Pay Scales

[Courtenay]

Hi everyone....

Just wondering if the ATCO pay scales are published anywhere; I have searched the net high and low and can't find them! (I'm used to working in a public organisation where they are published all over the place!)

Also what is the pension scheme like... how many years do you need for a "full" pension, is that 2/3 or 1/2 salary, and what are the contribution levels like?

Thanks in anticipation, sorry for question bombardment, but am really interested in a career with Nats as an ATCO and their website is not very informative on both the above matters!

Cheers,

James.

[Talla Radar]

Sorry, NATS ATCO payscales are only published in staff notices, and on the NATS Intranet, they are not available on the Internet.

If you are visting a NATS unit I'm sure the guys will be able to explain our payscales in great detail!

[PPRuNe Radar]

As stated, NATS scales are not generally available. However, for other service providers in the UK, and in other countries, that may not be the case. You'll have to be more specific about which country and company you want information on, to allow the experts here to respond :ok:

[The Fat Controller]

At the present time the NATS pension scheme is of the final salary variety.
The maximum pension is 2/3 of final salary, and the accrual rate is 58ths, so you need to work 38.66 years to get the full pension.
Normal retirement age is 60.
There is also an ATCO flexible retirement scheme, allowing retirement after the age of 55 with reduced abatement, subject to a minimum number of years total service/operational service.
Also, the recent pension legislation changes may open other ways out !

[Courtenay]

Thanks for your help guys (and girls)...

I am not looking for great in depth details for the pay scale, just slightly more than the NATS site shows "10k whilst training, then 17-19k rising to 45k with up to 80k". I mean you don’t go straight from 19k to 45k or 80k without some sort of time period in between!

ATC is something I have been interested in for quite some time... I'm 23 now and applied once a few years ago and fell at the first hurdle. After some time reflecting on what I want to do, working for the Police for just over 2 years I have decided that the police is not for me, and am seriously considering the ATC option again... It would mean a huge pay drop to start with, and leaving an excellent pension scheme (albeit with an 11% contribution rate!), and need to put my mind at rest before following my heart, if you know what I mean!!

Cheers,

James.

[foghorn]

It all depends on the actual unit where you end up. As a very rough guideline, once valid you'll get somewhere between £35k - £42k, which will go up between £2-3k per year to top out in the £55k-80k region after about 12 years.

As has been said the pension is very generous and is equivalent to the best public sector and top end of the private sector - for now at least. It's based on 1/58th of your final salary per year's service (less if you take a lump sum). Employees' contributions are 6%.

[Courtenay]

thanks very much for all your help!

I'm 99% sure I'm going to hit the "submit application" button tomorrow morning once I've been in touch with my opticians to get my perscription read out to me over the phone.

[REVOLUTION]

Do it you won't regret it!

[Courtenay]

Well I've done it *gulp*

Hope they dont keep me waiting too long!

Let you know how I get on.

Cheers,

James.

[Courtenay]

Anyone know how long they take to get back to you generally from your application?

Cheers,

James.

[Kirk Biddlecombe]

They got back to me in about 2 hrs.

Not to worry though, I see the date you said you had just submitted your application was Thursday. HR might not have processed it in the lead up to the weekend. You should hear something early next week though.

Good luck!

Kirk

[Courtenay]

hmmmmm! I think I submitted it the day before... or even Tues 2nd.... but I had another look at it, and it might be delayed whilst their medical branch look at my eyesight prescription... which is so minor it is hardly worth it, but it'll be procedure!

be patient James!!!

Cheers,

James

[Courtenay]

Thanks for all your help so far, finally got a reply from NATS (they had to check my eye sight test out first). Now got to work out which date I can go to the tests, as getting time off work isn't that easy, but I'll manage!!

Cheers,

James.

[Dances with Boffins]

Hang in there. Read up on the selection progress as it has changed since last time you went through.

[Courtenay]

Well I am still looking for a date to come up that I can do. The London ones went within hours...

I currently only have an offer of 1 date next week in Manchester! Hope they'll add some more in soon, then I'll have to jump straight in.

Don't worry I'll read like MAD before I go :-)

James.

[Courtenay]

Finally got the tests booked... 11th July. Anyone else booked for then?

James.

[west atc]

How do the pay scales compare to the cost of living? What chances would a controller currently working in OZ with 10 years experience have of getting a job in the UK? I have European citizenship so immigration requirements are not a problem.
If you have previous experience, can you skip to higher up the pay scales?

[foghorn]

How do the pay scales compare to the cost of living?

Probably not as good as Oz. ATCOs are pretty well paid here (although not well paid enough of course:) ), but the cost of living in much of the UK is horrendous to international standards: as a rule it gets better the further north you are, but the pay tends to go down and the weather gets worse the further north you are too!