hi there my name is Richard McMunn from
the trainee train driver training
company how to become calm and in this
video tutorial I'm going to teach you
how to become a trainee train driver and
in particular we're going to focus on
the seven key stages you need to focus
on if you are going to be successful as
a train driver so welcome to this
tutorial if you are interested in being
a train driver please make sure and this
is important you watch the video from
beginning to end because I'm going to
teach you everything you need to know
I'm also going to give you these slides
so as we progress through the
application form the tests the train
driver interviews because you've got two
sets of interviews to prepare for you're
gonna want to know all of the
information again and study it so I'm
gonna give you a link where you can
download these slides all I ask is that
you subscribe to the channel if you
haven't done already and click the red
button below the video on YouTube and
also if you like the content and the
slides that I'm going to give you please
do give the video a thumbs up a like
because that motivates me to do more for
you also if you have any questions
whatsoever as we progress through this
video tutorial please put them in the
comment section below this video and I
will answer them for you so some people
say to me oh I'm in my mid to late 40s
am I too old to apply to become a train
driver questions like that just pop them
in the comment section below and I will
come on here each day and I will answer
them for you so any train driver related
questions you have please post them in
the comment section below
okay the seven key stages the you and I
are going to cover during this tutorial
so first of all we're going to take a
look at the qualities and attributes you
are going to need if you're going to
pass the selection process now these are
really important they are probably if
I'm being really honest and the most
boring element of the process but they
are one of the most important okay and
if you follow these and the tutorials
and tips that I'm gonna give you in this
video literally your chances of success
will skyrocket I promise you that we'll
also take a look at the application form
and some questions and also the answers
my suggested answers
that you use during your responses to
the application form and will also focus
on stage 3 and stage 4 which is both
sets of interviews so you're gonna have
to tackle two sets of interviews again
I'll give you I'm gonna give you 20
questions to start preparing for and
also explain where you can get suggested
answers at stage number five I'm gonna
give you my seven essential tips for
becoming a train driver if you're gonna
be successful you need to know these
well have a look at the trainee train
driver tests which are notoriously
difficult however if you follow my
advice and all the preparation tools
that I'm gonna give you then your
chances of success will literally and
sky run skyrocket and also I'm gonna
tell you we can get more free training
and support from me for becoming a
trainee train driver so it promises to
be a fantastic tutorial so make sure you
stick around okay first and foremost the
qualities and attributes you need to be
a train driver and I can pretty much
guarantee you will already have these
you just need to get them out and
explain them on the application form and
during the interview how you have them
and how they match to the roles so the
train operating company that so the
train operating companies are the
organizations that advertise the roles
for train drivers so we're gonna call
them train operating companies or T OCS
sometimes I will refer to them during
this tutorial so the train operating
company will create what is called a job
description and also a person
specification when they post the trainee
train driver job advert these documents
are crucial to your success okay and you
will have a copy of them when the train
driver company advertises the roles so
if we take a look at a sample try and
drive a job description and how you can
use this to help you pass the selection
process that's going to be helpful so
I'm going to put it up now but the key
areas I have highlighted these in red
for you so it says as well as driving
the train you'll have a number of
customer service responsibilities
addressing passengers using the onboard
PA system keeping them informed and
helping to develop good passenger
relations you'll also make sure their
safety is paramount at all times
reacting quickly and calmly in an
emergency situation
and reporting incidents wherever
necessary it also goes on to say our
train drivers need to be able to
maintain exceptional levels of
concentration after all this is a
high-pressure role calling for you to be
cool calm and responsible and you'll
also be a strong communicator and
capable of working on your own
initiative it then goes on to say
flexibility is also essential since
trains operate 24 hours a day all year
round that means your shift lengths and
patterns will vary including early
starts late finishes weekends and bank
holidays so that is a sample job
description for a train driver and the
reason why I have highlighted those key
areas in red is because these are the
areas you're going to have to
demonstrate and you will be assessed
against ease I promise you during the
entire selection process you need to
have good customer service skills you
have to be able to learn a large amount
of job relevant information be able to
demonstrate good passenger relations be
safety conscious safety is the top
number-one priority and I'm gonna give
you a really good tip a really really
good tip of how you can demonstrate your
awareness of safety as we go through
this tutorial you have to be able to
react quickly and calmly maintain
exceptional levels of concentration be
capable of working under pressure you
have to stay cool calm and responsible
be a strong communicator strong
communicator both verbally and in
