Job vacancies - trainee drivers.

[whole diary]

[Tim]

Apparently when I was little I wanted to be a dustman because they only worked one day a week. 

My Dad was told by a "master" at his public school that if he didn't pass his exams he would end up as either a dustman or a petrol pump attendant. 

Every time he has to sort rubbish into the 3 bins and 1 bag High Peak Council provide for recycling or fill his car up with petrol himself he mentions this. 

[didcotdean]

Gary Lineker's last school report: "He concentrates far too much on football. He'll never make a living at that."

Being at the same school at the same time it sounds to me like something the headmaster would have written.

[TaplowGreen]

£46,000 for a 4 day 35 hour week? I'm not surprised they get flooded with applications!!!

I just knew it would be you who picked up on this! 

I agree, it is quite an appealing headline rate, but as others have touched upon, not necessarily the most attractive of conditions in terms of shift patterns and you also usually need to live within 30 mins drive of your booking on place, which can be rather costly for accommodation in the SE, especially during your training year at reduced salary.

It is not 35 hours in a comfortable office in office hours,

Personally I'd be quite happy to forfeit my 'comfortable office' to spend my working day almost completely alone, rather than listening to mr foghorn-voice in the desk opposite...the joys of open plan offices   

Always nice to know someone was thinking of me  xxx

I take all your points into account re: shifts etc, and note that Arriva are currently advertising for London bus drivers who would presumably face similar challenges offering "average rostered earnings" of £25,000 per year which perhaps puts it into perspective?

Agree 100% with the thought of working alone, heaven!!!

[Chris from Nailsea]

£46,000 for a 4 day 35 hour week? I'm not surprised they get flooded with applications!!!

Yes indeed - it's a very well paid job.

It is indeed, but there are some downsides as well. 

It is not 35 hours in a comfortable office in office hours, it means some pretty unsociable hours with different shift patterns that would make it very difficult to share childcare with a working partner. This will add considerably to any childcare costs - a major item is a family budget.

For those who don't live in the London commuter area - and even those who do but bought their house many years ago and so have a relatively low mortgage compared to the value of their house - it also needs to be set in the context of the eye-wateringly high costs of housing in the South East, particularly in Greater London. 

It is hardly a stress free job - it demands undivided attention for long periods of time working on your own. 

Indeed - and that headline figure is the gross earnings potential.  Bear in mind that income tax and National Insurance Contributions will take out about half of that.   

[Chris from Nailsea]

Apparently when I was little ...

Purely out of idle curiosity on my part, bobm: when were you 'little' ... ?     

[TaplowGreen]

£46,000 for a 4 day 35 hour week? I'm not surprised they get flooded with applications!!!

Yes indeed - it's a very well paid job.

It is indeed, but there are some downsides as well. 

It is not 35 hours in a comfortable office in office hours, it means some pretty unsociable hours with different shift patterns that would make it very difficult to share childcare with a working partner. This will add considerably to any childcare costs - a major item is a family budget.

For those who don't live in the London commuter area - and even those who do but bought their house many years ago and so have a relatively low mortgage compared to the value of their house - it also needs to be set in the context of the eye-wateringly high costs of housing in the South East, particularly in Greater London. 

It is hardly a stress free job - it demands undivided attention for long periods of time working on your own. 

Indeed - and that headline figure is the gross earnings potential.  Bear in mind that income tax and National Insurance Contributions will take out about half of that.   

Based on a salary of £46000 in the tax year 2016/17 you'd actually lose roughly 27% in tax/NI all other things being equal.........if you're losing half your salary (assuming you're not in the Jeremy Corbyn wage cap bracket!) I'd pop up and see your payroll people first thing in the morning! 

[IndustryInsider]

Ah, bit your forgetting those valuable deductions for union membership, TG.   

[TaplowGreen]

Ah, bit your forgetting those valuable deductions for union membership, TG.   

............now you know why the General Secretaries get such massive salaries!!! 

[Chris from Nailsea]

Indeed - and that headline figure is the gross earnings potential.  Bear in mind that income tax and National Insurance Contributions will take out about half of that.  

Based on a salary of £46000 in the tax year 2016/17 you'd actually lose roughly 27% in tax/NI all other things being equal.........if you're losing half your salary (assuming you're not in the Jeremy Corbyn wage cap bracket!) I'd pop up and see your payroll people first thing in the morning! 

My sincere apologies for any confusion caused, due to my being distracted whilst posting that - I really meant 'a quarter', not 'about half'.   

[grahame]

Another train driver vacancy (here) - Paignton base

[Chris from Nailsea]

The job attracts the National Minimum Wage and is seasonal, with hours variable to meet the demands of the business.

For all that, do they also have to open and close the doors?