Wannabe ATCO - academic worries

[Rwy27L]

Hi

I'm in my final year of A-level 'studies' and really have my heart set on becoming an ATCO with NATS.

Problem is, I for want of a better word, dislike college. I am not academic and achieve mediocre results. I hope this will not hinder my chances of becoming an ATCO? I will fulfil the requirement of completing advanced study through to the exam period.

From reading the forum from time to time it seems NATS are very actively recruiting, if so is it safe to assume that IF you pass the required aptitude/reasoning tests and interviews then they will almost definitely offer a place in their college?

In their interviews has it ever been known for them to question you on your grades or are they more concerned in more relevant matters?

Sorry to post my insecurity on here - hope some of you will reply :-)

Matt

[radar707]

Grades aren't important, what they are looking for is your ability to do the required work at home.

Success at the college generally comes from motivation, the aptitude tests generally sort out the people who won't succeed on the practical side (lthough people still fail the practical side)

The interviews tend to follow a set pattern and your acdemic achievements shouldn't enter into the discussion.

But you could always have a suitable answer prepared, perhaps your choice of subject wasn't quite right, but you worked hard and achieved something from it anyway.

[Undercover]

To me I think the question is why you dislike college...

If it's just down to the subject matter not inspiring you as you are only interested in ATC, then fine... but if it's simply a dislike of working at 'education' for want of a better term, then I don't think you'll find ATC college any easier.

As is mentioned I don't think grades are important - If you have the ability to do the job that's what matters. However, I do know that pressure is on students at the ATC college these days to make the grade - obviously due to the well publicised shortage of qualified ATCOs

So I wouldn't expect an easy ride!! :)

[DrKaos]

I think that following this thread, a very important point needs to be raised. Sure, reaching the required standard for NATS aptitude tests is no mean feat. And being offered a place at CATC is also another achievement. But the college is just the start of your ATC career.

The college, for all it's strengths and faults (which you may have picked up on in various discussions) teaches you 'ab-initio' ATC. It introduces you to various aspects of Aviation, Met, Aircraft Performance as well as the actual controlling of traffic. At some point, you will have to decide which 'discipline' (I'm sure I can hear some laughing at that word......) you want to go into, being Approach or Area. You then continue in your choice, being trained in that side of ATC until you (hopefully successful) completion.

But wait, there is more!!! On posting to your unit, the study begins again. To achieve final validation, you will be required to have a very un-natural relationship with the Unit's MATS Part 2, which contains the operating procedures specific for the unit. And the stuff you learned in the college (well, some of it!) can't just be dumped from the brain either.

This all sounds like doom and gloom if study isn't your thing. But if you have an interest in aviation, or a burning desire to be an ATCO, then go for it. The interest in aviation factor can really help you in the college (as opposed to school when I'm sure everybody at one time or another has said 'When am I gonna use this?'). And the best of luck!!!!! :)

[Rwy27L]

Hi guys

Thanx for you're replies.

Yes my problem is motivation towards the subjects I do in school, I find them very uninteresting, basically. I feel as if I'm wasting my time being there, which really I am, but of course I have to finish the course to the exam period.

If I have high levels of motivation then I do well, which I'm sure I would do when studying something of great interest to me like ATC.

I just have to stick college out till June this year to fulfil the NATS entry requirements and then hopefully way-to-go!

Cheers :)

[WX Man]

27L.... I can relate a lot to what you're going on about. When I was at Uni, I was not motivated very much by quite a lot of my subjects ('History of Planet Earth ESC101' etc.... You get the picture). However my motivation to do this job is second to none- and when that's you're frame of mind, the study (dare I say it) actually becomes something that you don't dread doing in the evenings....

