Belgocontrol hiring process...

[unitedbeny]

Hey Folks,

I was wondering if any of you had sent the application form to Belgocontrol for the ATC position...

Did you already had any news from Belgo ? Any date for the selection process ?

It was supposed to happen in the beginning of March 2010 but with the opening of CANAC 2, I heard they will need all their instructor to form the experienced controller for the CANAC2 and so they will maybe delayed the formation of the new ATC...

If any of you have reliable info...

Cheers,

See yaaaa

[koendens]

I'm also going for the new selections, but no news. I guess it will take some weeks to organise.

[oddbob]

Sorry to go off topic here but I was wondering whether or not Belgocontrol requires applicants to speak french or is it enough only knowing how to speak english? I've asked this question a few times before but I only seem to get different answers...

Cheers

[fly_ebos]

It is not a requirement I think but it helps alot.

Myself I was not offered a job, although I was top of the list, but belonged to the wrong language group...pitty politics, as always in Belgium.

[piqla]

I read the at the requirements section @ the homepage of Belgocontrol that the psycho-interview is in Dutch or French language so I guess you have to be able to speak one of those...

Somebody will correct me if I'm wrong.

[unitedbeny]

They don't really speak about any languages requirements at first but if you look at the selection process program on their website you can see that french speaker successful candidate will be send to either EBBR/EBCI/EBLG and that the dutch speaker will be working either in EBBR/EBOS/EBAW...

So I guess that you need at least one of the Belgian language...

Still no news for the selection phase ?

Cheers

[elcrusoe]

HAs anybody been contacted for the selection process yet?........or is Belgocontrol behind schedule?

[bruman]

I dont think Belgo will hire some new ABinitio's very soon because it has serious financial difficulties.
We will be happy to be paid this summer.

[FEASTTESTER]

I believe they started the FEAST tests already...

Anyone news on the current situation of Belgo Control?

Apparently they are on the edge of Bankruptcy?

Following articles in lots of newspapers?

Is this true?

what happens with air traffic control in Belgium in the case of a bankruptcy?

What are the options?

what are the employees doing? Are the accepting their destiny?

Greetings

K.

[aphelio]

ou la lá!!
they´ve already started the selection process this week, until end of March.

I´ve been told they´ll send a post letter to the selected ones.

Didn´t know about the bankruptcy problems, does anybody know about them??:bored::confused:

[EBBU]

The fundamental problem with regards to the financing of Belgocontrol is an agreement that basically forces Belgocontrol to provide services to the regional airports for free.
There is a type of cross-subsidising going on between enroute and regional airports.
E.g.: the service given to Ryanair at EBCI is paid for by charges on the enroute traffic.
This type of financing is no longer allowed by the EU so a solution needs to be found (will the regional airports pay their way or not?)

Another problem is the request from the federal government some time ago to contribute 10 million € to the federal budget.

Contributing factor is a politically appointed CEO.

[sorin l]

Hello,

I am preparing for leaving to Brussels on 23 March. I have received the invitation for FEAST1.

I still do not know when should I book my flight back home just in case I will reach FEAST2. Second test was scheduled in the past in the same day or at least consecutive days??

Please answer if anyone who pass the first test is reading this thread

Many Thanks,

Sorin

[sorin l]

Hi,


After my calclulations we were around 800 who attendet to FEAST 1. I wonder how many will be invited at FEAST2.

Best Regards,

Sorin

[bruman]

I wish everybody doing the FEAST-tests good luck :ok:, its a great being an ATCO.
But I hope in a few months there still will be a company to work for or mayby with another name at the front gate, eurocontrol or so:E

[millerman]

Bruman,
I can't see Eurocontrol taking you on seeing as they will be getting rid of Maastricht:eek:

[EBBU]

Eurocontrol getting rid of Maastricht?

First I hear of that. Why would Eurocontrol get rid of their ATC ops?

[sorin l]

comparing with Eurocontrol while they open almost the same number of jobs yearly ...

Anywone who is working in Belgocontrol can say about the life in organization?

BR

Sorin

[millerman]

EBBU,
Because Eurocontrol is seen as a regulator and regulators and service providers should be separate to avoid a conflict of interests!
Also with single european sky there are a number of issues - there will apparently be an agreement in November which will decide Maastricht's future.
Besides Maastricht has always been a thorn in the side of HQ in Brussels - even though we are the only "profit" making part of the company :}

[CashBVT]

Did anyone receive an answer of Belgocontrol concerning FEAST1 yet.
I believe we should be receiving these this week.
I hope we receive our answer and invitation in time as I need to be able to get a day off at my work.

[EBBU]

millerman,

The controversy of Eurocontrol being regulator and provider has been going on for years and nothing really happened. It seemed to me that there was not enough political interest to change the current situation.

