Garda Control Room Operator/Call Taker competition

Hi folks,

Im currently in C&C Harcourt Sq, happy to answer any questions (within reason!!) you may have about the job.

Regards,

BassAckwards

mollycasey wrote: »

Hi BassAckwards

I am starting in Cork on the 13th Jan! Were you trained on shift or 9-5, they advised i wouldn't find this out until i go in on the day. Is the night work hard to get used too?!!

Hi mollycasey,

So i had never worked shifts before so was dreading it but i actually dont find it to bad, it takes a bit of adjusting but buy blackout blinds and youll be grand

With regards to training, i shadowed an experienced calltaker for 3-4 weeks while on shift, then started to take alarm calls from phonewatch etc, then when you feel up to it you start taking all calls.

I had 3 days of off site training in a station to learn the commands for CAD where all calls are entered, i then had a further 5 days where we were spoken to by other parts of the organisation such as HR, specialist negotiators, STOC etc. Much of this doesnt apply to us as garda staff but its good to get a feel for the place.

Hope this help,

BassAckwards

BassAckwards wrote: »

Hi mollycasey,

So i had never worked shifts before so was dreading it but i actually dont find it to bad, it takes a bit of adjusting but buy blackout blinds and youll be grand

With regards to training, i shadowed an experienced calltaker for 3-4 weeks while on shift, then started to take alarm calls from phonewatch etc, then when you feel up to it you start taking all calls.

I had 3 days of off site training in a station to learn the commands for CAD where all calls are entered, i then had a further 5 days where we were spoken to by other parts of the organisation such as HR, specialist negotiators, STOC etc. Much of this doesnt apply to us as garda staff but its good to get a feel for the place.

Hope this help,

BassAckwards

That all sounds very daunting. Can I ask did you start on your own or did others start with you?

BassAckwards wrote: »

So there were 5 people including myself who started on the same day. On the day you start you'll be given a tour of the place, have a chat to the Superintendent or next highest ranking member on duty that day who will assign you to a unit.
I was assigned to a unit on my own, it might seem daunting but dont be phased, everyone in the control room will do everything to help you. Once you arent afraid to ask questions and have a sense of humour you'll be grand!!

BassAckwards.

Thanks so much for all the information. You are very good. It's great to get a bit of an insight.

Hi bassackwards,

What's the parking like at Harcourt Square?
Starting in January up there myself very much looking forward to it

BassAckwards wrote: »

Hi folks,

Im currently in C&C Harcourt Sq, happy to answer any questions (within reason!!) you may have about the job.

Regards,

BassAckwards

Hi,

Just wondering is the job interesting? I am waiting to hear on Galway.

Thanks

BassAckwards wrote: »

Hi,

Personally i find it interesting, there are times when it can be very quiet with not much happening and a 12hr shift will feel like 24hrs, then in an instant everything can change and the place will be hectic.

You hear things from the down right hilarious to the absolutely horrendous and everything in between. Not trying to freak anyone out but people dialing 999 generally aren't having a great day.

You know fairly quickly if you'll love it or hate. As far as interesting goes, i think it is.

Good luck,

BassAckwards.

Thanks, it's good to know to be prepared at least.

Great to get some insight.

Have a lovely xmas

Tanyatf44 wrote: »

Hi BassAckwards.

Do you think it would be better to get a bus in for the training part as it's a later start and there might be no parking left by that time? The first day start time I was given is 10 o'clock.

Hi tanyatf44,

Yeah it would be easier on the training days to hop on public transport if its a 10am start, depending on where you are coming from there is a Luas stop right outside the front of the complex.

Your first day will be a relatively short one anyways. You'll have an induction, quick tour of the control floor/break room/carpark, in with the Super for a chat and to be assigned a unit then you are pretty much done for day 1.

Once you are in your shift pattern then drive in.

Regards,

BassAckwards.

Cbyrne282028 wrote: »

Hi just wondering my start time is 11 I'm wondering maybe there's all different start times

Hi,

Are you starting in Harcourt sq or one of the other control rooms? As far as im aware the new starts are in at 10am in Harcourt. No point in having you all come in at different times.

Might be worth giving HR a bell just to clarify.

Regards,

BassAckwards

BassAckwards wrote: »

Hi tanyatf44,

Yeah it would be easier on the training days to hop on public transport if its a 10am start, depending on where you are coming from there is a Luas stop right outside the front of the complex.

Your first day will be a relatively short one anyways. You'll have an induction, quick tour of the control floor/break room/carpark, in with the Super for a chat and to be assigned a unit then you are pretty much done for day 1.

Once you are in your shift pattern then drive in.

Regards,

BassAckwards.

Thanks so much for all your help and advice. I'll get the train in to begin with. Looking forward to meeting you all.
Have a happy Christmas and I hope you have some time off.

🎅

Tanyatf44 wrote: »

Thanks so much for all your help and advice. I'll get the train in to begin with. Looking forward to meeting you all.
Have a happy Christmas and I hope you have some time off.

��

Hi.were you on the second panel and do you mind me asking your OOM and was it Dublin .i had interview in July.im still going through evetting,about 11 weeks into vetting at this stage.
Regards

Tanyatf44 wrote: »

Hi Noodles1223. I think I was on the second panel. I had my interview in July too. After the interview I was 1 oom for Dublin. Hopefully you will hear soon.

I was 4th for Dublin.such a long process..hope to hear soon.thanks for the reply.
Regards

Col82 wrote: »

I completed my evetting form in August. Still waiting to hear if I have cleared. I rang HR last week and they said there is a delay with 3rd strand of vetting for lots of people due to man power issues. Not sure if I should keep ringing or ring PAS for more updates.

Hello. Was it Garda HR you rang about your evetting.if so do you have a number so i can call them.
Regards

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Email Garda HR. You'll get a standard response though - sometime after the 6th Jan I would imagine. 6+ months vetting is not uncommon at the moment I'm afraid.

Thankyou.
It seems some peoples evetting coming back quicker than others.i think some people have got a start date already.i assumed they would wait for all vetting to come through.and then start with your OOM.
Regards

dec1612 wrote: »

My Evetting started n Aug, completed by Oct, all documents submitted, got 1 OOM for galway n Castlebar but still no start date. When I rang back in Nov I was told I would prob be starting with the Jan intake on 13th but still waiting to hear...anyone else like me?

Hi Dec

I completed my vetting form in August for Galway and I'm still waiting for it to clear. Was hoping I would be starting in Jan, not sure what the delay is. I'm a bit worried now. I might try calling tomorrow or Monday for an update.