Listing Reference: req2758
Listing Status: Open
Position Summary
Company: Transnet Freight Rail
Industry: Railway and Freight Transportation
Job Category: Trainee Program
Location: Beaufort West, South Africa
Contract Type: Temporary (Trainee)
Remuneration: Market-Related
EE position: Yes
Closing Date: 19/03/2025
Introduction
Transnet Freight Rail is offering an exciting opportunity for individuals to join its team as a Trainee Train Assistant in Beaufort West, South Africa. This position is aimed at equipping trainees with the essential knowledge and practical skills to support train operations effectively. If you have a passion for the railway industry and are looking for an opportunity to grow within a leading freight rail company, this is the perfect role for you.
Job Description
The Trainee Train Assistant will assist the Train Driver in the safe and efficient handling of various trains, including freight, passenger, heavy haul, high-speed, and airbrake locomotives. The role ensures the seamless movement of cargo and passengers, maintaining service reliability and safety standards. The trainee will receive theoretical and practical training, enabling them to work independently as a certified Train Assistant upon successful completion.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate should possess:
- A Grade 12 qualification with Pure Mathematics and/or Physical Science
- A minimum height of 1.6m
- The ability to carry heavy objects
- Physical and medical fitness, including good hearing, vision, and psychomotor abilities
- A strong interest in train operations and safety procedures
Role Responsibility
The Trainee Train Assistant will be responsible for:
Pre-Shift Duties:
- Signing on duty and receiving allocated tasks for the shift
- Determining which locomotive needs to be prepared
- Obtaining and placing necessary equipment on the locomotive
- Checking and supplementing prescribed equipment
- Cleaning the working area before operations commence
Locomotive Preparation:
- Assisting with the start-up of locomotives
- Conducting locomotive brake tests
- Ensuring proper coupling and detaching of locomotives
- Dispatching locomotives as per operational requirements
Train Operations & Safety Compliance:
- Performing pre-trip inspections to ensure the train is roadworthy
- Attaching and detaching train vehicles as per work orders
- Conducting shunting operations at sidings and en route
- Assisting the Train Driver in the safe movement of the train from origin to destination
- Resetting locomotive trip-outs and monitoring train performance
- Protecting trains during incidents and emergencies
- Observing safe running of the train and communicating effectively with the Train Driver
Administrative Duties:
- Completing the train journal and submitting it to the Section Manager
- Providing accurate feedback on incidents and operational deviations
- Ensuring that all records are timely and correctly processed
Skills & Attributes
To excel in this role, the candidate should have the following skills and attributes:
Technical Knowledge:
- Understanding of train working rules and safety standards
- Knowledge of locomotive classes, equipment, and layouts
- Ability to interpret train service policies and operational guidelines
- Awareness of Health and Safety Act 85 and Basic Conditions of Employment Act
- Knowledge of shunting procedures and yard layouts
Key Skills:
- Locomotive preparation and coupling
- Train handling and time management
- Stress management and problem-solving
- Communication and literacy skills
- Spatial awareness and psychomotor coordination
- Numerical reasoning and depth perception
Training and Development
- The candidate must be prepared to undergo theoretical and practical training.
- Must successfully complete Train Assistant certification before working independently.
- Required to undergo annual medical surveillance and safety behavioral risk assessments.
Employment Equity
Transnet Freight Rail is committed to employment equity and diversity. Preference will be given to suitably qualified applicants from designated groups, in line with the company’s Employment Equity Plan.
How to Apply
Interested candidates must submit their applications before 19/03/2025. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that their submission is received before the closing date.
If you are ready to embark on a rewarding career in the railway industry, apply now and be part of Transnet Freight Rail’s dynamic team!