SES will bring about a lot of changes. It seems to me that many smaller providers will have an 'exciting' year. In FABEC, a closer cooperation between Eurocontrol, LVNL and Belgocontrol would have been advisable. Maybe it's not too late...

And as for the 'love' between ops and the other services... I know what you mean :rolleyes:

[sorin l]

I didn`t receive anything nor my colleague which also take the FEAST 1.

Do you have any idea about how many will be invited. 800-900 people for FEAST1 do not seems to be very high number.

Maybe you know something else.

Do you think they will send also the negations? I think I don`t want to receive an envelope and to read a negative answer but that way I will not expect to 19.04.

How was your exam?

Sorin

[seneby]

Hello, I received the letter today concerning the exam. The second part (in case of success) is forecasted on april 7th.
Good luck to you !

[CashBVT]

I received my invitation for FEAST 2 today.

I'm sure they will also send you a letter if you did not make it.

[xa688]

I also received an invitation for the FEAST 2 tests. Do you have any info about these tests? Cannot find any clear statement about these exercises. Do you know what percentage of applicants they took? 800-900 is a lot! I'm going on the 12th April in the morning...

[sorin l]

In the letter they say that if you will pass the FEAST2 the interview will be in the same day or the fallowing day??

Is very important for foreigners( We will be out of money for airplanes and we will walk to Brussels :))

If you in Belgim received today means that is possible for foreigners to have invitation on post in three days (today plus two).
What I know is they started on 09.03 and finished on 24.03. Each day two shifts of 40 people meaning 80 people per day minus the ones who did not came minus the day off of our colleagues from Belgocontrol. Around 800-900 people. In the last year they chose 300 for the FEAST 2. Meaning the chances are quite big.

Sorin

[rigel1610]

For the interested people, I have some more info about FEAST2.
I've done it 3 years ago (2007 exam sessions).

There are two parts:
1- Learn the rules on how to sort flight strips and detect conflicts. about 1h
followed by exercise - about 15-20min.

break (10-15min)

2 - the test: apply the rules. Approx 45min of non interrupted flight strips on your screen. Focus intensive work!

[super_guppy]

Hello!

I've also got an invitation for feast 2, on april 13th on the morning. Is it much harder than step 1?
Can someone describe exactly how the strip sorting exercices work? I Heard the the screen was divided into 2 parts, each corresponding to an airport and that you had to avoid conflicts in some way???? Can someone be more precise about that?
As for for the number of applicants, Sorin you were right, there were about 900 people for part 1. However I don't know how many % got to part 2.

All the best luck for everyone!!!!

[sorin l]

Thanks for info.

How one can prepare mentally for FEAST2?

What will be the skills they are try to search with FEAST2?

Best Regards,

Sorin

[rigel1610]

S.G.
This part is more focus intensive. The point of the exercise is to learn the sorting and conflicts rules in a certain time and then to apply them... (seperation between A/C's...)
You can find some description on the net (look for feast - eurocontrol. There's a wiki somewhere... at eurocontrol it is part of feast1), but no pics...

Sorin:
The best you can do is have a good night before the test. Get there with a fresh head and once it begins, just focus...
The skills there are looking for are focus and learning capabilities and multi-tasking (sort and detect conflicts at the same time...).
Don't bother if you miss some conflicts, just work till the end... that's how i went trough it 3 years ago.

For your previous question:
The next steps will be taken later on.
Like this time you'll have to wait for the result (letter) and then come back to BRU. Last time, the 3rd and 4th parts of the exams were on the same day (begin with english, then if you pass it, you go through for the interview, then patiently wait for the result at home...)

[mickybulle]

Hello everyone !
First of all, congratulations to those who passed FEAST1 !!
I'm posting this message to find some help. For those I haven't written to yet, I'd like to switch the day for FEAST2.
I have to go on the 14th at 12:45 and that day is the day I'll do the ENAC tests ( french ATC exams) so as I'd really like to try both, maybe someone can switch with me ? I'd like to go on the 12th or on the 13th...
PLEASE HELP ME !!!!
Thank you all for reading this.
Fanny

[wekke1966]

Hey Sorin,
Im invited for FEAST 2 at April 7.
grz Werner

[sorin l]

I think because FEAST 2 is very hard they have to chose a lot of people.

Wekke, when did you receive the invitation?

In Romania they did not appear yet and we wonder if anywone from outside Belgium already received. Now is Eastern everywhere and probably they will have a delay.

Actually 20 person per job is not a very big competition for a position like that and for 4 exams.

Good Luck to every participants,

Happy Eastern for those who celebrate,

Sorin

[maximbroos]

Hi Guys,

I passed my FEAST 1 too ! Congratulations to everyone else who did the same !
I heard from somebody at belgocontrol that from the initial 900 candidates, 350 or something passed the first test...

