🟢 Actively Hiring · Posted 24d ago ⏳ Closes in 67 days UK Corridor 🛡️ UK Work Eligibility 🏢 Company - Private

Trainee Ground Staff

🏢 Colas Rail UK • 📍 Crewe, England • 🕒 Sep 14, 2026

Salary Range

Salary Disclosed on Application

Full Benefits Package

Career Integrity & Compliance Audit Report

OP-VERIF-5E816727 ✓ Passed Inspection

This vacancy has been independently reviewed by the OppaJob Transatlantic Career Intelligence Desk to confirm authentic direct employer recruiting, verify compensation transparency, and eliminate applicant processing fees.

✓

Corporate Registration Verified UK Companies House registration standing active

✓

Prevailing Wage Benchmark UK National Minimum Wage & Equality Act 2010 aligned

✓

Zero-Intermediary Direct Pipeline Direct candidate ATS submission. 100% free with zero recruitment charges.

✓

Corridor Right-to-Work Match UK Work Eligibility

Transatlantic Cost of Living & Purchasing Power Benchmark

Verified Analytics

Location Base

Crewe, England

Tier-1 UK Economic Zone

Est. Take-Home Pay

68% - 74% (After PAYE & NI)

Single tax filer baseline

Transatlantic Parity

1.0 GBP ≈ $1.28 USD Living Standard

Direct corporate benchmark

💰 Transatlantic Compensation Calculator

Compare US ($) vs UK (£) Salary & Net Take-Home Pay

Calculate tax deductions, living costs, and purchasing power parity across US & UK metros.

Open Calculator →

Partner Career Resources • Adsterra Native Ad

Position Overview & Specifications

Position: Trainee Ground Staff Location: Crewe Division: Rail Services Safety Critical Status: Safety Critical Reporting to: Delivery Manager Post Deputy: As per Roster Purpose of Role After successful completion of training: To prepare freight trains for service, facilitate movements to/from the operational Railway and control freight train movements in a defined area of responsibility. Key Areas of Responsibility & Accountability After successfully completing training, you will undertake the following duties

Ensure freight train and associated wagons are correctly prepared for service.
Ensure freight train and associated wagons are correctly disposed of when not in service and /or left unattended.
Assist train driver with brake continuity testing.
Complete train documentation e.g. Train preparation certificate, Train certificate of readiness and up-date T.O.P.S as required.
Carry out shunting and train preparation duties, including Coupling/uncoupling of wagons and locomotives.
Carry out load examination duties to railway industry standards.
Carry out shunting and train preparation duties, including
Operate ground frames and hand points as required to facilitate train movements.
Undertake technical examination of rolling stock.
Assist maintenance/servicing staff undertaking maintenance/servicing activities, as required where competent.
Work various shift patterns including nights, weekends and bank holidays.
Must be prepared to lodge away from home, when required.
Ensure the highest level of professionalism when dealing with other individuals within the company, clients and members of the public.
Be proactive and tenacious towards health and safety.
Able to work in a logical manner, good communication, commercially aware with the ability to remain vigilant in charging surroundings.
Detaching crippled or unsafe rolling stock including unsafe or dangerous loads.
A proven safety record and the ability to work with little direct supervision.
Challenging un-safe working practices.
Meeting and keeping up to date with all industry standards.
Ensuring the highest level of safety at all times, not taking risks or short cuts at any time no matter how routine the task is.
Communicate with others involved with train movements/operations to ensure all parties have a clear understanding of the task.
Check and double check all basic processes e.g. points, routes, brakes Scotches, loads, fouling points and speed.
Working shifts and reporting any fatigue or other issues to your line manager than may affect the safe operation of trains.
Being prepared to deal with any out of course incidents.
Act in a courteous and professional manner at all times.
As you will expect the organisation may change from time to time and you will be expected to meet the operational requirements.
Any other reasonable duties as required from time to time.

Report Preparation, after successful completion of training

Wagon defect reports.
Incident reports.
Train preparers log books and report forms.

