Trainee Tram Driver in Croydon

About Us

Tram Operations is a FirstGroup subsidiary that operates a contract for Transport for London. With over 20 million passenger journeys a year, London Trams has some of the busiest routes in the country, operating over 4,800 services each week across the tramway. Providing inter-urban, cross-borough services to passengers in Southwest London, between London Wimbledon and New Addington, Beckenham Junction and Elmers End to Croydon. London Trams provides excellent connectivity with the National Rail stations in the region, such as East Croydon, Wimbledon, Elmers End and Beckenham Junction to name a few. As well as commuters and business travellers, we transport leisure travellers across London, to many tourist and heritage sites, and to numerous major sporting and social events that take place along the route every year. Providing easy and convenient mobility, where all the tram stops on the tramway have step-free access, improving quality of life by connecting people and communities, of which we are proud to serve.

About the job

We are delighted to announce an exciting opportunity to join our team as a Trainee Tram Driver. This is a rostered role operating across a 24-hour period, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. This is the beginning of a rewarding career journey towards becoming a qualified Tram Driver. As a trainee, you will undertake an intensive training programme of up to 16 weeks, during which you will learn the operational rules and procedures, develop the technical and practical knowledge required for the role, and gain hands-on experience operating our trams safely and professionally. Safety is at the heart of everything we do. As a Tram Driver, you will be responsible for the safe operation of services, the wellbeing of our customers, and the protection of colleagues, infrastructure, and the wider public. This is a safety-critical role requiring the highest levels of concentration, professionalism, and personal responsibility at all times.

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. Due to our Fatigue Monitoring System for all Safety-Critical Staff, a candidate must live within a 60-minute commuting distance from the Croydon Depot. We are looking for individuals who can consistently demonstrate a strong safety mindset, maintain focus in a dynamic operational environment, and follow rules, procedures, and instructions without compromise. You must be able to recognise potential hazards, assess risks, and make safe, informed decisions, particularly when working under pressure or responding to service disruption and unexpected incidents. Whilst safety is our number one priority, delivering excellent customer service is also an essential part of the role. As an ambassador for Tram Operations, you will be expected to communicate confidently and professionally with customers. The successful candidates will be able to demonstrate sound judgement, resilience, and the discipline to consistently apply safety standards day in and day out. If you are committed to maintaining the highest levels of safety, take pride in delivering exceptional customer service, and are looking for a challenging and rewarding career, we would love to hear from you.

Minimum Requirements

• Hold a current full UK driving licence with no more than three penalty points.
• Have a minimum of three years' driving experience.
• Be able to remain calm, focused, and effective when working under pressure and when working alone.
• Have experience of working in an environment where strict adherence to rules, procedures, and safety standards is essential.
• Be flexible and willing to work shifts, including nights, weekends, bank holidays, and other unsocial hours, to meet operational requirements.
• Demonstrate a strong commitment to safety and a willingness to follow processes and instructions at all times.
• Have a customer-focused approach and a commitment to delivering excellent service.
• Be able to travel from your home address to the Croydon depot within one hour.
• Possess a minimum of three GCSEs at Grade C/Grade 4 or above (or equivalent), including English.

All offers of employment with TOL are conditional on the minimum requirements and satisfactory completion of the pre-employment screening as set out below, before commencing employment:

• Medicals which include Drugs and Alcohol screening
• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
• Two References that are satisfactory to the Company.

Benefits

• Free TfL Oyster card for you and your nominated partner
• 75% discounted leisure travel on National Rail services for eligible family members
• A generous pension scheme
• A range of additional travel and lifestyle benefits

Salary

• Salary whilst you are in Training (16 weeks): - £30,968.47
• Salary after Training: - £43,538.86
• One year after completion of your training your salary will increase to- £56,813.90.

Equality & Diversity

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.