Cognitive abilities are innate. The ability to manipulate shapes etc is pretty much something you have or don't. Age does not heavily affect this ability and thus does not really affect the initial recruitment tests.
Training someone of advancing years is totally different. I am sure there may be the odd 50 year old that could possibly pass ATC training.
NATS policy is that every entrant should have the potential to validate at any unit, in any discipline. That policy is a fair one as it is unit demand that decides where students end up.
Some ATCOs who have had illustrious careers are finding it difficult to keep up with the huge increase in traffic and complexity that, until the economic downturn, happened year on year.
How can anyone think that it makes good business sense to employ a new to ATC at 50 years old?
NATS pays for people to train, therefore it has a right to set stipulations.
Maybe 36 is too young a cut off, but with training taking up to 4 years, where is the return of service??
Gla-lax
thanks for that i was getting my knickers in a twist at the prospect of applying for a job when i've finished flying bits of tin around the sky. been looking to get into something that keeps me at home and is not to taxing on the mind at my age.
That infers that you are a pilot. Having flown in a previous career I can assure you that ATC is not an easy option, especially at busy units. I know this for fact, and I didn't have the luxury of flying in semi automated civilian glass-cockpit aircraft. I have a friend in NATS (believe it or not), who followed exactly the same career path as me, and he will echo my sentiments.