Swanwick Training

[rafalbert]

Hi,

I am attending a course at Bournemouth commencing in September, and was wondering what the training process is at Swanwick post graduation. Is there a particular individual I would need to speak to gain this information to or with whom to possibly arrange a visit?

Many thanks,

Dave Hall

[Arkady]

Dave, check your PMs

[Number2]

I'd concentrate on getting through Hurn first!

[Barnaby the Bear]

You seem confident.
Good luck with the college. If, or when you get through, despite the grumblings, its a good career. :}

[rafalbert]

I am looking forward to it, I must admit. Coming from a military air traffic background, this should be a fresh challenge, learning a different way of controlling. With regards to number 2's comments, what is wrong with planning for the future post graduation? If I wasn't confident, it would be a waste of time attending the course.

[Number2]

I admire your confidence. You'll soon learn that the way to get through the College is to play the 'grey man'. They don't seem to appreciate confidence!

I wish you good luck. I hope you find what you're looking for. Plan for what you like - be prepared for the worst.

[Behindblooeyes]

"Plan for what you like - be prepared for the worst."

There's nothing like a bit of positive stroking to build someone's confidence....!

I really hope you make it my friend, the more who get through the better chance I have of seeing my pension!

[Number2]

I merely meant he should have a fallback plan if he failed the course.

Not everybody passes!

[fredator]

Rafalbert,

I wish you the best of luck at Bournemouth and as Number 2 says, make sure you play the grey man and don't display any flair or flexibility. I hope your face fits at Swanwick because depending on which Watch and sector you get to go on could influence your chances of success. There are some very militant ATCOs at Swanwick and when they aren't busy slagging-off the management, equipment, work conditions and pay, they tend to spend a lot of time making some of the UTs lives hell. I do stress that this is only a minority of the OJTI ATCOs but good luck anyway.

[Widger]

Oooohhhhhh that's gonna get some reaction! stand by for incoming!:uhoh: :uhoh: :uhoh: :uhoh: :uhoh: :\ :\ :\ :ouch:

[Arkady]

If it sounds like a troll and it smells like a troll it probably is a troll.

[Number2]

Sometimes the truth hurts!

At least someone has got the nerve to agree with me.

[Chilli Monster]

rafalbert

Check your PM's

[runtobarlu]

Grey Man in Blue Uniform...how does that work !!!! BTW - with a MIL ATC background , you must have some idea how the system works!!!!!!

[fredator]

Arkady,

Damn, I'll try and be more subtle next time, I thought at least someone would have bitten, especially from B Watch!!!!

:D

[63000 Triple Zilch]

Arkady/Fredator,
The success rate for students on B Watch is as good, or better than on any of the other watches. Yet again another example of an unfounded urban myth that does no-one any good!! All that this misinformation succeeds in doing, is demotivating the students at a time that they need to be totally focussed on completing their training. Remember you were a student once, something many people tend to forget. The overwhelming majority of OJTIs at LACC are extremely dedicated to their students and work bl**dy hard, over and above what is required in order to get them to validity. Nearly all OJTIs feel the pain of failure every bit as much as the student, and I can assure you that there is much critical self examination by an OJTI when their student fails to make the grade!! Especially on B Watch!!!!

[roger]

Some-one bit then:sad:

[booke23]

As mentioned before, concentrate on getting through Hurn first.........I know of at least one ex-mil controller in recent times who has failed and been chopped without a re-course.



I seem to remember it helps to retain a degree of modesty about one's abilities when at Hurn.....

[Number2]

But nobody liked him and he had no respect for women!

[Arkady]

63000 Triple Zilch

That reply was directed at me because....?

[booke23]

My point exactly Number2.........:D

As my old granny used to say,

"It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice"

[63000 Triple Zilch]

Arkady, the reply was directed at you because I was having a general rant about how important it was not to demotivate the students and I did not closely check who had said what!! Also I felt that the OJTIs come in for a lot of unwarranted criticism when they are working extremly hard. Next time I will check more closely who wrote what and to whom!!

[Arkady]

63000 Triple Zilch

ATC 101: RTFFS ;)

And check your PMs

[Number2]

booke23 - did you even know him?

I did hear he was one of the few people that wasn't afraid to speak up against certain instructors. The College management doesn't seem to like people who have their own opinion.

I don't think RAFALBERT's experience at Cranwell will have taught him much about civil area control - maybe he's not been in the RAF long enough to be institutionalized!

[booke23]

I'm sure he wasn't the first to speak out against some instructors.........granted most people who may have had words to say about an instructor in the past, probably only aired these views as they were being shown the door after the axe fell.

I think in general if you manage to rub a few people up the wrong way and become unpopular.......it's human nature to unconsciously be less sympathetic when the person in question starts to struggle.......however wrong that might be.

[fredator]

63000 Triple Zilch,

It has been a long time since I had such a huge bite. If I am going to be this successful I will have to take up fishing again!!! Still, it is good to see that some people are passionate about what we do and it is a shame that not everyone is.:ok:

[Number2]

My impression is that people are more passionate about the money in their pocket!

[fredator]

I'll agree with you there Number 2. Fortunately there are a few that seem want to see the company do well and can't cope with change of any type. We constantly need change to keep things moving, and if NATS are going to compete with their European competitors then there is going to have to be a lot more change. The only way of convincing the average ATCo on the shop floor is by throwing more money at them; it was the only way they got OPM through and look at the shambles that turned out to be!!! I remember many of the ATCOs praying that the Swanwick system would fall over on day 1 of Swanwick back in January 2002 - what sort of person would wish that on the company that pays their wages? The same is happening at MACC, they are really kicking up a stink because they are going to have to move to Prestwick. They could always leave their jobs and try and find work getting roughly what they get paid now for doing the same hours. Good luck to them because they wouldn't get close to what they get paid now. I am sure I remember reading on the contract that the post is a mobile grade and as such, the job holder will be liable to transfer to any part of the British Isles in the course of their employment. Still, I digress, what were we talking about....oh yes money, the way to an ATCO's heart!:O

[Scott Voigt]

Fred;

First of all, it isn't a "shop" floor. It is a control room. Now that said, we ALL work for MONEY. It's how we pay for things that our families need. I for one have worked for less than I make now and did it gladly. I loved the job, and I still do. However, if my union can get me more money that too is a wonderful thing. I am NOT going to pass up more if available. Do I feel that we are worth what we make? Yup, sure do, because it is one of those jobs that we have proven not all can do, and it has also been proven that between the stress of the job and the work hours, it lessens one's life span.

regards

Scott

[Number2]

Scott

If you are concerned about your life being shortened - find a new job!

I agree with Fred - few jobs where you'd earn the same money, work the same hours and wear just about anything you want to work!

Oh, and chill out about calling it a shop floor!

[zygote]

Scott

Isn't it time you retired??