Why are NATS recruiting so heavily?

[roundthebend]

Hi folks

I'm very very seriously looking at ATCO as a new career. I'm currently reading up loads about the job, the industry, the training, the future (!) to get a balanced set of information before I jump into something with blinkers on.

I suppose I've made enough career mistakes to last a life time, so I'm taking my time to consider new possibilities in detail - ATCO more so because of the considerable change it would mean to my current lifestyle.

So, forgive me if I sound a little sceptical, but why are NATS recruiting so heavily for ATCOs, Engineers, ATSAs etc? I've been aware of the recruitment campaign since late last year.

Is it because there is a major shortage industry-wide? Or is there a high failure rate for trainees? Maybe it is because expansion into foreign markets is on the cards? Or perhaps because the canteens are no good so staff are going elsewhere? ;)

Thanks in advance.

[loubylou]

A shortage of staff - but that's been the case for years
And yes - there is a failure rate - I don't know what the % is but the harsh reality is that not everybody who starts the course will validate and be a licensed controller. The training is tough but worth it if you are successful.
However I love the job - even on crap days.
Good luck with whatever you choose to do

louby

[roundthebend]

Thanks for your quick response.

I'm also interested to know why failure rate is high. NATS are selecting people through a fairly rigorous process, and conducting the training themselves, whilst paying a small salary. I can't imagine they want anybody to drop out, so is there recruitment process letting them down in some way? Or is it the college that isn't achieving? Or, are some of the "cadets" bluffing about their dedication to the task? Maybe they think they can handle all the study until the get the coastal air in their lungs, or the chance to let their hair down without parents to boot them up the rear end!

[Inverted81]

Thanks for your quick response.
I'm also interested to know why failure rate is high. NATS are selecting people through a fairly rigorous process, and conducting the training themselves, whilst paying a small salary. I can't imagine they want anybody to drop out, so is there recruitment process letting them down in some way? Or is it the college that isn't achieving? Or, are some of the "cadets" bluffing about their dedication to the task? Maybe they think they can handle all the study until the get the coastal air in their lungs, or the chance to let their hair down without parents to boot them up the rear end!

TBH, it probably is a mixture of all of the above. The recruitment process is by no figure of the imagination bullet proof. i'd even hasten to say, that some that are turned down at this stage could be better controllers than some who go through selection.
Going through college is tough but at the same time tremendously rewarding. Some people fall down just because they are not used to the studying, or when it comes down to it they just cant do the job, despite what the selection tests may have said. The College and the instructors are under a tremendous amount of pressure to get students in and out the front door. The problem being, course lengths have been slashed, and student numbers i believe are at an all time high. This inevitably leads to some deskilling. I'm aware as i'm i'm currently at my first unit validating, that the training at the college is just the start. You actually learn if you can do the job when your in the real world, and again, unfortunately, many people fail at this stage.

I understand how you feel, however hard it may appear and YES it is a risk changing your life for it, i would not want to do anything else.
Put your head down, study like crazy, try your best, and hopefully you'll get one of the best jobs out there!
Any Q's just shout, and i'm sure we'll all help! :E

[Gonzo]

Show me an organisation that has over a thousand highly skilled workers of various ages, where it takes up to three years to become fully qualified, that doesn't continually recruit for that workforce...:}

On recruitment, as I have a particular interest in that area. Show me a recruitment process that is perfect. There isn't one. Unfortunately, there is no 30 minute test that gives a yes/no answer to the question 'Would this person make a good ATCO'.

[roundthebend]

Show me an organisation that has over a thousand highly skilled workers of various ages, where it takes up to three years to become fully qualified, that doesn't continually recruit for that workforce...:}

On recruitment, as I have a particular interest in that area. Show me a recruitment process that is perfect. There isn't one. Unfortunately, there is no 30 minute test that gives a yes/no answer to the question 'Would this person make a good ATCO'.


Absolutely. Very good points you have there. I didn't intend to sound like I was having a dig at the recruitment personnel or NATS in general, I just like to dot my "I"s and cross my "T"s so to speak.

If NATS are recruiting so heavily I would expect other ATC organisations to be doing a similar thing. Especially since NATS seem to pay rather well in comparison. I just haven't seen any/many job posts for experienced or cadet ATCOs. Is that because NATS have such a large presence or because other companies tend to have smaller sites?

[Jerricho]

I'm also interested to know why failure rate is high

From my experience with training, people can certainly have an aptitude for the job but are unable to make that final "step up" to do it by themselves or when the sh*t hits the fan. And that can't really be tested for.

[Gonzo]

round the bend,

Didn't think you were having a go, don't worry! :ok:

Can I ask who you mean by 'other ATC organisations'? Do you mean worldwide, in Europe or in the UK?

[roundthebend]

By "other ATC organisations" I mean private airports who run their own aerodrome control, and I found details of a company called SAFESKYS who employ ATCOs and I believe they contract them out in the UK and Internationally.

http://www.safeskys.co.uk/

[Chilli Monster]

roundthebend

You shouldn't believe everything you see on the web, nor should you assimilate reality with the glossiness of a website.

[roundthebend]

roundthebend
You shouldn't believe everything you see on the web, nor should you assimilate reality with the glossiness of a website.

Quite. Are you implying that SAFESKYS Ltd do not employ ATCOs? No matter anyway, my point is that if NATS serve juse 15 airports in the UK then someone must serve the others. Of course NATS also control the area airspace for the whole of the UK and part of the Eastern Atlantic which nobody else does - if I believe their website

[Gonzo]

Well, the other ATC organisations you refer to do not employ anywhere near the number of ATCO/ATSA/ATCEs that NATS does.

What's the largest (ATCO staffing wise) non-NATS unit in the UK? Liverpool? East Midlands? Filton? Prestwick Tower? Each of those might only need one or two new 'recruits' a year. NATS has Heathrow (we alone need more than ten a year to keep our head above water!), Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted, Luton, Southampton, Farnborough, Cardiff, Bristol, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, London City and now Gib * (and any I've forgotten!). Add up those and you might have a requirement for 30-40 new ATCOs a year, if not more.

Let alone the area units: Terminal Control at West Drayton, LACC at Swanwick, MACC at Manchester, Scottish airways and Oceanic at Prestwick.

Historically, many non-NATS airfields have benefitted from partially rated student ATCOs who for one reason or another are let go by NATS. That's now changed with NATS now producing single rated student ATCOs. Internal promotion of ATSAs has also been a major method for non-NATS units to recruit ATCOs; in fact many airfields would pay NATS for their ATSAs to attend the same courses as NATS students.

I'll refrain from commenting on that other company! Do a search! :E:ok:

* plus Belfast!

[roundthebend]

Top notch Gonzo. I'm overwhelmed by ho helpful people are. I've had a couple of emails from someone at GATCO who seems to be only too happy to give me information and has even suggested he could help organise a tour of a local unit.

I'm searching for SAFESKYS but only the mentions in this thread are coming up....I'll dig deeper - at least I could have CID as a fallback if I fail in my quest to become ATCO !!!!

[Elastigirls_Lover]

A poor Aussie area controller desperately wants to work in Europe cause he just met some bird... has Euro passport.. the UK suits his requirements... what would be his chances with NATS ??? age limits ? experience levels/ratings ? visas ? etc...