Here’s how it is. I first applied in 2010, started the course in April 2011, finished the course in May 2012, rated in August 2012 (enroute). I started with no prior ATC experience but do have a private fixed wing licence and a commercial heli licence. Having previous aviation knowledge helps with some things like comms, nav and met but don’t rely on it to get you through the college.
At the college, there’s enough car parking and it’s all in the secure compound so you don’t need to worry about that. Even if you have to park on the other side of the compound, it’s not that big so don’t complain. There’s no public transport to the compound so you’ll have to drive or carpool.
In the college you’ll get a locker for your stuff and there’s a rec room with TV, tables, fridges and microwaves. In the main building there a cafeteria with food and coffees and so forth.
About places to live, if you can live with others in your group it will help, can discuss ideas and help understand what you’re learning, test each other and save money of petrol. I live 20 minutes away in Taylors Hill, good area, lots of shops etc. If you’re looking for somewhere just look at google maps and find somewhere in a reasonable distance.
Anyway, a couple of acronyms to remember that will help get to the other end:
-HTFU (harden the f**K up)
-RTFQ (read the f**king question)
The application process:
1. 1.Apply online: Just submit your resume and wait for them to get back to you, it takes time, if you want to know how much, read the rest of this thread.
2. 2.Online cognitive tests: Psychometric cognitive tests including things like pattern recognition, memory, logical reasoning, numerical reasoning and mental arithmetic under pressure. You get practice runs ahead of the real ones, not as scary as you might think, but do them somewhere you can concentrate.
3. 3.Phone interview: Just answer their questions. You get to organize a time for when the interview will be so they don’t just spring it on you at random. Try not to sound like an idiot.
4. 4.Testing day: Don’t try to act how you think they want you to, just be honest and be yourself. There’s no point trying to guess ahead of what they want, you’ll do more damage to your prospects than you realize. You redo the online tests so don’t cheat the first time… Also, wear good clothes, don’t turn up looking like a hobo or that you were just at the beach.
5. 5.References Checked: Just choose good references and tell them ahead of time (ie don’t use your current boss if you haven’t told them you’re looking for another job.)
6. 6.Offer: It’ll come eventually, or you’ll get told you’re not in, either way, they’ll tell you… eventually
7. 7.Start Course: Turn up and don’t cock it up.
For me the time from initial application to starting the course was one year.
Once you start the first week will be corporate induction, not too exciting but the company gets to check off the box, and you get a free dinner and maybe lunches. After that there’ll be a few quick tests to cover off the pre course info that you’ll be given. The exams aren’t graded, just used to see where you’re at.
After that is when the fun begins. The first few months will be pretty much solid theory, there’s a lot to learn in a short time for a while there will be at least one exam every week, often two. Study hard and don’t miss any days of school, you’ll get behind pretty quick if you do.
The academy runs on three different shifts, all Monday to Friday. 0700-1500, 0900-1700 and 1100-1900. You most likely won't be on the same shift for the duration of training, they arrange it according to instructor and sim availability. I found the 0700 shift to be the best (despite NOT being a morning person) as it avoids the traffic in both directions and allows for extra work to be done in your own time. You won't have any say in what shift your on or when it changes, so when it does, as above, HTFU and don't complain.
Some of the subjects:
Air law- it’s useful and relevant, if you don’t like it HTFU.
Rules of the air
Comms
Meteorology
Navigation
Principles of flight
Flight instruments and nav aids
Aircraft type knowledge
in flight emergency response
SAR
Aerodromes and other landing surfaces
Human Factors
Separation Standards
Flight planning
unlawful interference
… and many many more.
Additional to all the lectured units, there will be a lot of computer based training CBT. Some of these units are useful and actually teach you stuff you need, some are just so the company can put a tick in the box and be difficult to get through in one go. Most of them will have questions to answer during and at the end and completion won't be marked until all have been answered correctly.
After the main theory block ends you get to start in the sim.
First real module is DTI –directed traffic information. Basically it’s all about providing an information service to pilots, who is in their way, weather, SAR alerting etc. Not control but proving information service.
Next is Procedural control. This is a big one, lots of different standards to keep aircraft apart and you need to be able to know which one to use, and have a back up, and a plan C D and E. This module goes for a few months. You'll start by learning each of the sep standards in order and the sim exercise will be based on that one standard. You'll learn vertical, time, longitudinal and lateral standards. Eventually it'll be up to you as to which standard you think will work best.
Following is radar control. Less separation standards (1000 feet, 5 miles-how hard can it be?) but a lot of different techniques and methods to achieve the right outcome. Again, this module will go for a few months. There are two parts, controlled airspace and uncontrolled. The latter is all information service and the former is stopping planes from hitting, the difference is you can see where they actually are, not just where the system thinks they are (big difference).
Last module is Combined ops. In this there’s no new learning but you’re doing both radar and procedural control at the same time, much bigger airspace, more aircraft and the sim runs go for twice as long. In a mixed environment you need to be able to switch easily between different standards and your able to establish them in different ways. The final exams will be over two days.
Throughout all of the sim time there will also be more theory units being run at the same time, so keep studying hard. Also, whenever possible, get extra sim runs done on your own time for extra practice. Each day you’ll get a write up of how you went for the exercise, what you did right, did wrong, completely screwed, and need to work on. These will all be part of your training record (forever). Several times through the module you’ll also do Progressive Evaluations (PE), more or less a semi-exam.
When you finally finish at the college and go to the real world (good feeling) you’ll start the first few weeks doing famil on your sectors (plugging in behind the controller and watching, learning). You may be able to get a bit of time off between finishing at the academy and starting in the real world, but this depends on the circumstances of the group you're going to.
After a while of famil is the ops sim which will be sector specific training for however long it takes than you’ll be plugging in and talking to real aircraft. During this time you will have an ‘on the job training instructor’ OJTI sitting with you and teaching you what to do and making sure you don’t kill anybody. When they think you are ready the group checky will watch instead of the OJTI for a day or two and then sign the papers to get you your ATC license which will turn up from casa a few weeks later.
There seem to be longer delays for field training in Brisbane Centre than in Melbourne, as Fatty182 will know...
At the end of the day, if you get an offer, study hard and don’t plan on going out too much or taking time off during your training. The instructors are there to help you get through so if you don’t know something, ask them. Do extra work whenever possible, it can only help. Become friends with your classmates, they’re all in the same boat and you won’t pass without the help of everyone around you.
If you don’t work hard you will fail, no two ways around it. Even if you do work hard, you may still fail, that’s life. But If you do get through, it’s awesome. Good pay and 12% super, good people to work with, fun job and lots of overtime available if you want it (about $85 per hour lowest level rate).
If you have any questions, feel free to ask, but I won’t answer about what the tests and so forth are for recruitment.
later
Last edited by Kieran17; 21st Sep 2012 at 03:05.
Reason: added shifts and CBT plus a bit extra here and there...