New ATC career in SPAIN

[muellakos]

HI,

I´m very concerned as all the proccess to become an ATC in Spain has changed suddenly.:ugh:

- First of all, the course:

-There is no longer a sponsorship , so every trainee should pay for his
trainning.(25000 € to 55000€)
-Completing the trainning does not grant you a job, so you will have to
compete with other people to get an atc student vacancy
-The "ATC student license" is just valid for 6 months, so what happens
then? do i have to take all the course and pay again if i´m not given a
vacancy before the six months expire?s


- Second, the schools, there are 2 approved:

-SENASA, has been the school that has trained the Spanish ATCs until
today (they were the only school approved to train ATCs, not any more).
But also until this year, every student in Spain that went through the
selection process and succeded, had a guaranteed job (also the course
sponsored, you even got paid, as in NATS , i think). They do not
guarantee the job and they are not the "official" trainers any more.
The price,
55000€:ouch:

-ASTAC, this british school has made a joint venture with a university in
Spain "UCJC", and offer a course that will be taken partly in Spain and
England (in their Brighton airport facilities). They offer a course on which
"around 20%" of the graduation class will have a job in british airports
(ruled by SERCO, which i think are owners of the school or have capital in
it. Correct me if im wrong, im not sure of this).
The price,
33k € 1st grad class, 36K € 2nd and 55K 3rd and following ones:ouch:

-Third, the Spanish scenario

-Spain, is about to let other tower operators to get in the bussines
starting 2011, following the "Single European Sky" , so other tower
operators will land , i think SERCO and Safeskys are very interested.


Can anyone please give me advice?, as I´m on the final interview stage in
SENASA and passed the ASTAC selection process and have to decide soon,
as the ASTAC course starts august 16?



---------------------:confused::confused::confused::confused::confused::confused: :confused::confused:-------------------

[SINGAPURCANAC]

If ANSP requires money for training than it is time to consider another options for such amount of money.
If you are interested in aviation,than proceed to flight schools .For 55 000 eur, you may reach airliner right hand seat,in 18 months.
It is not easy,but possibly.And better than ATC carrier path. Especially if ANSP doesn't guarantee working place. :ugh:


Just to imagine how wrong is idea to pay for school,take into consideration:
-Money that comes from overflights already counts for training purposes. actually overflight and approach tariffs ,already include:
-ATCOs salaries,
-Technical issues
- Training issues
and so on,including toilet paper.

And even crisis exist,airliners still pay to ANSPs for safe and efficient service. And the main deal is NO PROFIT. Airliners will pay everything ,including taxes ,insurances and rest,but no direct profit to state.
It seems that someone in Spain,missed the point. :mad:
But no worry,market will solve it. As usually.

[muellakos]

First of all, thanks for answering

Well , the point is I want to be an ATCO, and in Spain from now on, Self-sponsoring is going to be the only way to go......
Places are gonna still avaliable, is just not sure that you will end up with the job.

What about the "student license" expiring? what do you have to do to renew it??
take the course again or just simulators???

[LH2]

If finances are a problem but you speak French well, and are willing to prepare for some highly competitive exams (actually, I think they might be waived if you already have a degree in a technical subject), why not try the École Nationale de l'Aviation Civile?

[muellakos]

Speaking french would be great, but it is not the case, thanks anyway.

I have the money because i have saved it working through 5 years, but it is hard to have to spend all of it, without truely knowing if im going to get a job...
it is a tough decission, and i cant afford a mistake ....

anyway.... anybody can tell me about ASTAC?
or what happens if you cant get a tranning after 6 months??

[Roadrunner Once]

from now on, Self-sponsoring is going to be the only way to go......
Only if people are willing to pay, it will quickly end if nobody does. In the meantime I'd suggest trying Eurocontrol or NATS instead.

[muellakos]

.
i cant apply to EUROCONTROL, im 28...

And we were 7000 people taking the exams (there were people waiting since summer 2008)
, so i presume they will cover the 24+48 vancancies :sad:
i dont know what to do, i might be old for the job if i wait around a bit,
plus i have a place in both academies now. i might not pass in the future....

[muellakos]

anyone can tell me about ASTAC?

are their courses any good?

teachers, facilities?

[muellakos]

I´m choosing ASTAC.

I like the idea of being in england for a while. The school looks allright and the Soreham brighton airport looks nice.

Now pay, learn and pray. thanks all for helping out or trying to.


:8 Ramon G. :8 (soon to be controller)

[schneiderATC]

Hello mate,
When you say you're choosing ASTAC you mean you are about to join that new promotion with the UCJC in SPAIN?do u really think it's a good idea. I've heard many things about that and you should take into account the fact that they won't guarantee any job once you finish the course, which might mean you'll be out of work paying a loan.
Is it right SERCO might buy some spanish towers?
Cheers

[schneiderATC]

hello mates,
What do u think about the course between ASTAC and UCJC in Spain?will there be ATCO vacancies once students finish the course?otherwise they'll have to deal with paying a loan without havi9ng any job.
Thanks

[Phalconphixer]

Hi...
Couple of useful links...regarding ASTAC (http://www.astac.co.uk/careersATC.aspx) and UCJC (http://www.ucjc.edu/index.php?section=estudios/titulaciones/masters-posgrados/controlador-trafico-aereo)

Hope this helps...its an awful lot of money to lay out for self sponsoring though...

pp

[taekyon2]

Considering the massive shortage of well-trained and qualified ATCOs in Europe, and how difficult it is to find enough talent to adopt this profession, it is quite ridiculous to ask prospective students to pay for their own training in my opinion. If we did this over here we might as well think about preparing to shut down operations entirely some time down the road.

[andrijander]

I agree with taekyon2. There's a general shortage of qualified controllers around the globe (perhaps not so many anymore since the crisis, but we're getting back there).

I don't understand how, when Service Providers need controllers, the candidates will now have to pay. Well, I get it actually, it's just a way to save even more money (or make more money if you have an ATC school and a politician who's your friend).

I said it before and I'll say it again: I think it is a very bad idea! As a candidate you have to pay thousands just for a training oportunity with a provider. If you don't get an "internship" and validate later on it's a lot of money wasted. But then again: it is your own money so use (and maybe waste) it as you see fit.

All the best anyway, I just hope you all pass and do not ruin the job for the rest to come (if that can be done simultaneously).

A.

[kontrolor]

try germany, they are desperate for ATCOS....

[Nikpy]

Hello! Can't really comment on which is the best route for you to take, its all personal choice at the end of the day, but as for ASTAC, they are a great college. The instructors are very attentive and will give endless support. It is true that no job is guaranteed upon completion, but they will give advice and write a recommendation for you I believe. I've taken a couple of courses with them and really enjoyed the experience. If you need any more information, feel free to PM me.

[DIAF]

Hello, I'm in the same boat about what to do. I have passed the first two stages of selection for Senasa and will be attencding the third one soon. I'm worried about the job prospects. How does one go about ensuring a tower hires you once you have a license?

I was selected for the NATS training and started the area training but did not make it through...if that matters.

[atcvoice]

:=paying is a mistake.. we all will pay for you paying... if no one pays they will still need to keep paying!!!
They are trying to do the same trick they made with pilots, and now they are all pissed. veterans because earn little and young ones even have to pay to flight...
UP TO YOU , but is nosense to pay when you don't know if they are hiring you and even if they hire you... they should pay !:=
I know you can't wait, but in that case you'd better choose the british one, at the end at least you'll get a 5 level easily.
GOOD LUCK:ok: