Trainee Bus Driver

We are excited to be launching our first ever, First Bus driver Level 2 apprenticeship. It is open to UK car licence holders aged 18 upwards – with no upper age limit. This is a brand new way to start your journey in a professional driving career. If you have a UK car license and are 18+, you would be perfect for this opportunity.

As a Trainee/APPRENTICE you will earn £12 per hour, increasing to £13.26 after 2 years. You won’t just learn to drive a bus. You will gain the all-round knowledge, skills and behaviours it takes to be a top professional driver with customers at its heart.

Here’s what you need to know before you apply:

• If you can drive a car, you can drive a bus: Don’t worry if driving a bus looks daunting. If you are safe behind the wheel of a car, we can teach you to handle our modern, hi-tech buses.
• You will be joining a high-quality programme: We have been running successful engineering apprenticeships for decades. It really matters to us that our new driver apprenticeship lives up to the same standard. We have partnered with the specialist company, Realise, to create a great programme (which features a series of full day workshops over the course of the 13-month programme).
• You will be on the road in six weeks: The apprenticeship takes 13 months – however you should be qualified and out on the road in around a month and a half (with an uplift in pay). You will learn quickly by spending two to four weeks with an experienced trainer.
• Your learning journey will continue on and off the road: Once you are qualified, you will receive ongoing driver training, plus learning and development days focused on all aspects of the role. You’ll also receive on the bus mentoring, ensuring you are embedding the knowledge, skills and behaviours when behind the wheel.
• You will gain all sorts of useful skills and knowledge: We will bring you up to speed quickly on key stuff like vehicle types, bus routes and dealing with incidents and accidents. You will also learn all about the people side of public transport – things like customer service, safeguarding passengers, hidden disabilities and taking care of your wellbeing.
• You will have mentors looking out for you: We will assign mentors for your initial training. They will continue to support, guide and advise you once you have gained your licence. You will have regular catch ups with your manager too, and your Training and Development Officer at Realise.
• We will be excited to have you on board: We are excited to launch our new programme, as it’s part of our drive to transform the bus industry through innovations from mobile apps to carbon-friendly, electric buses. We are creating a more modern, people-focused service – and we are putting our drivers at the heart of this cultural change. We are ready to invest in your success, because you will be the future of our business.
• You can take pride in your new career: There are so many people who rely on the bus to get them around. You will be providing a really important public service – and meeting all kinds of customers every day. This is a rewarding lifelong career beyond the pay and benefits.

What you need to apply:

• 18 is the minimum age to take the PCV licence test, so you will need to be at least 18 within a month of joining us. There is no maximum age limit.
• You need to hold a UK car driving licence, preferably clean, although we will consider applications from drivers with up to six points.
• As customer service is a big part of the job, we are looking for good people skills and a friendly, helpful personality.
• A solid basic level of Maths and English is required. As part of the apprenticeship, you will receive a nationally recognised qualification in Maths & English (if required).
• You will need to live within 60 minutes travel time of the depot, with the flexibility to work a variety of shifts, including early mornings, evenings and weekends.

Your salary goes further with a First Bus apprenticeship, thanks to the generous benefits package:

• Your health is important to us which is why we offer Simply Health & Smart Health for you and your dependents at no cost to you! This offering includes cash back benefits across optical & dental as well as virtual GP appointments, mental health support and nutrition and fitness advice.
• Our EAP provision offers 24hr, 365 days a year mental health support.
• We are also committed to your financial wellbeing, and we offer a platform with many discounts on high street brands and supermarkets.
• Working at First you also receive discounted train travel for you and your family after 6 months service as well as a free bus pass.
• Generous pension and shares scheme.
• Student discount via NUS, TOTUM and Student Beans.
• Free onsite parking + cycle to work scheme.
• Up to 5 weeks holiday + bank holidays.

We put a big focus on physical and mental wellbeing at First Bus and now have mental health first aiders in 90 of our locations, UK-wide. We recognise that anyone can be affected by the stresses and strains of work, or life outside it. You’ll find a range of health-promotion initiatives, and you will have 24/7 access to our confidential Employee Assistance Programme.

Public transport serves everyone, whatever their differences. At First Bus, we want to be an employer open to you, no matter what your differences are. We aspire to be an inclusive organisation because diverse backgrounds, thinking and experiences bring so many benefits to our customers, communities and people. We welcome applications from all.

Applicants are advised that background checks will be conducted as a standard part of our recruitment process.