Thinking of a career change - Air Traffic Controller

[adycav]

It's very early in the cognitive process but I am considering the possibility of changing career paths and training to be an Air Traffic Controller.

I'm currently working in the criminal justice sector doing performance management/data/quality assurance type work and I'm feeling unfulfilled. ATC work is something that I've always thought that I'd be quite good at as I believe that I can think/react quickly, be decisive, eye for detail, multi task etc.

Am I too old at 37?

What qualifications do you need? I've got a degree and Masters in social science subjects.

I'm happy to work shifts.


Any advice or thoughts folks?

Thanks in advance.

[JWH]

As far as I'm aware no specific entry requirements.

By far the most common route is to train with NATS - http://atcocareers.co.uk/index.html

I'm sure Alex or RDE will be along to elaborate sooner or later, this is their area of expertise rather than mine!

[adycav]

Cheers that's a great start, I've skimmed through the site you posted but I'll have a good deep read.

[Taffer]

http://www.eurocontrol.int/

Eurocontrol is the one A lex works for - AFAIK there is no age limit, but I imagine the recruitment process is weighted towards the, ahem, less mature applicant (don't let that put you off!).

[ninja-lewis]

Check out the respective threads for NATS/Eurocontrol recruitment in the PPRuNe ATC forum.

http://www.pprune.org/atc-issues-18/

[adycav]

Cheers for the links folks.

[sooperscoop]

Heh, back in '89 I did the two day interview straight after A-Levels at 18, got past day 1.

I got to day 2 and of the 4 of us waiting for interview, I was the only one that wasn't already an ATC in the RAF, so I was on to a bit of a loser.

[percymk4]

I'm about to go for my final interview at the end of the month for an ATCO at Prestwick. The selection process is pretty difficult at times but not impossible, and the time between stages is pretty big (I initially applied in September after leaving the army).

[Puggit]

PH user 'A lex' works at Eurocontrol

[okgo]

Euroboy still on here or has he changed his name?

Obviously you'll know that its two years of st pay before you qaulify on something half decent (which I imagine you're already above), and that you could be posted somewhere a fair distance from where you live?

I looked into it, but the whole two years of rubbish pay with no securty put me off, I'd still like to have given it a shot though, but at the time it was something I either needed to put my all into, or stop thinking about it. I did the latter.

[Juffled]

euroboys posts are good, i am going through the process for a second time now, i failed at the final hurdle last time, a majority of people pass the second time as opposed to the first so if it happens to you then dont worry.

Anyway i think eurocontrol is age limit of 25, not sure on nats but it is higher if there is one

Qualifications required - none but a good level of maths is needed, they check your brain type for want of a better word during the first 2 assessment stages, the final part is an interview and team work day.

I dont know your circumstances however a few key points regarding family and financial commitments, you have no choice of location of your posting, it will be somewhere in the uk, you have no say whatsoever, during training you have a salary of 10k, takes about 4/5 years to get to about 30k, your training is in bournemouth and will take up a full year of hard work.

If you want any info then u2u me can tell you all about the assessment stages, type of work, college life etc, however i dont really know much beyond that (actual day to day life) this is where euroboy might be more useful.

pprune is ok for assessment stuff if you can sift through the dross, things have changed alot though.

[Puggit]

Euroboy is now 'A lex'

[percymk4]

Juffled said:

euroboys posts are good, i am going through the process for a second time now, i failed at the final hurdle last time, a majority of people pass the second time as opposed to the first so if it happens to you then dont worry.

Anyway i think eurocontrol is age limit of 25, not sure on nats but it is higher if there is one

Qualifications required - none but a good level of maths is needed, they check your brain type for want of a better word during the first 2 assessment stages, the final part is an interview and team work day.

I dont know your circumstances however a few key points regarding family and financial commitments, you have no choice of location of your posting, it will be somewhere in the uk, you have no say whatsoever, during training you have a salary of 10k, takes about 4/5 years to get to about 30k, your training is in bournemouth and will take up a full year of hard work.

If you want any info then u2u me can tell you all about the assessment stages, type of work, college life etc, however i dont really know much beyond that (actual day to day life) this is where euroboy might be more useful.

pprune is ok for assessment stuff if you can sift through the dross, things have changed alot though.

I would be very interested to hear about your experience of it, if you don't mind? I am about to go for my final interview stage so any information about the day, and the college part would be very helpful.
I tried PM-ing but couldn't get it to work.
Thanks

[Juffled]

u2u/message sent

edit* - the reason i am not posting answers here is the interview process is supposed to be confidential etc, obviously will help those that want it but its not supposed to be for general viewing.

Edited by Juffled on Wednesday 13th April 10:59

[percymk4]

Email sent

Thanks

[pugwash4x4]

I started training and got binned on the course in week 6- in hindsight a the time i wouldn't have made a very good ATCO- so them binning me was entirely the right decision (it was an attitude problem rather than an aptitude issue). I was 31 FYI.

If you want to know anything about the early stages of training, and passing selection then feel free to PM me.

You have to have a certain mindset to work for NATS, and certain types just won't suit!

[Prawo Jazdy]

If you've got a degree you'll be fine in terms of qualifications. I can't quite remember, but I don't even think A levels were required. Could be wrong about that though.

It's a good way to earn a living. I don't think there's an age limit, but remember you can be posted anywhere the company needs you, so be prepared to have your roots pulled up.

Juffled said:

I dont know your circumstances however a few key points regarding family and financial commitments, you have no choice of location of your posting, it will be somewhere in the uk, you have no say whatsoever, during training you have a salary of 10k, takes about 4/5 years to get to about 30k, your training is in bournemouth and will take up a full year of hard work.

This is a bit misleading. College training at Bournemouth can take a year for the Area course. If you end up studying Aerodrome instead, it's either four months or eight, depending on whether you go on to do approach radar afterwards. Salary goes up after you are posted to a unit, to mid to high teens. On validation (working without an instructor), it goes up to between £33k-38k depending on the pay band of your unit. After three years in the company you reach the full scale, and then earn between £45k-50k. Validation times depend on how many other trainees there are to go through the system, and how complex the task is, so can vary wildly.

Edited by Prawo Jazdy on Thursday 14th April 10:59

[Agoogy]

I went through the process 4 years ago, at the tiem the age limit was 35.
I got through all but the final extended 'interview'
Incredible amount of tests, really enjoyable, but the sheer amount of knowledge/reading required to get through the last round proved too much for me whilst running a family/home/full time job...

Be interested to hear if the age limit still applies...

[adycav]

Thanks for all the comments chaps.

It looks like I'm going to have to have a sit down with the missus and discuss the big pay cut (albeit temporary) and likely uprooting.

I'll also have to check out the age limit - if it is 35 I'm too old!

[pugwash4x4]

on limit- ther was a chap on our area course who was mid to late 40s.