Careers in service delivery

Customer Service Attendants are the ‘face’ of CityRail on our stations. They help provide our customers with a safe, reliable and efficient rail service and must be highly motivated and customer focused.

Customer Service Attendants are required to:

• respond confidently, courteously and efficiently to customer enquiries;
• provide timely and accurate train timetable information to customers;
• attend ticket barriers;
• maintain the station to the expected standard of cleanliness and presentation; and
• ensure the safe and smooth operation of train services and passenger safety within the station environment.

Training is provided at the RailCorp Training Centre at Petersham for three weeks off job, followed by up to nine weeks on the job training.

Applicants must be Australian citizens or permanent residents and be prepared to work overtime and shift work - including weekends.

Presentation Service Attendants are responsible for cleaning our trains.

They are required to:

• clean passenger trains by removing rubbish, sweeping and mopping carriages;
• remove graffiti both inside and outside our trains;
• perform major or heavy cleans and external washes on trains as scheduled; and
• clean amenities and offices as required.

Presentation Services Attendants work as part of a team and applicants must be prepared to work overtime and shift work - including weekends. There is a recognised career path for Presentation Services Attendants who they can progress to being team leaders, supervisors, regional presentation co-ordinators and operations managers.

Initial off job training is provided at the RailCorp Training Centre at Petersham followed by a period of on job training.

Applicants must be:

• Australian citizens or permanent residents;
• over 18 years of age;
• physically capable of carrying out the full range of duties;
• able to operate in a teamwork situation to meet schedule deadlines; and
• able to demonstrate good verbal and written communication skills and customer focus.

Passenger Attendants are responsible for providing customer service to passengers travelling on our CountryLink services. Some of the services they provide include: assisting passengers to board the train, preparing and serving meals/light refreshments in the buffet car, packing stock, stocktakes and delivering customer service as required.

Passenger Attendants are required to do regular overnight trips to Sydney, Albury and Armidale and work a rotating 24 hour, seven day a week roster for 76 hours per fortnight, including weekends, public holidays, day and night shifts.

Three weeks of classroom based training is provided, followed by three weeks on the job observing and applying the skills learnt.

Applicants must be Australian citizens or permanent residents, be over 18 years of age and be prepared to work overtime and shift work – including weekends. We also require applicants to have a customer service background with exceptional interpersonal and communication skills and to pass a pre-employment medical that assesses for vision/colour vision, hearing, drug and alcohol, fitness and mobility.

CountryLink Call Centre Agents are crucial in ensuring that passengers’ travel needs and customer service expectations are met.

Call centre staff answer a variety of telephone enquiries regarding CountryLink products and services from the general public, travel agents and CountryLink travel centres. The call centre is located in Newcastle and operates seven days a week.

Training is competency based with the initial stages being conducted on site over four weeks. The training is designed to help you develop the skills, knowledge and attitude required for your role in the workplace. It will include formal teaching, role-playing, practical and on the job activities.

Applicants must have:

• excellent verbal communication skills, customer service and telephone techniques;
• the ability to grasp a sound understanding of fares structures and booking procedures after training;
• possess a sound knowledge of Australian geography;
• skills in the use of personal computers;
• the ability to work effectively in an inbound call centre environment;
• the capacity to be innovative and creative in ways to increase business patronage levels;
• the ability to implement Occupational Health and Safety, Equal Employment Opportunity principles and ethical practices;
• Australian citizenship or permanent residency, be over 18 years of age;
• be able to work overtime and shift work - including weekends; and
• be prepared to work extended shifts in emergency situations.

The role of a train guard is to provide valuable customer service to meet the information, safety and security needs of passengers.

Trainee train guards receive on and off the job training over a 16 week period. Train guards are required to work shifts – including weekends.

As part of the selection process applicants are medically assessed. This includes drug and alcohol screening, hearing, vision and mobility testing, as well as a health and fitness assessment.

Some of the career opportunities available to train guards include guard trainer, principle guard, train driver, driver trainer, principle driver and operations standards manager.

The role of a train driver is to prepare the train for travel, ensure its safe operation and to drive the train. Train drivers are required to work shifts on a 24 hour rotating roster including weekends.

Trainee drivers undertake a training program that involves both on and off job training. Applicants for the program must be either Australian citizens or permanent residents, over the age of 18 and have normal colour vision. It is desirable that applicants also have a current provisional or open Australian motor vehicle drivers licence.

As part of the selection process applicants are medically assessed. This includes drug and alcohol screening, hearing, vision and mobility testing, as well as health, fitness and physical assessment.

Some of the career opportunities available to train drivers are driver trainer, training officer, principal driver, operations standards manager, train control and safety and audit.

Signallers are responsible for:

• the operation of signalling equipment;
• co-ordinating train movements within their area;
• operating computerised passenger information systems;
• liaising with operations control to overcome late running trains;
• advising station staff of changes; and
• recording train times and ensuring accurate records are maintained.

Signallers work in a team environment and are based at various locations around our network. Signallers begin as trainees and at the end of their training are eligible to become Signallers Grade 1. Training is for 15 weeks at the RailCorp Training Centre at Petersham. Training includes role-playing, simulations, practical and on job activities. Mentoring is also included when the training is successfully completed.

Some of the career opportunities available to Signallers are Area Controller, Shift Manager, Assistant Signal Box Manager, Signal Box Manager, Network Operations Superintendent and Regional Network Control Manager.

Applicants must:

• be Australian citizens or permanent residents;
• be over 18 years of age;
• have sound oral and written communication skills;
• demonstrate good problem solving skills;
• have the ability to work effectively as part of a team;
• have the ability to meet deadlines;
• have the ability to act appropriately in emergency situations and to act safely at all times; and
• be prepared to work overtime and shift work - including weekends.

The selection process consists of job related testing, assessment centre activities and other pre-employment screening such as medical, criminal record and reference checks.

How to apply for the above positions

RailCorp advertises positions as they become available, and as such there is no specific time of the year that we recruit for these roles.

To view all current RailCorp vacancies please visit www.railcorp.info/careers and take advantage of a fast and easy way to view and apply for jobs.

To ensure that you do not miss out on future positions register on our website and sign up for the Job Alert service. Simply type the job title into the search criteria to be automatically notified via email when the position is advertised.