NATS ATCO commitment on completion of training

[Abdel]

Hi all,

A question, if I may, I am seriously considering a career in Air Traffic......

and before you say I should look at other (numerous) threads/topics about NATS/Trainee ATCOs I haven't found anything that tells me about the length of commitment on the part of the successful ATCO trainee (unless I've missed it)


I understand that it takes both time and money to train someone for a career in ATC....so with this in mind I'd like to know how long a trainee must commit (if mandatory) to working as an ATCO upon completion of training (at Hurn)?

I understand that it is 4 years at EuroControl.....would it be similar here in the UK?


Thanks and Regards,

Abdel

[Gonzo]

Amazingly, there is none............

God knows how much that has cost NATS.

[DonDave]

once you have completed training you have no obligation to nats whatsoever.

[Abdel]

DonDave, Gonzo,

I am completely amazed and surprised....I bet every applicant has the commitment issue in mind....why don't NATS have a commitment policy?!

Is it a legal thing or something?

I bet after the recent privatisation this has changed (not to undermine you or your answers) - maybe?

Abdel

[Scuzi]

There is no commitment period, you can hand in your notice as soon as your ticket comes through the post.


Don't do what one guy did before and post on here (with your full name as a user handle) your intentions to get a licence with NATS and then clear off elsewhere. You never know who reads these forums :E

I'm not saying your intentions are as such, this thread just reminded me of an event last year.

If you did wish to remain in the UK and were assigned to an Area Radar unit you wouldn't really have much choice anyway!

[Arkady]

The posters above are correct, there is no form of bonding for a NATS ATCO. However, the vast majority of NATS trainees are for Area and there is no other employer in the UK for this discipline. You could try and take your Area ticket overseas but I would imagine that an unvalidated rating would be of no use in getting a job. Similarly, I doubt that an unvalidated Tower or Approach ticket would carry much weight overseas. The Middle East has a big ex-pat workforce, one of their number could comment on this and suggest how much valid experiance their units would look for. I would imagine that it wouldn't be much less than 5 years.

A Tower and/or Approach ticket will probably be useful in getting into a non-state airfield here in the UK over the next few years, as the supply of ready made aerodrome trainees has dried up. Perhaps NATS is relying on superior T & Cs to keep its new ATCOs?

[PPRuNe Radar]

Make sure you read up on the time periods whereby your licence/rating becomes 'invalid' if you have not commenced training.

Reach the time limit and have no job or have not started training .. then it's a long slog back :ok:

All within the ATC licencing document which makes a good read :ok:

[Abdel]

Thanks guys for your posts/replies,

I believe most applicants would (and do) stay at NATS - besides, in the ATC field (in the UK/Europe at least) I don't believe there is a more prestigious employer, so after commpletion of training the idea of leaving anything within 5-6 years is ludicrous....

I think NATS have to make working after this period more attractive, especially to fight off the Middle East / Asian employers who may look to cherry pick qualified Western employees, perhaps?

Things like better pay, time off, benefits, pensions, promotion/opportunities etc

I have always had the impression that 80% of ATCOs remain ATCOs.........this tells me that there is little opportunity to progress.....is this the case?

Abdel

[Gonzo]

In my experience, most of those leaving NATS soon after they finish training used to be those who wanted to work at an airport but got sent to area. They still had their tower ticket, and got jobs at places like Newcastle, Teeside etc.

[chevvron]

Bonding was in operation about 10 years ago, bit I think it was only for intakes of ex military ATCOs who NATS contracted Dundridge to train on their behalf.
One ATCO I knew left NATS without repaying the 'bond' and to my knowledge never has - I think it went to the high court too!

[Tweety]

In Oz they are now bonding new controllers for a number of years to ensure that they recoup the cost of the training. Gosh even Serco ME have started bonding experienced controllers, but that ismore to do with plugging the hole to stop controllers leaving after 1 year andto recoup costs. Dont see anything wrong with it personally.