Northern announces significant driver and conductor recruitment plans

NORTHERN PLANS to appoint 108 new driver and 198 conductor roles across its depots during 2024 as part of its ongoing recruitment process to replace existing staff members who are promoted to other roles, retire, or leave the company.

The train driver roles offer a starting salary of £23,000 throughout the 64-week training period, which then rises to £54,500 after successful completion. Northern expects its driver roles to be available for

Barrow-in-furness, Blackburn, Blackpool, Hull, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Workington and York. The company said there is also a small number of drivers’ positions expected to open for qualified train drivers in Darlington, Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle.

The conductor roles are to be based at Barrow-in-furness, Blackburn, Blackpool, Buxton, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle Skipton, Workington and York. The conductor salary starts at £22,000, rising to £29,000 following the successful completion of the 16-week training course.

Northern chief operating officer Tricia Williams said: “We are looking for customer-focused people with excellent communication skills who thrive in a dynamic environment and may not have considered a career in rail before. Successful applicants will demonstrate a high level of responsibility, a strong work ethic, and a commitment to maintaining safety standards.

“We will be recruiting throughout the year and provide all the training you need, so if you’re interested, please register for job alerts on our website. We want our workforce to reflect the communities we serve and we are proud to include people from all walks of life in our team, from military veterans and ex-police officers to former office workers and stay-athome parents.”

The train operator has said it is actively encouraging people with no previous rail industry experience to apply for the roles, with new recruits completing paid apprenticeships at Northern’s training facilities in either Leeds or Manchester.

Further information can be found at www.northernrailway.co.uk/careers