Private ATC Training

[Tagzy]

Following on from a previous thread, is the only route into ATC to get a job as a trainee? Is there an option to fund your own training in your spare time whilst working another job?

[Doody2007]

You can self fund a course with global at Gloucester, however ATC training courses, by their very nature, are a full time commitment. The courses run Mon to Fri for between 7-10 weeks depending on what course you are on.

I don't think there is any way that you can do a little bit here and a little bit there whilst holding down a full time job. The courses require you to spend time on ATC simulators along with classroom based lectures. No training college could possibly accommodate someone who starts the course on day one, but has to leave mid way through the next week.

Sorry that's not the answer you were looking for.

[Caspian1]

As a trainee on the £17k gross salary (that came in 2-3 months back) you get the following each month after tax: £1,263 per calendar month salary plus £60 per week living allowance.

As I have three kids and owe £345,000 to a bank, I work a second job in the evenings as we need about £3.5k/month to live (mortgage, food, bills, fuel, etc.). This puts me at a considerable disadvantage to the others on the course as you can imagine! They'll do 3-4hrs a night homework and I'll manage an hour or so after I've worked the other job and bathed the kids. Weekends I have to pretty much shun the kids in favour of revising for exams.

As the recent financial results and employee bonuses show, NATS is absolutely swimming with cash. If they really want to pull new people in they should be offering low interest loans to trainees as anyone bar singleton in a bedsit is going to struggle to live on what is offered.

If you or I could borrow enough to get through training to not have to work a second job, we could get through training!

Still, more affordable than the pilot route!

[ZOOKER]

Tagzy,

A long time ago I know, but I did a Jt Hons Science Degree and went straight from year 3 into ATC training. It was much more intense than uni'. After each day at college in Hurn, there was 3-5 hours of study. Saturday was my day off, and it was back to the books all day Sunday.

You have to be on a full-time course with others. The study material is open to many different interpretations. It's not like doing a PPL course.

Good luck, whatever you decide to do.

[Flying184]

As a trainee on the £17k gross salary (that came in 2-3 months back) you get the following each month after tax: £1,263 per calendar month salary plus £60 per week living allowance.

As I have three kids and owe £345,000 to a bank, I work a second job in the evenings as we need about £3.5k/month to live (mortgage, food, bills, fuel, etc.). This puts me at a considerable disadvantage to the others on the course as you can imagine! They'll do 3-4hrs a night homework and I'll manage an hour or so after I've worked the other job and bathed the kids. Weekends I have to pretty much shun the kids in favour of revising for exams.

As the recent financial results and employee bonuses show, NATS is absolutely swimming with cash. If they really want to pull new people in they should be offering low interest loans to trainees as anyone bar singleton in a bedsit is going to struggle to live on what is offered.

If you or I could borrow enough to get through training to not have to work a second job, we could get through training!

Still, more affordable than the pilot route!

I wouldn't complain too much... on your new TATC salary + £240 a month tax free you are taking home more cash than Student ATCOs at Band 1 units (which the majority of NATS units are). When we went through the college we took home £900 a month.....!

Like you I very much welcome the increase in TATC pay, but can only wonder what they are going to do when your courses are posted to band 1 units.... pay cut?

[Barnaby the Bear]

I wouldn't complain too much... on your new TATC salary + £240 a month tax free you are taking home more cash than Student ATCOs at Band 1 units (which the majority of NATS units are). When we went through the college we took home £900 a month.....!

Like you I very much welcome the increase in TATC pay, but can only wonder what they are going to do when your courses are posted to band 1 units.... pay cut?
I'd echo that.
Clearly it was a big decision and some risk to become a trainee with a family and mortgage commitment. I admire anyone that has that determination, but that was your decision based on the terms offered. Almost all of the 45 students that began my course were in bedsits, or b and b's.
Remember, once the college bit has finished, the studying does not stop.
As to the original poster. It is a full time course as echoed above, and you do really need to put the hours in after the day has finished.
Paying for it yourself is a huge financial gamble and whilst there is a massive shortfall of ATCO's at the moment, there is also allot of un-validated ADI students still looking for a job. Units need previously validated and multi rated ATCO's. They are prepared to wait if it means overall less training time and cost.
ATC is a fantastic career and I hope the OP finds a way to make it work.

[Tagzy]

Thanks for your help guys. Just looking at all available options to me. I’d really like to join NATS, it seems the most comprehensive and best way to train, but the commitment is immense. It’s a big gamble for me to leave my current job (which I couldn’t just return to if ATC doesn’t work out) and if I fail any part of the course, I’m up the creek! I can live with the salary decrease as potentially I could make back the difference in the future, but the biggest thing is having to relocate to a considerably more expensive part of the country for at least a year whilst earning considerably less. Not great when you have a young family in tow...

Also regarding the pay, the rate according to the NATS website for students attached to a unit is now £19,423 - £23,307.

[Flying184]

Also regarding the pay, the rate according to the NATS website for students attached to a unit is now £19,423 - £23,307.


Even if it is £19423, as a student ATCO you do not get living/rent allowance. TATC: £17000 + 2880 rent allowance annually = £19880 ...... means you may still get a paycut on posting!

[chevvron]

NATS never used to give you pay cuts; they always 'marked time' on the higher amount.
Years ago I know, but when I started training as an ATCO Cadet, the salary was less than my previous ATSA salary, so I 'marked time' on that (plus I got Outer London Weighting 'cos I'd been stationed at West Drayton but that's another story!)

[lemonhead]

The rent allowance is a separate untaxed payment on top of the salary, so students posted to regional airports will take a paycut by losing that even though their base salary is higher. I did read that discussions were on the agenda about shift pay for SATCs which would solve the issue.

[chevvron]

Following on from a previous thread, is the only route into ATC to get a job as a trainee? Is there an option to fund your own training in your spare time whilst working another job?
In the past, some people have started working at an airfield as an ATC assistant and by dint of showing aptitude, the airfield have sponsored them for an ATCO course.
You could try this, maybe getting yourself an ROCC and FISO Licence first; both of these can be studied for in your spare time whilst doing another job.
NB If you decide to do actual FISO work, you MUST obtain the ROCC too because you cannot operate an aeronautical band radio without one; an FRTOL does not 'cover' you for this.