Train drivers are being recruited by Govia Thameslink Railway, which operates Great Northern trains running to King's Lynn

Govia Thameslink Railway, which operates Great Northern trains running to Lynn, is recruiting drivers.

Applications are invited from anyone above the age of 20. The operator’s 18-month trainee driver programme offers stability while training, with a starting salary of £31,000.

There are 104 vacancies for Thameslink and Great Northern drivers and the new recruits will join the company’s team that deliver 3,600 journeys every day.

The push for new drivers builds on the success of previous recruitment campaigns, which recently resulted in double the amount of applications from women for driver positions this year compared to 2019.

The company hopes to continue to attract more women to the industry, as well as a diverse range of candidates from all ages and walks of life that may have never considered a career in rail before.

Zoey Hudson, head of talent, diversity and inclusion at Govia Thameslink Railway, said: “This year has been tougher than ever for the job market but we’re continuing to invest in attracting and recruiting new and diverse talent into our business. It’s really important that we have a highly-skilled and diverse workforce, which is why we’re encouraging people of all backgrounds to seriously consider a role as a train driver.

“We want to challenge the stereotypes that are associated with careers in the railway and we mean it when we say that these roles are open to anyone. Whether you’re just starting out or are looking for a new challenge having lost your job due to the pandemic – consider the railway and apply to our trainee driver scheme.”

Applications for trainee drivers are open now and will close at 23:59 on Sunday, December 13. Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, initial interviews will be held virtually. Interested applicants should visit GTR’s career portal, which launched last year and has helped to streamline the hiring process as well as getting successful candidates into roles more quickly.