writing working on your own unsupervised
be able to learn and follow strict
guidelines and safety procedures and be
very flexible so you have to demonstrate
these areas during the application form
and during the interviews okay so you
have to think about a time a specific
time when you learn large amounts of job
relevant information so think about the
job that you're currently in did you
have to go through a training program
and one of you demonstrated that you're
flexible in a role so that you can work
unsociable hours these are the kind of
things that you're going to have to give
evidence of during the selection process
and I'm gonna tell you exactly how to do
that ok let's now move on to a train
driver application form have a look at
some tips for helping you to pass it and
also where to apply now here's some tips
make sure you sign up for a train driver
job alert service so you're notified as
soon as training train driver jobs
this is important so I'm gonna tell you
where you can sign up for these train
driver job alerts in a few moments time
and that means that as soon as a job
comes up with the train operating
company you're interested you'll get an
email and then you can apply
straightaway this is important because
most train operating companies now only
accept a limited number of applicants
therefore you have to apply very quickly
so the choices you have a sign up for
one of these train driver job alert
service or you sift through all of the
train operating company websites every
day to look for vague vacancies which is
a very difficult thing to do you're
better off getting someone else to do
that for you tip number three make sure
you submit your application form as soon
as possible don't wait for the deadline
now I've been training people like you
for years on how to be train drivers
I've been very successful at it now in
the past I would say to applicants
complete your form take your time and
then the day before the deadline submit
it that has now changed because
sometimes train operating companies only
take a limited number of people a
limited number of people and then they
cut off the application so you have to
get it in quick now my tip for this to
get over that is to make sure you
prepare your train driver application
form answers before the train operating
company advertises a job so this means
you are then ready to complete the form
before anyone else so you can get your
answers ready for the application form
questions right now before they even
advertised a job because I'm going to
tell you what those questions are going
to be so let's take a look at some of
the questions you will have to answer
when completing the train driver
application form now these are just a
few of them question 1 now that you've
read more about the job because we've
read more about the job description
please tell us why you're applying for
it and what knowledge experience or
skills you have that might be relevant
these two parts to that
tell us why you're applying and then
what knowledge experience and skills you
have that marble relevance you have to
answer that in two parts a sample
question number two please tell us about
anything you get up to outside of work
that gives us a better idea of what you
like as a person and why you might be
right for our company please give the
name of the activity and what it says
about you so there's two parts there
what's the name of the activity so you
could say and that you know I attend the
gym four times a week and I do half an
hour session each time this says that I
am a committed person I'm motivated to
having structure around fitness in my
life and it also means that I am
healthily both physically and mentally
which means I'm able to carry out the
job of the train driver you might give
an activity let's say for example let me
think of one let's say you play a
musical instrument
well that that says to the Train of
operating company that you can sit down
and you can learn a large amount of job
relevant information and you can
concentrate for long periods of time so
it's important that you think about the
activity that you get up to or what it
says about you so what you don't want to
be saying is oh I'll go down the pub
three times a week because that doesn't
really say much there's nothing wrong
with that but it doesn't say much about
you
relevant to the role of a train driver
so I will help you to answer this
question as we progress through the
training video question three as a role
you've applied for means that you'll be
dealing with the safety of our customers
and the delivery of our operation we'd
like to hear examples of how you've used
your initiative to solve a difficult
problem exist think about if you're a
train driver you're fully qualified
you're going along you'll you will route
and then all of a sudden there is an
incident up ahead so you bring the train
to a slow stop following your training
and operational procedures and you have
to then solve it on your own so you have
to use your initiative so they want to
see an example of when you've already
done that question four as a role you've
applied for means you'll be dealing with
the safety of our customers and the
delivery of our operation we would like
to hear examples of how you've played a
positive role as a team member or leader
so you have to think about when you've
worked with other people as part of a
team to achieve a goal so these are
application form sample questions so
let's take a look a sample answer -
train driver application form question
one and that is now that you've read
more about the job please tell us why
you're applying for it and what
knowledge experience or skills you have
that might be relevant here's a sample
response I am applying for this post
because I'm looking for a new and
challenging role I enjoy working in a
customer-focused environment and believe
I would make an excellent trainee train
driver for your
I am also prepared to relocate to live
