Apprentice Train Driver - Manchester

Starting salary: £33,863 per annum, rising to £44,865 on completion of training

Are you looking for a rewarding career where you can make a difference every day?

Join us as an Apprentice Train Driver and be part of a team that plays a vital role in delivering a safe, reliable, and pivotal service for our customers.

We’re proud to welcome people from all walks of life into our workforce. Whether you’re changing careers or just starting out, we’ll provide a structured, fully supported training programme to help you become a fully qualified Train Driver.
 

We are looking for people who will:

• Prioritise safety and take personal responsibility for maintaining a safe and supportive working environment

• Bring a positive, proactive approach to learning, collaboration, and supporting others
• Be committed to delivering excellent, accessible, and inclusive service to all our customers
• Meet the relevant Rail Industry Standards requirements (reasonable adjustments considered where needed)
• Be able to commit to the 35–39-week training programme (starting in 2026/27) with full support from our team to help you succeed
• Live within 1 hour of the depot you are applying to. (We’re happy to discuss flexibility or adjustments where needed)

If you’re passionate about learning and ready for a new challenge, we’d love to hear from you.

Benefits

We’re proud to offer a range of benefits designed to support you both at work and at home including enhanced parental leave, flexible working options, health and wellbeing support, and career development opportunities.

Other benefits include:

• Holiday, starts on 30 days, goes up by one day a year up to 35 days
• You can buy more holiday
• Pension is defined benefit, so contributions can vary but benefit is fixed and inflated each year
• Free travel on Arriva Rail services (CrossCountry and Grand Central) plus reciprocal travel on West Midlands Trains in the Birmingham area
• 75% off other UK rail companies
• Discounted European rail travel after one year
• Access to the ‘Arriva’s Village’ (offering web-based discounts on various products/services on the high street

Recruitment Process
 

We’re committed to a fair and inclusive selection process, and we believe that transparency helps everyone feel confident and supported throughout the recruitment process.

Once you’ve submitted your application, our recruitment team will review it against the role criteria, and you’ll hear from us about next steps within two to three weeks. Shortlisted candidates will then be invited to an online assessment, with plenty of notice and clear guidance to help you succeed.

The selection process includes:
 

• A review of your online application
• Online assessments (facilitated by our assessment partner, SHL)
• Train Driver Psychometric Testing
• Values Alignment meeting
• A safety-critical medical

This process can take several months to complete and will normally result in successful candidates being held in our talent pool until a vacancy arises at their chosen location. When a vacancy arises, the preferred candidate will be selected from the talent pool, formally offered an apprentice Train Driver role and given a start date. 

The start date will normally align to the commencement of your training, which you must complete before you can be authorised to drive a train without being supervised by a qualified / licensed Train Driver.

Apply by: 14th October 2026

At CrossCountry, we’re committed to building a workplace where everyone feels they belong, a team that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve and the passengers we support every day.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences including women, people from ethnic minority / global majority backgrounds, people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, LGBTQ+ colleagues, and those with caring responsibilities.

We believe inclusion drives innovation, and we’re proud to be building a culture where everyone can thrive and reach their full potential.

Did you know you can set up alerts for new job opportunities?

Simply navigate to 'My Job Alerts' in the Jobs Hub to get started.