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General Management Programme
This intense programme is packed with responsibilities and experiences, quickly giving you the skills and confidence you will need to manage large teams
Your eligibility (UK only)
To join us you'll need the right to live and work in the UK, a minimum 2:2 degree (or equivalent) and a full UK driving licence (for UK Bus division only).
For Mainland Europe division criteria, please "Choose country" at the top of this page.
Your salary and benefits (UK only)
Salary & Benefits: £22,500 - £25,500 depending on location. Travel benefits using Arriva transport. Company pension scheme.
For Mainland Europe division salary information, please "Choose country" at the top of this page.
In detail...
Expect a warm welcome when you arrive. But don't expect to be wrapped in cotton wool - we want you involved from the start. It all begins with an introduction to the transport industry, the Arriva Group and the Arriva division you join.
Kim Purcell
Journey: General Management, UK Bus Destination: Head of Service Delivery, Arriva Scotland WestI joined the Arriva UK Bus divison in 2006 and my programme took me all over the North East of England. The support I got from my colleagues and fellow graduates was incredible. There was a lot to take in and lots of responsibility early on, but that's what I enjoyed most about the programme.
Your destination
Your career at Arriva can take you wherever you want to go as a future leader of this growing international business.
By the end of the 18 month programme you will be in a position of significant responsibility. For some of you, that might be as a Depot Manager or Station Manager. For others, it might be a Project Manager or Customer Services Manager. Whatever the role, this will be your first chance to really prove your worth.
From there, the sky's the limit. If you are willing to take advantages of new oppportunities and your performance levels are excellent, then you could make it to a Regional or Area Manager within 3 to 5 years. Within 7 years, you should be in a position of senior management and well on your way to becoming the next Arriva Executive Director.
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Person Specification
Programme Structure
See how this programme took these people far...
Cathy Aaron
Journey: General Management, UK Bus Destination: Depot Manager, Arriva North EastFrom one minute to the next things can change – it’s what I enjoy most about the job.
Simon Silcock
Journey: General Management, UK Rail Destination: Customer Services Manager, CrossCountryBefore joining Arriva I had limited experience of managing a team of people, so I knew I needed to develop, in order to progress my career.
Nicole van der Zwet
Journey: General Management, Mainland Europe Destination: Transport Events Manager, Arriva NetherlandsI now work in events, organising transport to events for groups of people. There’s an event on almost every weekend over the summer, and they range from 100 to 55,000 people.
Alistair Brockbanks
Journey: General Management, UK Bus Destination: Deputy Operations Manager, Arriva LondonI am a Deputy Operations Manager in a bus depot for Arriva London. I love being part of a company that millions of people rely on for transport in London.
Daniel Welsh
Journey: General Management, UK Rail Destination: Performance Strategy Manager, Arriva Trains WalesI’m a Performance Strategy Manager with Arriva Trains Wales, in Cardiff.
Theo IJdema
Journey: General Management, Mainland Europe Destination: Project Manager, Arriva NetherlandsI’m a Project Manager for Arriva Trains. It’s a great opportunity, and in a few years I see myself as a manager of Arriva Netherlands, hopefully a senior manager!
Richard Hoare
Journey: General Management, UK Bus Destination: General Manager at Birkenhead, Arriva North WestI’m currently General Manager at the Birkenhead bus depot, part of Arriva North West, and I’d like to continue to develop my career by being a manager of a region.
Henrik Persson
Journey: General Management, Mainland Europe Destination: Project Manager, Arriva Sweden NorthI now work as a Project Manager for the Sweden North region, helping implement major projects for the business.
Kim Purcell
Journey: General Management, UK Bus Destination: Head of Service Delivery, Arriva Scotland WestI was a depot manager for over two years before moving to my current position, Head of Service Delivery.