I'm having my FEAST 2 on 13th of April in the afternoon, hope to see you guys there !

Maxim

[AliciaC]

Any feedback from anyone who have already had the test on the 7th, 8th or 9th?
Any harder than Feast 1? How is dealing with the stress and how intense is it?
I read that it is a strip sorting exercice, how long is it and how many checkpoint are there?
Any tip welcome for Eurocontrol candidates as well.
Thanks :)

[unitedbeny]

Hi there,

Anyone had already received news from Feat 2 ? When are we suppose to get some news ? I thought it was beginning of this week...

I don't think that this freaky ash clouds perturbed the Human Resources Department :-)

I sick of waiting !

Cheers

[AliciaC]

I called them. They'll send the result on the 22nd. Nothing to expect before.

[julaby]

Thanks for the update ;-)

[dirkespaa]

Hi there,

Today is the 22nd. I wonder if anybody already got a reply on the results and if so is there already a ranking or not?
greetings
Dirk

[AliciaC]

Yep. If anyone got any news (email or in the post) coming from Belgo, could they let us know. Nothing received here though.
A.

[dirkespaa]

I just called belgocontrol... All letters should be send, they don't send info through e-mail this time, only by ordinary post. They told me also to send an e-mail to Eric Habels, the man in charge, to see if i get any confirmation through him.
Dirk

[Merijn]

I've passed FEAST 2.
Anyone else ?

[dirkespaa]

congratulations...
I didn't receive anything yet, then again I live in Spain.. U get the confirmation by post? Is there any ranking to know more or less if ur close to the 24 needed or not? Any date for starting the next selection test?
greetings
Dirk

[Tom3190]

I haven't received anything yet either, and I live in Belgium. I'll have to be patient until Monday... :ugh:

[Merijn]

I've called them friday.
Because i had to ask a day off if i would have passed, which i did :)

[unitedbeny]

I got the results this morning by mail and I made it ! Oh Yeahhh !

Next step is scheduled next Monday, we'll see...

Cheersssss

[AliciaC]

Question for the 2 people who passed Feast 2. How many mistakes were you notified during the test (how many beeps?). Did you find any opposite conflict and approximately how many local ones?
Just to get an idea as I haven't heard anyhting from them yet.
Cheers.

A.

[Merijn]

i made two mistakes, on the same flightstrip :-)
Heard to woman talking but found the strip a second to late.
So i changed the time... Beep.. then i changed the altitude... Beep.. :ugh:

But no others mistakes.

I found 2 opposite conflicts and 6 or 7 local ones.
I also tried to remove the flight strips very fast.

Does someone has best practices for the english test ?

Thx

[Merijn]

Double post

[Tom3190]

I also passed the test, and can go to the next round next Monday.

Alicia,

I think I found 11 local conflicts and 7 opposite conflicts (my list on the left side was full). 2 times I didn't notice there was a strip that had to be sorted, and I had 2 beeps: 1 for an opposite conflict that wasn't one according to the program (I'm still convinced it was one ;)) and 1 for a local conflict where I think the problem was that my list was already full...

[Merijn]

Tom,

when do you have to be there ?
I'm expected at 8h30.

Congrats on passing feast2.

Any best practices for the english part ?

grtz

[unitedbeny]

Hey everybody,

Tom : 11 local conflicts and 7 opposite ?? Damn you're a real conflicts finding machine !!!

Congrats, I had like 1 or 2 opposite and maybe 7 local ! But I passed that's what matters !

Now comes the hardest one, the psycho test, you have no idea how they want you to be, how you need to react or what you have to do... Freaking sh**t !

Anyone knows what can we expect for the english test ? I thought that the english part of Feast I was already pretty tough...

We'll see,

Cheerssss

[Tom3190]

Merijn,

I have to be there at 8:15 so we'll probably see each other there.

For the English test, I thought I read somewhere that they first show you a picture and ask you to talk about what you see. After that they ask you some general questions where you have to give your opinion on different subjects, where off course your language is more important than your opinion. :)

The psychological test may indeed be the hardest, but there's not much more you can do than to be yourself and answer their questions as honest as possible...

[Merijn]

The psychological isn't the hardest. You just have to be yourself. No matter what.
Don't start to answer differently than you think, because sooner or later they will see through it.

I'm more worried about the english part. Hopefully i'll find the right words :confused:
I presume we have to be at level 4 according to the ICAO standards.
EDIT: maybe 3 and 4 after an exam...

We can just give it our best shot ! Let's hope we all pass... :suspect:

[Tom3190]

That's correct, but with hardest I mean the least controllable. In the first 3 rounds I have the feeling that it depends on myself if I succeed or not. In the psychological test it's a matter whether your profile fits the requirements or not, and there's not much you can change about who you are...

