Atco Position Southend

[Barnaby the Bear]

http://www.southendairport.com/PDFs/Vacancy%20-%20ATCO%20Feb%2011.pdf

[davys747]

Weren't they looking for ATCOs a few months back?

[LXGB]

Nice new tower. What's the pay like?

[Sir George Cayley]

And soon a nice new runway - and longer tooooooo!

SGC

[twentypoint4]

Is Southend's radar primary only? Also, are they hoping for controlled airspace before the Olympics?

Found this statement online:
Completion of the runway extension, and the airport’s congestion-free location outside the London air traffic control area, make it a good location to meet the demand for European business and leisure travel, which is best served by aircraft such as the Airbus 319, Boeing 737 and Embraer 195, with up to 160 seats.

Not sure that makes it a good location in my books?

[chevvron]

There is a plan for CAS(T) during the Olympics.
Memory of my one experience of Southend was how congested the roads were and how long it took to get to the M25, plus the slow progress once we got on it. I know there's supposed to be a new railway station to serve the airport, but many people at other airports still seem to prefer to drive and 'long term' it.

[Barnaby the Bear]

The A127 into and out of Southend has just had some improvements made to the bottlenecks at Progress Road and Cuckoo Corner. The M25 has, and is going through major (controversial) widening works either side if the exit.
If you choose to use the A13, then Saddlers farm is also going through multi million pound improvements.
Even on the busiest summer days before this work, it only took 20 minutes to get from the Rayleigh Weir to a position 3 miles past the Airport.
The on site train station will be served by 8 trains per hour to Liverpool Street (via Stratford), and the 2nd Southend - London C2C line into Fenchurch Street is only about a £5 cab ride away.
Bristol Airport has worse access, along with Bournemouth, Cardiff and no doubt others I haven't used in order to judge.
Remember they are only looking to service around 2m pax per annum by 2020.
:8

As for the position, they are looking for ATCO''s with ratings.

[Danscowpie]

As for the position, they are looking for ATCO''s with ratings.

Good point for anyone stuck somewhere without the prospect of further training in the near future or indeed, if you don't have a job yet.

Southend have always accepted that they might not attract fully rated ATCOs so have always been willing to give someone a chance by taking on someone who is only partially rated.
This is not only an extremely pro active approach, it also reduces employers costs in the short term and is a good investment which usually pays off all round.

The airport might not be everyone's ideal choice, but if you're in the position of being partially rated, it's worth a punt.

[vulcanised]

Is Southend's radar primary only?

It is at the moment but that will soon change.

[Jamie-Southend]

Now Now, come on, we don't need the roads to get to SEN, Uncle Eddies put a Station in.

[Barnaby the Bear]

Danscowpie this is drifting way from the ATC related nature of my original post, and its clear you have an axe to grind from your other post. :=
The Airport land is owned by Southend Borough Council, it can only be run as an Airport under the terms of the lease. Change of use would not be an easy option.
The location itself doe's not suit a haulage depot, and the line would not support freight operations without building a siding of some sort.

[Danscowpie]

Barnaby, it was meant in jest, but as it's offended your sensitive side I've pulled the post.:{
I am confident that in 10 years time SEN will still be there doing what it always has and always will, plodding away being a stable regional airport.

If they have SSR by then, all the better...:p

[KieranBal]

The Airport land is owned by Southend Borough Council

Is it not now owned by Eddie Stobart Ltd. ?

[vulcanised]

No, they are leaseholders from SBC.

[Frunobulax]

I was applying there last time they advertised. To my surprise, although I was fulfilling ALL the criteria with some cream like LCA on the top - I didn't even get a "we are sorry to inform you" kind of reply. I was quite shocked with such HR manners to be honest - I had completely different experiences with all my previous applications for ATC jobs.

[chevvron]

Have you got a UK Licence? If not the CAA might not recognise your qualifications and insist on an Assessment of Prior Competence (APC) which Southend may be reluctant to arrange.

[Frunobulax]

Well, what they were looking for was a licence issued in accordance with EU regulations, no UK CAA ever mentioned (if it was, I wouldn't waste their and my time).

[WetFeet]

The advertisement says "Hold a valid Air Traffic Controller Licence preferably with Approach Radar Rating".

It doesn't take much thought to realise that a valid Air Traffic Control Licence means a UK CAA licence if you are going to control in the UK! If I was in HR I would think twice about an applicant that thought otherwise.

[Spitoon]

The advertisement says "Hold a valid Air Traffic Controller Licence preferably with Approach Radar Rating".

It doesn't take much thought to realise that a valid Air Traffic Control Licence means a UK CAA licence if you are going to control in the UK! If I was in HR I would think twice about an applicant that thought otherwise. I guess the EU's ATCO Directive has passed you by......

