

Is that speculation true do you think?

 

[Tevion539]

Just as a matter of luck - had the call today with a January start date. Subject to medical of course!!

 

[L401CJF]

Is that speculation true do you think?

To a point yes, just because youre ex army or ex police doesnt mean they snatch you up. You could be ex police but answer the questions badly and not even pass the interview. I think the order people are picked for courses from the pool depend on various things. Distance is probably up there, the scores for your interview etc probably count.

My course had a mix of people from various backgrounds. Only one was ex police, others were a mix of retail, aviation, bus, finance, aerospace, cabin crew.. really varied.

If you make the pool you make the pool, chances are you'll get picked, eventually!

 

[Tevion539]

To a point yes, just because youre ex army or ex police doesnt mean they snatch you up. You could be ex police but answer the questions badly and not even pass the interview. I think the order people are picked for courses from the pool depend on various things. Distance is probably up there, the scores for your interview etc probably count.

My course had a mix of people from various backgrounds. Only one was ex police, others were a mix of retail, aviation, bus, finance, aerospace, cabin crew.. really varied.

If you make the pool you make the pool, chances are you'll get picked, eventually!

I had a call today after leaving work to give me a start date in January. Only been in the pool a month, so must've done a lot better than expected!

 

[ValleyLine]

I had a call today after leaving work to give me a start date in January. Only been in the pool a month, so must've done a lot better than expected!

Well done mate. What depot are you going to be starting at? I applied for cardiff / Valleys lines and was put in the Talent pool on the 17th of October. Patiently waiting now..

 

[Tevion539]

Well done mate. What depot are you going to be starting at? I applied for cardiff / Valleys lines and was put in the Talent pool on the 17th of October. Patiently waiting now..

Cardiff mate - I'll be on the mainline. Can't remember the specific date I'll start, I might call the person from recruitment again to get the dates. She said one of her colleagues will be in contact soon so I'll wait a few days. You've been in the pool for a similar amount of time as me it seems

 

[GalaxyDog]

Hi people,

Well done on getting your jobs with TfW or at the very least, into the talent pool!

May I enquire how your recruitment processes went please? Did you sit some tests at home, like SCAAT, RAAT and such and then be invited to an interview, and if so, was it just interview or were there group interviews and further testing at the 'interview sessions'? Many thanks.

 

[LiamHolloway]

Hi people,

Well done on getting your jobs with TfW or at the very least, into the talent pool!

May I enquire how your recruitment processes went please? Did you sit some tests at home, like SCAAT, RAAT and such and then be invited to an interview, and if so, was it just interview or were there group interviews and further testing at the 'interview sessions'? Many thanks.

For me it was the tests at home so SCAAT and raat all that , then it was just one interview with 2 people and got the start date a few months after that.

 

[GalaxyDog]

For me it was the tests at home so SCAAT and raat all that , then it was just one interview with 2 people and got the start date a few months after that.

That's fair enough, thank you for the information.