Who are we?

Tram Operations Limited (TOL) is a FirstGroup subsidiary that is proud to operate the London Trams service for Transport for London (TfL). The tram service with its 39 tramstops provides inter-urban, cross-borough services, in Southwest London, for customers travelling between Wimbledon and New Addington or Beckenham Junction and Elmers End to Croydon.

London Trams provides excellent connectivity with 7 National Rail stations in the region, such as East Croydon, Wimbledon, Elmers End and Beckenham Junction. The system also connects with many bus routes.

With over 17 million passenger journeys a year, London Trams has some of the busiest routes in the country, operating over 4,200 services each week across the tramway. Travelling with trams is environmentally friendly and seen as relaxing, fast, and efficient with excellent travel connections.

As a business we operate in a very open and supportive culture.

Tram Operations is part of FirstGroup, the largest rail operator in the UK and second largest bus operator in the UK outside London. FirstGroup operates services throughout the UK and Ireland, with over 30,000 employees providing services that make travel smoother and life easier. FirstGroup works hard to reduce its impact on the environment, introducing cleaner and more environmentally responsible methods of transport.

About the job

We are delighted to announce that the opportunity has arisen for a number of Trainee Tram Driver positions. The role is rostered, and covers a 24-hour period, 7 days per week, all year round

This is the start of an exciting journey towards becoming a Tram Driver, beginning as a trainee, where you will spend up to 16 weeks learning the rules, gaining the knowledge and of course, driving our trams.

You can expect many different challenges along the way, and it's not just about driving trams - at Tram Operations we are committed to providing outstanding Customer Service, at all times and you will act as an ambassador for the Company. You should have a proactive approach to managing disruption and emergency situations should they arise. Your communication skills will play a vital part as a tram driver, where you will be expected to make Passenger Announcements to keep our customers informed at all times. You will also need to prove you are serious about safety, recognising hazards and that you can follow rules and procedures along with a work ethic that delivers a day in, day out professional performance.

Due to our Fatigue Monitoring System for all Safety-Critical Staff, it is crucial that all candidates live within close proximity of our Croydon depot. This translates to within one-hour total travel time by car or public transport.

Please be aware that our tram operation is 24 hours with early shifts starting at 04:00, late shifts finishing at 02:00 and a night shift which involves prepping the trams for service.

Salary whilst you are in Training (16 weeks): - £30,968
Salary after Training: - £43,531

One year after completion of your training your salary will increase to- £56,813

As a minimum, you will need to have:

The ability to work under pressure
Experience of working with rules & procedures
Flexibility to undertake shift work & unsocial hours, to manage your work/ life balance
A customer-focused approach
Able to travel from your residence to Croydon depot within one hour
Hold a current, full UK driving licence (with no more than three points)
Possess three GCSE qualifications A-C or equivalent - English must be one of them.

As part of the recruitment process all successful candidates will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check that is satisfactory to the company, before commencing employment.

The successful candidate will enjoy a competitive salary and comprehensive ongoing training; your benefits will include a free TfL oyster pass for you and your partner, 75% off leisure travel for your family on rail services, pension, other discounted travel benefits.

Please note, this advert may close earlier than the advertised closing date if sufficient applications are received.

We all belong at Tram Operations. Tram Operations vision is to provide an inclusive environment for all colleagues, across its group of businesses, ensuring all candidates have an equal opportunity to access meaningful employment.

We value our differences such as age, gender, LGBTQIA+, ethnicity, religion, and disability. We maintain a zero tolerance towards any form of prejudice towards our colleagues, customers, and future talent.

We celebrate and encourage diversity of thought, progressive ways of working and seeing all our colleagues grow and thrive.

We review all roles and job descriptions to ensure they are accessible and, where possible, we support and provide flexible working options; we recommend that you refer to each vacancy description for further details.

If you require additional support to complete your application due to a disability or neurodivergent condition, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or autism, please follow the links below. We encourage you to share any additional needs you may require so we can provide a fair and equal process for all who apply.

First Tram Operations

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Trainee Tram Driver