[MancLad993]

Maybe Spitoon, but it does say "Live in the UK".

[classicwings]

The advertisement says "Hold a valid Air Traffic Controller Licence preferably with Approach Radar Rating".Fair enough but wouldnt it be advantageous to have an Approach Procedural ticket over an APS?

[Frunobulax]

I agree, THIS TIME it does. However "living in UK" doesn't necessarily equal "possesing UK CAA licence", does it?

[MancLad993]

I suppose, technically, having a ULE from an ATS provider in the UK would mean that it satisfies UK CAA?

[Data Dad]

CAP744 says this:

6.1.1 The holder of such a Licence who intends to seek employment as an air traffic controller in the UK, shall apply in writing to the CAA to obtain confirmation that his Licence is acceptable to the CAA, before seeking such employment.
6.1.2 The Licence cannot be used in the UK unless it is accompanied by confirmation from the CAA that the Licence has been recognised as acceptable by the CAA as the UK Licensing Authority.

I guess therefore that Southend's requirement for 'Valid Air Traffic Control Licence' would be met by an EU licence (provided it has been itself issued in accordance with directive 2006/23/EC) only if accompanied by CAA confirmation of acceptablilty. The key word IMHO in the CAA's rules is in para 6.1.1 - 'before'.

DD

[Frunobulax]

Thanks a lot, that's a very usefull info :)

[WetFeet]

Apologies if I was a bit abrupt in my previous post. I am a bit out of date having retired three and a half years ago.

However, subsequent posts do show that just having an EU licence isn't sufficient in itself. You do need confirmation from CAA before applying, so I wasn't entirely wrong

[Frunobulax]

I wasn't aware of the recognition procedure at all - on the other hand some other employers don't have any problems with making things clear as to whom they are looking for.
I stand by with what I said: offering a position and leaving an applying prospective employee without a single word while they fulfill all the criteria might make you think some nasty things about HR Dept. Aviation or not.

[WetFeet]

I'll agree with that, Frunobulax. A lot of companies are, unfortunately, like that.

[Danscowpie]

wouldnt it be advantageous to have an Approach Procedural ticket over an APS?

If you have APS but no APP, then the answer is probably yes.

SEN operate night shifts which are mostly (if not always) combined ADC/APP single ATCO Ops, so someone who can apply with those ratings stands a good chance of being taken on and subsequently being offered an APS course.

The vast majority of ATCOs with ADC/APS only are ex Mil and have a great deal of difficulty with the concept of procedural control, it's certainly not beyond them - just a dark art which requires them to study the associated black magic to get through it.:E:E

[man friday]

"The vast majority of ATCOs with ADC/APS only are ex Mil and have a great deal of difficulty with the concept of procedural control, it's certainly not beyond them - just a dark art which requires them to study the associated black magic to get through it"

A hell of a sweeping generalisation,now to grasp the concept of hitting the post reply box........

[2244206]

Having to work under their SATCO would also have to be taken into account too.
Not enough $'s for that.

[rodan]

Since it's been mentioned, how many $s are we talking about? Someone asked a few days ago but got no reply.

[heretostay]

Since it's been mentioned, how many $s are we talking about? Someone asked a few days ago but got no reply.


It would appear from these two pages there are lots of people in the 'know', but in reality, I suspect there is only one who really is in the 'know' (and it ain't me!).

Could 2244206 elaborate on: Having to work under their SATCO would also have to be taken into account too.
Not enough $'s for that.

If there really is anyone posting here who knows, whats the shift system like at EGMC and are you paid in "$" or £?:ok:

[MancLad993]

Don't work there myself but I would hazard a guess you are paid in £'s as it's in the UK.

[Danscowpie]

If there really is anyone posting here who knows, whats the shift system like at EGMC and are you paid in "$" or £?

Well, Southend is in the South East of England so clearly salary is paid in a different currency to the rest of the UK.:ugh::rolleyes::rolleyes:

As has been previously stated, Southend operate H24 for various reasons. The shift system shouldn't be too difficult to work out, even for somebody "back from Mountie country".:rolleyes::uhoh:

[heretostay]

Danscowpie,

My upmost apologies, I'm sorry if I caused any offence and sorry you didn't see the :ok: used at the end of the sentence which I originally hoped might have implied I was using a very small amount of casual forum sarcasm towards 2244206 who made the original mention of payment in $, clearly my sarcasm was lost enroute from 'Mountie country'. My turn to use:ugh::rolleyes::rolleyes: :=:=:=

Off back to 'have a great deal of difficulty with the concept of procedural control' now.

:)

[RPMcMurphy]

Have any interview invites been sent out yet?