Hi there, guys.
My name is Richard McMunn from How2Become.com.
And in this presentation, I'm going to talk to you about the train driver qualities.
Now these are fundamental to your success if you are applying to become a trainee train
driver with any of the UK train operating companies.
Now the video is not going to take long to go through but I'm going to give you some
really important tips which will help you when you are applying for a train driver or
going through any element of the process.
Now what I'd like you to do is to like the video and subscribe to the channel because
what there happens...what that will mean is that you will get notified of any new videos
that we create based around the train driver selection process, so you'll be the first
to get notified.
Also, if you would like me to create a video for you, then please put it in the comment
section on YouTube below this video.
I'll look at the comments every day, I'll respond to them, and then I'll create a video
for you.
So if you want any questions answered about recruitment, about the train driver interview,
then please, put them below the video.
So the qualities are fundamental to your success.
When you apply to become a trainee train driver, learn these qualities.
Now the first one, and this is at the top of the list, is that you need to be safety
conscience, okay?
So you have to be safety minded at all times.
So I'm going to put safety conscious, then that means being able to demonstrate that
you can operate in a safe and effective manner by effectively following rules and procedures,
okay?
So let's put down following rules and procedures as well.
Follow rules and procedures.
And I just want to ask you a question.
Why do you think this is really important?
Well, obviously, you are responsible for the rolling stock which is the train, and you
are also responsible for the safety of the passengers on board the train.
So during the process, you need to be able to demonstrate specific situations where you
have acted in a safe and conscious manner at all times, and also when you've followed
rules and procedures.
And that can be put on the application form and also during the interview.
The next one, the next quality of a train driver is an ability to work on your own,
okay?
Ability to work on own.
Because as you can imagine, being a bit like sitting on the train cab for hours at the
time, let's say you were responsible from going from London Euston up to Glasgow, up
to Preston, you know, be on there for a couple, two or three hours, you need to be able to
work on your own, okay?
Yes, you will be communicating with the train guard and also the Rail Safety Center, but
you need to demonstrate your ability to work on your own.
Again, that will be assessed during a selection process by a question that says, "Can you
give an example of where you've worked on your own for a long period of time?"
Now, the next quality that you need is that of being a good communicator, okay?
So being a good communicator because you're going to have to communicate not only with
the guard, the train guard, you have to communicate with the Rail Safety Center at times and also
give messages to the passengers as and when required.
So you have to be able to communicate in a calm and effective manner.
Now the next quality which is really important is being customer focused.
Now a lot of people do not think that this is an important quality but trust me, it really
is.
Being customer focused is part of the role of a train driver.
Too many people that I see go through the selection process concentrate solely on, "I
want to be a train driver.
I want to be a train driver," and they don't worry or they're not concerned about which
train operating company that they join.
Now as we all see all the time on the news that some train operating companies are getting
a lot of pressure from the press and the media, from customers about meeting times and providing
a great level of service.
The train operating company are always trying to improve the customer relations and you
have to be customer focused.
And you can achieve that during the process by telling the train operating company everything
you know about them.
So when you're applying, go on the TOC's website, find out about their missions, their goals
and also their customer charter.
So when they say to you during the interview, "Tell us what you know about us as a train
operating company," you can repeat that customer charter word-for-word.
They'll be very impressed with that.
You also, as a train driver, need to be flexible, okay?
And flexible with regards to being able to work shifts and unsociable hours, working
at weekends, and they'll say, "Have you worked shifts before?"
And if you haven't, then they might say to you, "Well, how do you know you're going to
be good in that area?"
And also, being available in short periods of...short notice periods that if another
train driver goes off sick, can you cover, come cover for him or her.
Okay, and the next one is being able to stay calm in an emergency.
Okay, resilience, stay calm.
Stay calm in an emergency situation because, let's say, you're driving the train, there's
an obstacle in the track, you know, or unfortunately, you hit something in the train, it's down
to you to deal with that situation.
So you're have to liaise with the Rail Safety Center.
You will have to liaise with the guard, you'll have to liaise with the passengers, and you'll
have to make sure everybody stays calm and you follow your rules and procedures.
So guys, these are just a number of important qualities that you need to be able to learn
before you apply to become a trainee train driver.
Like I said, please like the video, subscribe to our channel, and if you want me to do a
short video for you about the train driver recruitment process, please let me know what
it is in the comments field in YouTube and I'll get a video up for you as soon as possible.
Thank you very much for watching.