within 30 minutes of the depo I
understand that the company is changing
and moving forward and I believe you
would be an exciting train operating
company to work for I also believe I can
bring something to the team in terms of
commitment motivation and enthusiasm I
have worked in a customer based role for
a number of years now and during this
time I've developed skills that can be
applied to the role of a trainee train
driver as well as being a good
communicator and possessing excellent
practical skills
I am also highly safety conscious and
understand that this is a very important
element of the role in addition to my 12
years experience in customer focused
role I worked for four years in the
Royal Navy I am therefore a highly
disciplined person and a very good team
player
I have educational qualifications in
English language in English literature
and art and I'm also coming to the end
of studying for a health and safety
qualification I also hold health and
safety qualifications through iouder in
Nottingham now that's an example of what
I would write and you can use that as a
structure for your own now that point
there that I'm mentioning about health
and safety I'm gonna give you a really
good tip about how you can gain your own
qualification for a very small fee as we
get go through this course don't forget
being safety conscious is absolutely
vital to your success as a train driver
so if you can show that you've got some
form of qualification or experience that
is only gonna work to your advantage so
I'm also gonna tell you where you can
get the suggested sample answers to the
rest of the train driver application
form questions very soon because that's
just one suggested sample answer let's
move on now to the train driver
interview and in particular the
questions and answers so there's going
to be two sets of interviews that you're
going to have to go through as a train
driver the first one is like a
structured type of interview whereby you
need to prepare for six interview
questions you'll go to the interview and
you will have to write down your answers
to six interview questions and you're
usually given round about a hundred and
fifty words per question you then take
your answers into the interview room and
they will question you on the scenarios
the second kind of interview is like a
train driver manager
interview and this assesses your
motivations for wanting to become a
train driver so what you know about the
train operating company why you want to
become a train driver and they may even
ask you questions around your CV and
also the application form so let me give
you the first 20 interview questions
that you should prepare for for being a
train driver why do you want to become a
train driver
question 2 what are the qualities of a
train driver you already know these I've
been given these to you as we progress
through this course and don't forget
you're going to be able to download
these slides pretty soon why do you want
to join this train operating company now
the train operating company wants people
who wants to work for them first and
then become a train driver second so the
priority is that you're gonna work for
the train operating company because you
like them you've researched about them
you like their mission their values
their ethics and yeah you are becoming a
train driver but the priorities you want
to work for them because they don't want
to train you up and then you leave for
another train operating company question
four tell us everything you know about
this train operating company what is our
passenger charter question six describe
a time where you've followed rules and
procedures in a work situation question
7 what is your greatest achievement to
date question 8 what are your strengths
question 9 what are your weaknesses
question 10 explain a time when you
handled an emergency situation next
batch the next ten question eleven
describe a time when you successfully
completed a training course that was
longer than two weeks
okay that's a tough question but I can
pretty much guarantee it will come up
during the structured interview question
twelve describe a time when you worked
alone for a long period of time thirteen
describe a time when you had to
concentrate for a long period of time on
one particular task question 14 what you
do in your spare time and what are your
hobbies and 15 give an example of when
you were flexible in a work-related
situation next batch question 16
describe a time that you solved a
difficult problem 17 give an example of
a time when you undertook a task similar
to that of a train drivers role question
18 give an example of when you followed
strict
rules and procedures question 19 give an
example where you worked under pressure
and 20 give an example of when you
communicated a difficult message to a
large group of people now these are
tough interview questions and I'm sure
you're gonna want to know my suggested
answers to them and you're gonna get
them very soon so there's also another
ten of these train driver interview
questions you need to prepare for so
this 13 total and yes it seems like a
lot of hard work but like I say follow
my advice and training you will be far
better prepared so here's my sample
response for you to the train driver
interview question why do you want to
become a train driver I have wanted to
become a train driver for many years now
and I've been preparing for the role for
a long time I've been very careful about
the train operating company to apply for
and I've been impressed with the way
your company operates it sets itself
very high standards in terms of customer
service and the safety standards that
are expected of its employees apart from
the fact that driving trains is a highly
responsible job I also very much enjoy
new and different challenges I
understand that as a train driver there
are a lot of new skills to learn
especially during the early years the
type of person I am means that I would
