should i (try to) become an ATCO? (new twist)
firstly, i know this is hardly a new topic but i have some slightly different questions because i'm coming from a slightly different angle.
I'm thinking about becoming an ATCO. I'd like your opinion on a few questions so I can help judge if it's right or not. Chances are I know some of you professionally so don't take the p155 please !
I am 'mid-twenties' yrs old and used to live in Bournemouth. I worked for a well know ATC R&D centre in the area, beside a well know College of ATC...... I was one of those geeky nerd scientist blokes. I left them a couple of years back and work for a similar geeky nerd R&D place in mainland europe. I've been a geeky nerd ATC R&D bloke for 4 years now but it can't last forever.
Anyway, I want to move back to Bournemouth. I was there at the weekend and realise I want to live there. Seeing as how NATS aren't hiring the geeky scientist types anymore, and seeing as how I always enjoyed meeting all you lot and playing on the simulators much more than i enjoyed all this geeky stuff I thought maybe I might want to become a controller. I just need a bit of convincing and that's hopefully where you can give me some advice. basically:
1) Will CATC still be in Bournemouth in 3 years time? or will it move near Swanwick?
2) Is shift work a pain in the ar5e? Pros and cons? I've always been a 9-5er.
3) Am i too old for this carry on? I'd be 30 by time i passed (if i passed....).
4) Am I a bit blinkered seeing as how i've only seen it from the geeky nerd side in the simulators? although i spent a fair bit of time in up at latcc talking to controllers about a cetain well known paper-warming tool...
5) How bad is the commute to Swanwick from Bournemouth?
Basically, I want to live in Bournemouth, do something to do with ATC and get a fairly decent wage. It seems like a good enough option if I was accepted / passed and all that. Or are there other options?
thanks
B@W