[Dances with Boffins]

Apart from Air Law of course, which is, was, and will continue to be, slightly less enthralling than watching your toe-nails grow :p

[boroatco]

Try not to lose any sleep over it mate, I got into NATS with 6 scrapes at "O" level and a BTEC in science (Which was basically an attendance course!!!)allegedly equivalent to 2 "A" levels.
I was completely disinterested at schooland dropped out of 6th form You get through CATC because its something you really want and the job and pay are worth it at the end
Good luck

Drink Beer Smerk Tabs

[WX Man]

Dances with boffins... you never sat through ESC101 Planet Earth.

Give me toenails any day.

[stevekingsman]

Hi I've just read your posting and I'll be honest with you.
If you're worrying academically already then maybe it's not the career for you.
ATCO's require a high level of numeracy skills, spatial awareness and quite alot of academic qualities.
I think the reason they don't ask for certain grades is because they are willing to give anyone the oppurtunity to pass their tests.
But to put it bluntly if you're not confident in your academic abilities you won't pass.
The selection tests are tough, I studied Maths, Physics and technology for A- levels achieving high grades in each and found the tests very difficult- I didn't think I was going to pass.
If you don't like college- you do realize that you required to study at Bournemouth college for 18 months and then until you're validated?
You say you have you're heart set on it, you need to figure out why this is and justify your reasons.
Good salary is not a reason alone or the fact that you may love Aircraft.
I don't mean to be too pessimistic but realistic. If you've got what it takes you'll make it.
So think it through, Make sure your Mental arithemetic is excellent and study hard.
Good luck!

[Rwy27L]

Hi

Thanks for the replies.

Stevekingsman - I'm not worried academically about not being good enough, I'm quite an intelligent guy but I only lose my motivation when I do things that are completely not of interest to me like theories for the existence of God, which I currently 'study' in philosophy. It's not that I'm unable to do it, just that I really don't want to do it. Unfortunately I made bad choices after my GCSE's by a) choosing the wrong subjects and b) staying at a 6th form rather than going to a less formal place like a college. It feels like I'm wasting my time there. I turn 18 in another month or so, so I'll be filling in my application form soon and keeping my fingers crossed <g>.

:confused:

[atco-matic]

Matt,

Just to put my perspective on it, I took A level Maths and Physics which was a mistake!! I struggled through 2 hard years and found it very difficult to understand. Like you, the only thing that kept me going was the thought that I didn't need to pass the exams to get into NATS.

I chose A level maths and physics because I thought it would be some help for at least something in ATC, but I now realise that i basically wasted 2 years of study letting myself get very depressed with something I didn't really understand and 99.9% of which is of no relevance to my job whatsoever. Today, I really really wish I had used those two years to do languages- it would have been really nice to be able to speak Spanish/ German/ French on all the cheap holidays we get!

I guess what i want to say is that you shouldn't let yourself get down or worry too much about the ATC studying. Yes, a lot of it is as boring as hell (and its not as bad now as when I did the course!) but theres not much you actually have to understand. A lot of it is learning stuff parrot fashion word for word so you can apply it in an oral board situation or answer a multi- choice questionnaire.

Remember also that having a pay packet coming in at the end of each month does wonders for morale, and at the end of the day you'll be studying, and possibly living, with 30 other people who are all in the same boat. We often used to get together in the evenings and help each other learn it.

I often found it difficult to keep awake in the lectures, even though tthe classroom was right next to the taxiway at Bournemoth International(!) and there was ocasionally something nice to look at out of the window!

Good luck and don't worry- you'll make it if you want to do it enough!

[Rwy27L]

Hi Atco-Matic

Thanx for you're reply. Looks like you were, as you say, in a similar boat to me when you were my age.

At least I know I'm not the only one :)

Cheers

[Muppet99]

Hi Matt

Looks like we're in a very similar position. You may have read it before but here's the link for my thread on a similar topic - http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=75701

I wish you the best of luck :D

[stevekingsman]

Hi,
I just recieved a letter about the second interview stage and it say's " if you are successful you will not be offered a place until medical results are through and GCSE and CSE grades if applicable.
Not sure if this means you have to get certain grades or not.
I don't think it's very clear which probably means it depends on the individual.
Anyway you may want to check on that.
Best of luck.