You could do a college course in customer service, which would teach you some of the skills you need in this job. This may help when you apply for work.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
Career Suggestion
Train station worker
Train station workers sell tickets, provide travel information and help passengers on the platforms.
Average salary (a year)
£24000.0 to £29000.0 (starter to experienced)
Typical hours (a week)
40.0 to 45.0 a week
You could work
evenings / weekends / bank holidays on shifts
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
College
Apprenticeship
You could apply to do a Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship, for example:
- Passenger Transport Operative
- Customer Service Practitioner
These take around a year to complete and combine on-the-job training with study in the classroom with a training provider.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
More Information
- equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
- guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide
Direct Application
You can apply directly to train operating companies . Employers will expect you to have a good standard of English and maths, with some GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C).
Experience of working with the public in retail or customer service could give you an advantage when applying for jobs.
If your application is successful, you'll be invited to an assessment day, where you'll:
- be tested on your maths, communication and customer service skills
- have an interview
More Information
Career Tips
It's a good idea to check out a train operating company's passenger charter so that you are familiar with the company's standards and values, before making an application.
Further Information
You'll find train operating companies through the Rail Delivery Group.
You can also get more information about careers in the rail industry from Routes into Rail.
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- customer service skills
- the ability to work well with others
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- excellent verbal communication skills
- sensitivity and understanding
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- knowledge of public safety and security
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
Restrictions and Requirements
You'll need to:
- pass a medical check
- be screened for drugs and alcohol
Day-to-day tasks
As a train station worker, your exact duties will depend on your role, for example, you could:
- give information on services, routes, train times and delays
- sell and inspect tickets
- help passengers get on and off trains safely
- deal with lost property
- signal the guard or driver to depart
- update message displays showing passenger information
- make passenger announcements on a public address system
- operate CCTV cameras
- carry out regular safety and security checks
Working environment
You could work at a ticket office or on a station platform.
Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time and crowded.
You may need to wear a uniform.
With experience, you could be promoted to customer service or station team supervisor, assistant station manager and eventually station manager.
You could also become a ticket inspector and progress to revenue protection officer.