Originally Posted by
notebook1
I'm considering applying to become a trainee ATC, and have the option of doing it in Australia or the UK. I'd prefer the UK, but can anyone explain the £18,000 training salary? As an adult, I don't understand how I'd be able to live on that, and accomodation doesn't seem to be provided.
In Australia initial trainees seem to start on around £29,000 and then go up to £43,000 for field training.
I've lost track of what the college pays these days but I believe at Swanwick trainees are paid just shy of £30k pa whilst going through unit training. Which is higher than the national average wage if I'm not mistaken. So you're only on the college wage for a year or so.
It went up a couple of years ago when trainees started to be paid 2/3rds of unit shift pay in addition to they're basic salary (pro-rated as they don't work nights).
I assume this was NATS wide (adjusted for unit banding) and not just at Swanwick.