Irish Rail Jobs Discussion

From my understanding, you go on a panel and the classes are small anyway. As in not everyone that’s successful will be offered the next class anyway. There are people offered who will have to wait if they’ve long leave notice periods in their current job as an example. It’s not like it’s a holiday, it’s a world championship for a sport that I’m less than 9 weeks out from. I’m also in university still until the start of April which they’re aware of, we talked about it in the 16pf interview so they’re already pre aware and still put me through to the next stage.

Worst case, next recruitment period I go back to the same stage. I’m not worried. Things always work out how they’re meant to.

There isn’t an argument on either side. I just stated that a) they’re already aware that I’m currently preoccupied as it was literally discussed in my interview how I’m currently working and in lectures and b) I’ll take my chances dealing with HR about it. If it was going to be an issue, I don’t see how I’d have progressed with them knowing I’m in university for several more weeks (up until my event in April). Arguing would be saying they’re wrong. They just made an assumption from what they knew from their experience without the context of what I’ve already shared with Irish Rail. That was me further expanding the context.

Also, I assumed there was a panel based on reading back through the thread. It’s been mentioned you’re on a panel for up to 2 years in prior years from others that commented over the last few years. Obviously I could be wrong but that’s just based on this thread going back a while. As well as that they tend to run multiple classes a year and that classes only take 8-12. If they don’t run more classes, I’ll reapply and skip all the prior steps and go back to where I was (which is this stage) next time.

Like I said I’m not stressing about it. Nor do I believe that my sport and a career change can’t be equally important to me as was implied. If there’s more classes planned after March’s one, I’m happy to discuss with IR given my circumstances (some of which they’re aware of already) if I’m successful.

There is no panels. There is a pool of candidates for each depot first come first served that is it. Thinking that I’ll defer and sure I’ll get on a later course is dangerous as there may be no job in the depot your going to,especially depots outside of Dublin and Cork. My own depot has trainees and that’s it for a couple of years.

IE will be more than delighted to see someone complete a full time education and I would not go on a training course if it meant not completing university. On the other hand if you don’t go on the training course because of Irish Dancing World Championships I’d be shocked if you got another bite of the cherry. I know of one driver that gave up a similar event in a niche sport because HR told them basically take it or leave it. That’s a few years ago though.

I wish you well in your educational and sporting endeavours, don’t let this opportunity pass you by. It’s a really good job with good pay and benefits. It’ll look after you for years if you look after it. Beware though as I have said previously on these pages it’s a lifestyle as well as a job. Any serious hobby/sports you are into will have to take a back seat from here on in. I don’t wish to seem negative but I have 27 years done and I have missed more than a few important occasions because of the job.

Also there is no discussion with HR you may be telling them your circumstances and they may seem sympathetic but they have funding and a business case for x amount of drivers on a course and by god they will fill that course come hell or high water. I do know that the people you speak to on the phone or via email do not have the final say on job allocation so don’t go thinking that they do.

I wish you all the best in your upcoming interviews.

See youse out there on the road.

I doubt it but if your bmi is high combined with high cholesterol it could be a red flag to the CMO department.

Does anyone know what the start salary is for a Station operative? No information online . Cheers guys .

I do plan on bringing it up in my LM interview anyway next week so that going into job offers or declines they're aware that I can’t pick up a class in March, as I’m just weeks away from finishing a degree and when it ends again just so there’s full transparency and it’s documented again. That way I know if they do want to offer me a job at the end, everyone’s on the same page.

Sure I might not get past the LM interview anyway. It’ll work out exactly as it should in the end :)

To be brutally honest here with you HR don’t care if because of whatever reason you can’t start in March they’ll just get someone else. Now from your posts your applying for a Dublin based position,which is a good thing, there will be jobs coming up so you might be able to get on an other course. From what I’m told if a person refuses a course then it’s back of the queue for them. I do know that sometimes they have had problems filling courses because of short notice for people to quit their jobs so there’s always hope.

If you make the line manager aware that you can’t start because of finishing university I don’t think that will be looked upon negatively. I would say if you refuse a course because of Irish dancing, you’re done.

Try not to overemphasise your busy busy all the time as they want well rested drivers. Safety, Safety is the key to these interviews.

Tis a bad couple of weeks for interviewing with IE. Couple of serious incidents lately,standards expected are going to be through the roof.

@theshephard Good to know! I have a holiday booked over summer too and have already told my child there’s a 50% chance we will be cancelling it and re scheduling for when AL is granted, whenever that may be. I’m prepared for that!

Mine was 11 days after my 16 pf interview. I'm not sure where you applied for and if that makes the difference. I have applied for Dublin.

Still waiting to hear anything myself, did the 16pf on the 17th of last month

I asked after the 16pf when should I expect to hear back and was told half way through February so still sort of inside that timeframe as it stands but I'm starting to wonder have I slipped through the cracks or something so I may fire off an email on Monday if I haven't heard anything by 3pm. Like that'll be 4 weeks to the day since I did the 16pf.

And it's exactly as they say, some including myself did the medical before the interview. Best of luck regardless!

Did my interview Friday the 7th, medical next Tuesday

Just got the email there, got through to line manager interview, I done the 16pf on the 6th.

Just got an email I'm not progressing any further. Best of luck to the rest of you still in.