Job Description
Apprentice Train Driver - Cambrdidge
Starting salary: £32,717 per annum, rising to £43,347 on completion of training
Are you looking for a rewarding career where you can make a difference every day?
Join us as an Apprentice Train Driver and be part of a team that plays a vital role in delivering a safe, reliable, and pivotal service for our customers.
We’re proud to welcome people from all walks of life into our workforce. Whether you’re changing careers or just starting out, we’ll provide a structured, fully supported training programme to help you become a fully qualified Train Driver.
We are looking for people who will:
Prioritise safety and take personal responsibility for maintaining a safe and supportive working environment
Bring a positive, proactive approach to learning, collaboration, and supporting others
Be committed to delivering excellent, accessible, and inclusive service to all our customers
Meet the relevant Rail Industry Standards requirements (reasonable adjustments considered where needed)
Be able to commit to the 35–39-week training programme (starting in 2026/27) with full support from our team to help you succeed
Live within 1 hour of the depot you are applying to. (We’re happy to discuss flexibility or adjustments where needed)
If you’re passionate about learning and ready for a new challenge, we’d love to hear from you.
Benefits
We’re proud to offer a range of benefits designed to support you both at work and at home including enhanced parental leave, flexible working options, health and wellbeing support, and career development opportunities.
Other benefits include:
Holiday, starts on 30 days, goes up by one day a year up to 35 days
You can buy more holiday
Pension is defined benefit, so contributions can vary but benefit is fixed and inflated each year
Free travel on Arriva Rail services (CrossCountry, Chiltern, London Overground and Grand Central) plus reciprocal travel on West Midlands Trains in the Birmingham area
75% off other UK rail companies
Discounted European rail travel after one year
Access to the ‘Arriva’s Village’ (offering web-based discounts on various products/services on the high street
Recruitment Process
We’re committed to a fair and inclusive selection process, and we believe that transparency helps everyone feel confident and supported throughout the recruitment process.
Once you’ve submitted your application, our recruitment team will review it against the role criteria, and you’ll hear from us about next steps within two to three weeks. Shortlisted candidates will then be invited to an online assessment, with plenty of notice and clear guidance to help you succeed.
The selection process includes:
A review of your online application
Online assessments (facilitated by our assessment partner, SHL)
Train Driver Psychometric Testing
Values Alignment meeting
A safety-critical medical
This process can take several months to complete and will normally result in successful candidates being held in our talent pool until a vacancy arises at their chosen location. When a vacancy arises, the preferred candidate will be selected from the talent pool, formally offered an apprentice Train Driver role and given a start date.
The start date will normally align to the commencement of your training, which you must complete before you can be authorised to drive a train without being supervised by a qualified / licensed Train Driver.
Please note:
Apply by: 20th February 2026
At CrossCountry, we’re committed to building a workplace where everyone feels they belong, a team that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve and the passengers we support every day.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences including women, people from ethnic minority / global majority backgrounds, people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, LGBTQ+ colleagues, and those with caring responsibilities.
The current minimum age for train driver licensing is 20, though this may soon be lowered to 18. If you’ve completed secondary education and are keen to start a railway career, we’d love to hear from you. You can apply to join our Talent Pool now, and we’ll progress your application once you meet the required age for driver training.
We believe inclusion drives innovation, and we’re proud to be building a culture where everyone can thrive and reach their full potential.
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