work hard to ensure that I passed every
exam first time I also enjoy working in
a customer-focused environment where a
high level of service is essential and
as a train driver you are responsible
for the customer safety and I would
enjoy the high level of responsibility
that comes with the position so that
would be my my own response to the
interview question why do you want to
become a train driver it's quite
detailed but it covers all of the key
areas that you need to to get the
highest marks possible ok let's now have
a look at my seven tips for train driver
success and don't forget I'm gonna tell
you where you can get the answers to the
other and 29 sample train driver
interview question so my 7 top tips this
is where you can get them from you can
get access to my online train driver
training course it's online so you can
get access to it within a couple of
minutes by going to the website train
driver code at UK I've also put that
link in the description below this video
it's also the first comment I've posted
out enough pindy
and below this video so you can get
access to my website and you can start
learning straight away you can get
there's about 60 different modules in
there it's a mammoth train driver course
and and it will guarantee that you will
be fully prepared for it tip number two
undertaker health and safety course
online okay now you can either find
these courses at the website high speed
training coda UK or even udemy.com now I
am not affiliated to either of these
websites but you can go to high speed
training find a health and safety course
on there and for about 30 pounds it's an
online course takes about three to five
hours to complete but then you can go
along to the interview and even mention
during the train driver application form
that you have a certificate and
qualification in health and safety that
will go in my opinion a long way to
demonstrating that you have the skills
and attributes required to become a
train driver tip number three sign up to
my train driver job alerts to be
notified again the link is in the
description below so in my company we
trawl all of the train operating company
websites for job vacancies and as soon
as they become available we email you
straight away
tip number four have examples of when
you've delivered excellent customer
service remember the train operating
company providing a service and they are
measured by this so you have to have
examples of when you've delivered
excellent customer service also have
specific examples of when you have
worked in a safety related situation
worked as part of a team communicated an
important message to a group of people
responded to an emergency situation and
that might be say you're driving along
in your car you come across an accident
and you get out and you take control of
the situation describe a time when
you've worked for a long period of time
and also have been flexible at work and
also learn a large amount of job
specific information because there's a
train driver you're gonna have to learn
or you're retraining your traction
training these loads that you have to
learn and they want to know that you can
take on this information tip number six
consider working for a train operating
company in a different role first
perhaps maybe working in the ticket
ticket office or even
a trained guard to get to find out about
the train operating company and also
conversely they will then get to find
out about you too tip 7 start preparing
your answers to the application form
questions now because this will give you
an advantage over the other applicants
because as soon as you've you know
you've signed up for the job lurch then
you get an email from Al saying right
they're recruiting now you just need to
submit your responses and you can get in
straightaway
bonus tip as well this is a good bonus
tip make sure you learn the phonetic
alphabet so the phonetic alphabet let's
say you were an interview and they said
tell me what train driver is using the
phonetic alphabet so this is what it is
tango Romeo Alfa India November and
Driver is Delta Romeo India Victor echo
Romeo su you should know these off by
heart and again in that train driver
course if you go to the website train
driver code at UK I teach you all of the
phonetic alphabet most people won't
learn this but it's good if you do so
the train driver test now these are also
another tough element of the train
driver selection process couple of tips
here start practicing now using all of
the documents and the resources that
I've given you in that cause train
driver Cody UK don't leave it until a
couple of weeks prior to the test date
to start practicing start practicing
right now use the practice worksheets
and tools that are provided in the
online train driver course that I'm
discussing and where possible practice
under timed conditions because this is
how you're going to be assessed and
remember when you're practicing the
tests ain't the speed as well as
accuracy so you have to work really
quick but at the same time you want to
be accurate okay because you will lose
marks for incorrect answers so it means
that you can't go into the test and then
guess because if you get it wrong you
will lose marks and that will bring down
your overall score because it's my view
that most psychometric tests for
becoming a train driver are designed so
you can't finish them and most people
panic yes you have to work really really
fast during the concentration tests you
have to work really fast but you have to
aim for accuracy as well okay so that
that free online train driver
course get access right now by clicking
the link in the description below this
video or go direct to the website train
driver code at UK so thank you for
watching don't forget if you've got any
questions at all put them in the comment
section below please make sure you
subscribe give the video a thumbs up and
guys I wish you all the very best in
your pursuit to becoming a trainee train
driver thank you for watching