A request for a little ATC career advice please...

[Sheps]

Hello there... after a few years lurking on this forum I've decided to tentatively make my first post... forgive me, it's not short...

I'm delighted to have recently passed my final interview to train as an ATCO (subject to medical, security, etc), however I find myself with at least 12 months before beginning at the college.

I could continue to work in my current job, for which my enthusiasm is rapidly failing, but I would much rather do something more constructive with my time, and so I'd like to ask if anyone has any suggestions please?

Please don't think I'm not capable of an original thought myself... I'm just running short of them as I will explain... I want to do something that is not only useful and beneficial to me, prior to beginning my training, but that will also be genuinely useful and beneficial to any company I may work for... I'm not expecting a free ride. The alternative to work is some other training, or experience on a voluntary basis, as long as either of these options still allow me to work elsewhere to pay the bills.

I would love to work as an ATCA/ATSA but am aware that these vacancies are few and far between these days and very much in demand. I have looked into several training course options that I thought may be beneficial (such as MET certs, RT etc) but the expense is a big issue for me as my current work with a charity is very low paid. Both of major airports local to me have already been extremely generous in allowing me to visit during my application process, and although each said I could come back any time, I'm certain they didn't mean for me to show up every week for a year and just hang around! Another avenue I have explored is approaching a local flying club for RT experience at a local airfield (this is something I was lucky enough to do when I lived close to Popham a few years ago) but there is only one local flying club and they are unwilling for anyone other than flying members to be anywhere near the RT, even as an observer... admittedly I originally approached them over a year ago at the beginning of the application process, but their answer did seem final at the time.

So, as it currently stands I think that perhaps the only option open to me is devouring as much reading material as I can in my spare time (which I will do anyway), but I really would love the opportunity to do something more hands on and useful. Is there such an option? Am I missing something obvious? Suggestions gratefully received...

Many thanks
Sheps

[reportyourlevel]

Don't waste your money paying for training that will be provided for you when you start at the college (RTF, met etc.). The instruction at the college (certainly when I was there) was nothing short of excellent, although the time constraints sometimes posed a challenge.

I'm not sure how any employer would look at you taking a job and then leaving after a year (unless it was a limited term contract). As for the ATSA jobs, I don't know anything about the job market at the moment. I do know that at my unit it takes maybe 6 months to train to an acceptable standard. If you then left six months after that, I think my employer would (rightly) be quite annoyed.

[Sheps]

Thank you for your reply. That's good to hear about the college and is certainly what I have heard from several recent students too... I'm just very eager to get started and want to make the very best of the opportunity, especially as I have also heard that there is a lot to learn in a short time, just as you describe. While I had no trouble studying for my degree, it was many years ago!

That's also an excellent point about any potential employer; this is why I said that I would want any employment to be beneficial to them too. I would certainly be honest about my future plans. Given the length of time to train, I can see that it even if such a vacancy came up I would be unlikely to be suitable.

Thank you very much.

[Me Me Me Me]

The salary at the college can be quite challenging to budget with... I would consider the 12 months a chance to try and put a few quid aside to supplement it - I do realsie you said your current work was not well paid either - maybe the student salary wont hurt you too much then. Perhaps you could sign up wth some agencies and temp for 12 months? You may actually earn more doing that and nobody will complain that you pack it in after 12 months.

Good luck with the training.

[Standard Noise]

Sheps - try just enjoying the time you have left before you start your course. As Me4 says, the salary isn't great to start at the college so saving a few quid might be an idea as the move from Hurn to Whiteley may yet prove to be higher for students in terms of accommodation costs.
As for reading and gaining ATC experiences, you'll get enough to read once you start and real world experiences can differ greatly from the college anyway. It's better to go in with no preconceived ideas.

Oh, and enjoy the bacon sodas while you can, this place is a cultural desert!

[Sheps]

Thanks MeMeMeMe... all valid points. I'll settle down and stay where I am I think.

Standard... you make it sound a little like an impending death sentence! :)
Though without decent soda bread, perhaps you're right...

Thanks both, thanks everyone. I will look forward to college and remain patiently where I am in the meantime.

[beaver liquor]

Try to save as much money as you can in the next year, as the college salary is nowhere close to being a living wage.

You can get sodas here in the big supermarkets, Tayto will deliver a box of cheese & onion direct to your door, but Veda just isnt available :* - but thats what food parcels were invented for.

Good luck

[Standard Noise]

Now let's just qualify that statement, the soda here is Rankin, not the standard I grew up with. I forgot to ask before sentence was pronounced whether the bread was Ormo! Oh, no Plain loaf either. Still there's always lo-cost flights and big cabin bags for that problem.

MD of the Tayto group flies a hairdryer down these parts and sends us boxes of the lovely stuff to work as a thankyou for the service. What a grand man!

Sheps - it's not that bad, but there's just no need to go into overdrive, that's all. Good luck with it.