Train company Northern is on the hunt for over 300 new train drivers and conductors this year. And anyone applying doesn't need any previous experience in the rail industry to apply.
Northern says these job openings are just part of their usual process of looking for new people to join the team when current staff retire, get promoted or move to a different company. Anyone who is successful, will start off with a paid apprenticeship at one of Northern's training academies in Leeds or Manchester.
In 2024, they're planning to hire 108 train drivers and 198 conductors. These jobs will be based in various stations including Sheffield, Leeds and Hull, reports Yorkshire Live. Northern said to keep an eye out for the train driver job adverts in the next few months. They'll be posted in places like Barrow-in-Furness, Blackburn, Blackpool, Hull, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Workington and York.
To apply for a place on Northern’s Driver Apprenticeship Scheme, you should:
- be at least 20 years of age
- not have defective colour vision
- not have failed the Train Driver assessment within the last six months
- not have failed the Train Driver assessment twice before
Applicants will need a good level of numeracy and literacy, so will hold GCSE grade C or above in Maths and English (or equivalent), or sit a functional skills test and achieve a level 2 in English, Maths, and ICT, before you take the end-point assessment at the end of your apprenticeship. The company adds: "Candidates need to be flexible enough to work shifts from the early hours of the morning until late at night, at weekends, and on Bank Holidays, and to be able to get to work for early and late shifts without relying on public transport. This means living within a 45-minute car journey from their place of work."
The train driver role starting salary is £23,000 a year, but after you finish a 64-week training course, it can go up to £54,500. They will also be advertised in several locations including Barrow-in-Furness, Blackburn, Blackpool, Buxton, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle Skipton, Workington and York. The starting salary for the conductor roles is £22,000, which can rise to £29,000 once a person completes a 16-week training course.
A few jobs for trained drivers are also up for grabs in Darlington, Leeds, Manchester, and Newcastle. Tricia Williams, who is the chief operating officer at Northern, said: "We have a range of rewarding roles for anyone who wants to become part of a dedicated team that runs more than 2,500 services a day to over 500 destinations."
"We are looking for customer-focused people with excellent communication skills who thrive in a dynamic environment and may not have considered a career in rail before. Successful applicants will demonstrate a high level of responsibility, a strong work ethic and a commitment to maintaining safety standards."
You can find out more and how to sign up for job alerts online. Tricia also mentioned: "We'll be recruiting throughout the year and provide all the training you need, so if you're interested, please register for job alerts on our website."
"We want our workforce to reflect the communities we serve and we're proud to include people from all walks of life in our team, from military veterans and ex-police officers, to former office workers and stay-at-home parents."
Northern made a video in 2023 showing how important operational staff are in keeping trains running. Right now, Northern has over 2,000 drivers and 1,400 conductors working on its network.
To find out more about the latest Train Driver Apprenticeship standard, please visit the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
