OJT-aye et al
sorry I can't sit here and read this bolloks without commenting
Whilst it is perfectly true that the demographics of the student ATCO population have changed greatly over the last 10 - 15 years it is totally wrong to damn the majority of SATCs just because a few don't take the job seriously enough. In addition, those of you who slag of CATC and the instructors there should go for a look sometime. There are very few dinosaurs left and even the area side is attracting some new blood. These people are recently operational ATCOs and know what it is like in the field at the moment. Remember the majority of these instructors want to go back operational after their CATC tour is up.
What the SATC posters say is true. During the formative exercises instructors are normal human beings (or as close as any ATCO can be to normal!) but when it matters in the summative phases they take great pride in their professional integrity by not passing those who do not come up to standard. CATC is the first line of defence for the operational OJTIs. Unfortunately the system post-RGAT is far from perfect and some idiots do still escape their villages to make it out to the units. No system can be 100% water-tight.
I firmly believe that the 'finished product'that CATC produces is of a consistently high standard and these young people deserve to be given all help that you as operational ATCOs can provide. Be honest with yourselves - what were you really like when you left CATC? I doubt if you were very much different from the SATCs of today.
There, I'll climb down of my high horse now but it's a long way down!!