Pts Card

[slocjo]

hello...I want to get my PTS rail card so I can start to work on the railway, but a lot of company's won,t sponsor me, how can I start without this? can anyone help...I live in Medway (Kent) here's hoping.. Advance thanks..

[Buenchico]

It's a rule that PTS courses (for Sentinel cards, as they're now called) have to either be provided directly by a rail operating company or sponsored by them, so you can't get round it. What type of work are you trying to get into? (Track laying? Signalling? Train crew? Platform staff?)

[slocjo]

hello.Buenchico...I be starting off as a labourer (well hoping to) once I get going I hope to build up from there (Track laying etc)

[Buenchico]

Your best bet is probably to seek work directly with the railway engineering companies in your area (such as Balfour Beatty) to see if they'll take you on before you've got your Sentinel card. They'd then be training a new employee, rather than sponsoring an external candidate.

Unfortunately I can't seem to find a list of such companies, so you'll have to ask around (or simply look out for their vans and note the contact details on them) to work out who to apply to. Even if you can't get work immediately you'll probably be given credit for seeking work with them and added to their waiting lists.

The PTS training itself is, as I remember it, a doddle.

[Just-Jude]

Network Rail have plenty of depots in the Medway area, Ashford, Hoo, etc. You should contact them as well as their contractors.