Apprenticeships with First Bus

About the course

Gain the skills, knowledge and behaviours that will enable you to work as a professional bus driver for one of the UK’s top transport companies.

A First Bus apprenticeship will give you a unique training experience, combining practical training and off-the-job learning activities over a 13-month programme. This means you’ll gain the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the transport industry, providing you with the starting point to a great career.

Is this course right for you?

There are only two things we need from you:

• A driving licence with no more than 6 penalty points on it.
• A passion for delivering a great customer experience.

Additionally, no formal qualifications are required although a good level of literacy and numeracy would be an advantage.

What you’ll learn

This 13-month programme will give you the core skills needed to thrive in your role as a bus driver for First Bus.

You will learn:

• How to safely and competently drive a passenger carrying vehicle
• Routes and route features including restrictions
• Safe working practices
• Emergency and hazard management
• Customer service skills
• British values, equality & diversity, accessibility & self-development.

If you don’t have level 1 qualifications in English and maths, you will need to achieve this as part of your apprenticeship. Don’t worry though, our dedicated team will be on hand to support you with this.

How you’ll learn

Typically, your learning will take place in cohorts, with likeminded colleagues from across First Bus.

The apprenticeship will also involve:

• 6 weeks minimum upfront training (licence acquisition and mentoring)
• Practical assessments and on-bus observations,
• Workshops sessions delivered at a local depot or remotely via Zoom
• 24/7 access to a range of online learning materials and resources
• Support from First Bus to fulfil the requirements of the programme
• Quarterly progress reviews
• End point assessment preparation
• Support from English and/or maths tutors to achieve a minimum of level 1.