Ad Hoc reporting as requested. Person Specification The job holder will have

Experienced train preparer to meet current industry standards.
Personal Track Safety.
Rules and Regulations competent.
Freight Train Operations, Loading and Rolling Stock Examination.

And what do we offer? At Colas Rail we know how important job satisfaction is for everyone to support with life at home, your health and financial well-being, that's why in return we offer:

Competitive Salary
Company funded Job Use Van
Business Fuel Card* (for business fuel purchases only)
Industry leading Life Assurance
Healthcare Cash Plan
Wellbeing Employee Assistant Programme
Pension Scheme
Eye Care Vouchers
Long Service Award
Season Ticket Loan
Occupational Health Service

About Us Joining Colas Rail UK provides the opportunity to not only establish yourself within one of the rail industry's biggest and most prestigious, multi-disciplined contractors, providing you with a springboard that can take you career to new heights. We take pride in nurturing talent and providing opportunities for you to unlock your potential at whatever stage you are in your career. We encourage cross-collaboration and innovation and if you are interested in learning Colas Rail will enable that. Every day we work together safely to solve real problems, with a shared goal of enhancing the Infrastructure and Logistics which is key to the UK Rail Network and wider Supply Chain. Everyone here has a voice and we encourage all to speak up, discuss their ideas and implement them. We are always looking for passionate people to join our business and with several bases across the UK, there are plenty of opportunities to join our vibrant, creative, and diverse teams. Colas Rail hold three core values: Caring, Sharing and Daring. We take care our of our employees, always ensuring safety is a top priority and we nurture our collective wellbeing. We share a passion for what we do, celebrate our achievements and value high standards like nowhere else. We dare to take on new challenges, we are one of the international leaders in our industry. We keep on innovating, expanding, and conquering new markets. The performance of Colas Rail UK is dependent upon improving and developing the skills and abilities of all employees, and our Equal Opportunities Policy, above all else, aims to achieve this objective.

Candidate Selection & Onboarding Process

Application & Resume Screening

Submit your tailored CV/Resume directly to the talent acquisition portal.

Technical & Competency Interviews

Virtual interviews with the hiring manager and multidisciplinary team.

Formal Offer & Benefits Negotiation

Written agreement outlining compensation, equity, retirement vesting, and relocation allowances.

Onboarding & Corporate Integration

Equipment provisioning, team orientation, and commencement of duties.

United Kingdom Right to Work & Skilled Worker Visa Guide

Corridor Intelligence

Employment in the United Kingdom requires legal Right to Work verified under the Home Office Points-Based Immigration System:

🇬🇧 Skilled Worker Visa (Tier 2)

Sponsoring employers must hold an active Home Office A-rated Sponsor License and assign a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). Role must meet the general minimum salary threshold (£38,700) or occupation going rate.

🏛️ Settlement (ILR) Pathway

Continuous employment under Skilled Worker status establishes eligibility for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after 5 continuous years, leading to British Citizenship.

⚖️ Official regulatory reference: UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) & Home Office Sponsor Register.

Candidate Preparation Blueprint: Rail Transportation

Recruitment Insights

Based on transatlantic hiring benchmarks for Trainee Ground Staff roles across Colas Rail UK's corporate sector, successful applicants typically excel across three core dimensions:

1. Domain Competency

Demonstrated portfolio evidence, architecture/system design case studies, or validated professional certifications directly applicable to Rail Transportation.

2. Behavioral & Leadership

STAR method competency responses highlighting cross-functional leadership, conflict resolution, and delivering measurable enterprise ROI under tight timelines.

3. Compensation Alignment

Total compensation expectation aligned within the benchmarked Salary Disclosed on Application bracket, including retirement vesting and health parity.

📢

Notice a listing inaccuracy or expired link? Help maintain OppaJob's database integrity by reporting discrepancies directly to our desk.

International Career Advisory • Verified Partner Network