Drivers wanted ...

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From Hampshire Live

Train drivers are needed - and you could earn £54k in your first year

Great Western Railway has launched a recruiting drive for a qualified train drivers who can earn a whopping £54,111 in their first year of employment.

After only one year with GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway), these drivers can expect their salary to rise to £60,124.


First Group, which owns the GWR brand, are actively looking for train drivers to join the team at London Paddington to set a new standard for rail in the 21st century.

[snip]

Those wishing to apply for the role must be comfortable with working shift patterns that rotate over a 24-hour period and over 365 days.

There is a link to the application form on the site quoted.

I look forward to the return of Boxing Day trains ...

[ChrisB]

And apparently Christmas Day trains #365days 

[grahame]

And apparently Christmas Day trains #365days 

But not in leap years!

[broadgage]

IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion), Adverts for train drivers are not always well worded.
The wages on offer are in fact generous, but I suspect that many potential applicants do not believe just how generous.
Phrases like "up to £60,000" are true but perhaps not believed.

Many non railway employers greatly exaggerate potential earnings and a phrase such as "earnings up to £XX,000" actually mean "will never exceed that figure" or only possible by working 28 hours a day.

If I was wording the adverts for train drivers I would include a statement as to the average actual earnings of existing employees.

Another powerful disincentive to railway work is the continually changing shift patterns. Might it be better to offer employment with fixed day OR night working, but not continually changing. Or other shifts such as early mornings or late evenings as needed, but largely fixed.

[IndustryInsider]

This is an advert for qualified drivers, i.e. a bit of poaching.  Qualified drivers will be aware of all the finer details I am sure.

[TaplowGreen]

This is an advert for qualified drivers, i.e. a bit of poaching.  Qualified drivers will be aware of all the finer details I am sure.

.......just poaching? Or a bit of grilling too? 

[broadgage]

This is an advert for qualified drivers, i.e. a bit of poaching.  Qualified drivers will be aware of all the finer details I am sure.

Agreed, though I stand by my remarks as being applicable to adverts for NEW ENTRANTS as distinct from poaching.
A neighbour trained as a train driver, partly at my suggestion. He had seen the adverts offering a generous sounding salary but was doubtful as to the accuracy of such adverts.

BTW^▸ (by the way), decades ago, I applied for a train driving job with BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)). I failed the medical due to an irregular heartbeat and poor night vision.

[IndustryInsider]

I would be wary about quoting average earnings.  For example, in the last 18 months that has dropped considerably due to far fewer rest day working days being available, and no pay rises.

By all means make it clear what the base salary is, and make reference to the additional remuneration as a result of working committed Sunday’s.

Overall though, such adverts are always vastly oversubscribed, so I don’t think it would make too much difference.