A decision - need input

[al.bundy]

Hi guys.

I am torn apart over here about my future. I am 22 and soon to be electronic engineer with the degree from the best university in Croatia. However, my dream job is ATC. I don't know which path to go in my life, so I need little input and material for thought from more mature men. As I see I have two options:

1. Go the ATC route. Sure, I would be making good money and working job I love, but I would be a slave to the goverment. If I do something wrong, or the goverment decide to pull Spain on me, I am f*****. I would only know to work ATC and if something happens who knows what would I do then.

2.Go and be engineer. Job would be potentially interesting and pay potentially high, but it would not be like ATC. The only plus is that I would own my destiny. If something happens I have transferable skills and I can work anywhere.

So guys, what do you think, am I overthinking this?

Thanks.

[Lookatthesky]

Go with your heart - you only get one shot at life :ok:

[warsteiner888]

I trained as an engineer, then became a controller. Follow the ATC path, the job is more interesting, better paid and you learn many other skills.

I enjoy controlling, I engineered to pay the bills

[pdcta]

I was close to follow the engineer career as well... then fortunally (still don't know why) I applied to be an ATC. Best choice of my life. ATC is the best job in the world! Now, cannot imagine myself doing anything else!

As an ab initio you can try to apply in Croatia or in Maastricht for Eurocontrol. Once experienced you can try to move everywhere: Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Holland, UK... almost everybody in Europe is always looking for ready-entry ATCOs!

Hope to hear you on the other side of the phone soon!

Good luck!

[Nightrider]

Don't even think about that something will happen; if all of us would have a dramatic picture in our mind, no one would fly, nor drive a car, nor put two cables together.

As has been mentioned, listen to your heart, and if you want to be with ATC, you will have the enthusiasm to train and learn and you will be good.

[Spitoon]

You seem to be in an ideal position. Finish your degree and then apply for ATC training. Whatever happens, you've got a fall-back to engineering. And if you get into ATC and enjoy it, a controller with an understanding of engineering stuff has got lots of oppportunities for later on in the career (as well as being worth his/her weight in gold for some tasks).

So, my advice, for what it's worth, is go for it - but not at the expense of completing your engineering qualifications.

[Sudden Stop]

I, like the rest of the people who have posted on this thread so far, would suggest that ATC would be better than the engineering route but then I (like the rest) am biased.

Ask the same question on a different forum board and you'll likely get a different set of answers.

Do what you think will make you happiest and if you don't get to follow your first choice then settle for something else.

[Sam Asama]

al.bundy

It's unamimous!
Go for it.

[al.bundy]

Thanks a lot guys. ATC is something I would like to do with my life. I will go the ATC path as soon as I finish my education. I got great input from you guys. Thanks

[TheFalcon]

Good Luck al. For all of us who are in ATC this one is surely a no-brainer. As a "former" engineer I can now look back at my old colleagues and pity their incomes and career prospects. Unfortunately for them, engineering is not as lucrative (or in my opinion as interesting!)

[malecontrol]

ATC will make you a very focused man...I don't know about engineering.