[Merijn]

That's true. But we'll see. First, we must pass the english test.

How good is your english Tom ? Fluently ?
I read and understand english on a reasonable level. But when i have to talk, i sometimes forget words or i have to pause a bit to think about my sentence.

Btw: Tom, what did you do in highschool and afterwards ?

[Annemie]

I passed Feast II as well!!
I'm expected at 8.45h Monday morning, I might see some of you there.
Is there anyone that might be driving from Leuven?

[AliciaC]

Still haven't received anything from Belgo. I guess I'm the furtive candidate they took but was invisible in their database. Or I dreamt I was there.
For those going to the next round: I can't see how the English test can make any selection. How can someone who passed feast 1 and 2 would have an unsuficient level of English? Unless English was of moderate influence in the feast 1 on the overall mark. No way to know that.
The psychological interview might be the very selective part. Again, you have to be motivated to reach this stage and want to make a carreer in the field, so being yourself should be good enough. Unless they are looking for specific profiles and only the interviewers know what they are looking for. There is no way to find out.
So I'm quite puzzled of how they make the last cut as it also appear to be the biggest one of all the rounds.
The good news is that Belgo know what they want and if your personnality doesn't fit, you won't make it and that's best for them and you. The bad news is that untill now the competition was on your capabilities to intellectually get the job done, now it is up to your personnality and no much competition as there will be as many different profiles as there are candidates. Though one.
A.

[super_guppy]

Hey everyone,

I just received the letter and I passed Feast 2 as well.
For those who wonder why they haven't received any news yet, I called belgocontrol's HR on tuesday and they said that they we not sending all the letters at the same time.
Letters are being sent about 10 days before you have to pass the next exam.
Exam sessions will take place the 11, 12, 17 and 18th may so if you're scheduled for the last session, you might receive the letter around the 8th.

Cheers!!!!!

[AliciaC]

Any idea of the number of candidate for the next round?
(or the previous ones btw, if anyone knows)
A.

[super_guppy]

Previous ones there were 900 candidates for feast 1 and about 350 to 400 for feast 2.
I don't know how many made it through feast 2.

[Arju25]

Hi everyone,

I've passed the FEAST 2 and I was just wondering if any of you where asked to be there on next Tuesday (4th May) for 14h30?

Congratulations to all of the ones who succeeded also FEAST 2!

[AliciaC]

I didn't get through. Good luck to everyone who is taking the next 2 parts. Feed back always welcome for the next time if I make it through Feast 2. :)
A.

[CashBVT]

I received my invitation as well.

[unitedbeny]

Hello,

Any idea about a specific dress code for the round 3 test ? Or should the suit wait for the last step, the interview ?

Good luck everybody !

Cheers

[Tom3190]

I passed the English test, but didn't pass the psychological interview. :(

Merijn, I hope your result was better?

[CashBVT]

Hello Tom,

too bad to hear that you did not succes the psychological exam.

Did you receive your result immediatly ?

[Tom3190]

Yes, you get your result a few minutes after the test, for both the English and the psychological test.

[unitedbeny]

Hey Tom,

Sorry to hear that. Could you just tell me how were you dress ? Do they attach importance on a suit or not at this sage ?

Thanks

[AliciaC]

It sounds straight but brutal for those who don't get it.
A.

[Tom3190]

I was wearing a jeans, a shirt and a vest. Some men were in costume, but most were dressed like me ("nice but casual"). I don't think they really paid attention to your clothes, unless maybe if you go in there with a damaged jeans and a black hard metal T-shirt... :)

[Merijn]

Tom,

didn't pass the psychological either...
Don't know what they were looking for.

Really pissed of right now...

[Tom3190]

I know the feeling... :(
Did you ask for a reason why you didn't pass? I forgot to do that at that moment.

[batman57]

Sorry for those who did not succeed in the last two tests...
I'm scheduled on 10th, and when I read your posts, it seems very hard to please the interviewers!!
However, coud anyone please tell what was the content of these tests ?
What were the type of questions during the psychological test?
Thanks in advance...

[CashBVT]

Does anyone know approximatly how many people are taking the English / psychological exam, and how many are expected to get trough?

[Arju25]

Hello,

I know that 103 people are taking the English / Psyschological tests ;-)
And after that there is the medical examination left..
Good luck to everyone!

Cheers!

[catch-the-pigeon]

Hey, guys,
I heard that they have changed the tasks of FEAST part 2 and it is no longer a Strip Management Display test.
Do you know what's new about it??

Thnx!

[vladTGS]

Yes there is no longer a SMD test, it has been replaced by DART – Dynamic ATC Radar Test that requires applicants to guide aircrafts through a system of checkpoints.