NATS interview process
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 4,432
Likes: 33
From: LHR/EGLL
You need to understand the person telling you this (2.5 to 3 years) on the other thread was talking about his experience in the 1970s.
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 45
Likes: 2
From: Gloucester
The college is roughly 9 months on basic salary (plus extras). Which is ok ish.
then in unit posting that increases by close to 50% to mid £20k when posted to a unit. Depending on the unit. The busiest units are the best paid then there’s a scale widely available to all employees for the pay at each unit.
after training and validation. Again roughly 9 months depending on training hours, yourself, traffic, passing validation board and so on, this wage increases to close to £40k (unit depending, again the busiest being the best paid) until your 3 year anniversary from joining NATS.
then you move onto the “scale”, the bottom of the ladder being around the £60k mark. With annual increases up the ladder every year. There are ways to expedite the move up the ladder, such as becoming OJTi, OCA, management etc but after 10-15 years you’ll find yourself at the very top. Overtimes, shift allowance, meal allowances at some units all add up as well and boost the salary further.
all in all for someone like me getting a job as and ATCO was a golden ticket. Realistically in my old job the best I was ever going to earn was mid £30k for a hell of a lot more work than I find myself doing now!
I get it depends on the individual and there are a lot of other ways to earn more than that out there but not many avenues for myself. And possibly for a lot lore graft. I’ve never looked back and am happy to answer any questions to help others.
then in unit posting that increases by close to 50% to mid £20k when posted to a unit. Depending on the unit. The busiest units are the best paid then there’s a scale widely available to all employees for the pay at each unit.
after training and validation. Again roughly 9 months depending on training hours, yourself, traffic, passing validation board and so on, this wage increases to close to £40k (unit depending, again the busiest being the best paid) until your 3 year anniversary from joining NATS.
then you move onto the “scale”, the bottom of the ladder being around the £60k mark. With annual increases up the ladder every year. There are ways to expedite the move up the ladder, such as becoming OJTi, OCA, management etc but after 10-15 years you’ll find yourself at the very top. Overtimes, shift allowance, meal allowances at some units all add up as well and boost the salary further.
all in all for someone like me getting a job as and ATCO was a golden ticket. Realistically in my old job the best I was ever going to earn was mid £30k for a hell of a lot more work than I find myself doing now!
I get it depends on the individual and there are a lot of other ways to earn more than that out there but not many avenues for myself. And possibly for a lot lore graft. I’ve never looked back and am happy to answer any questions to help others.
Joined: Apr 2024
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Scotland
Stage 1 Assessments
I applied last year and failed at Stage 1 due to a combination of lack of practice (biggest issue) and some computer glitches.
Where are the best resources to practice and get good at NATS tests? And can anyone provide some assurance that they got in on application 2 or 3 even after failing miserably at their first attempts? Not sure about applying if they open this year but it's always at the back of my mind that I can only go for this twice more.
Where are the best resources to practice and get good at NATS tests? And can anyone provide some assurance that they got in on application 2 or 3 even after failing miserably at their first attempts? Not sure about applying if they open this year but it's always at the back of my mind that I can only go for this twice more.
Joined: Jul 2023
Posts: 18
Likes: 2
From: Nats
I applied last year and failed at Stage 1 due to a combination of lack of practice (biggest issue) and some computer glitches.
Where are the best resources to practice and get good at NATS tests? And can anyone provide some assurance that they got in on application 2 or 3 even after failing miserably at their first attempts? Not sure about applying if they open this year but it's always at the back of my mind that I can only go for this twice more.
Where are the best resources to practice and get good at NATS tests? And can anyone provide some assurance that they got in on application 2 or 3 even after failing miserably at their first attempts? Not sure about applying if they open this year but it's always at the back of my mind that I can only go for this twice more.
It’s not really something you can train and you’d possibly only be setting yourself up for failure in a few years time.
Joined: Apr 2024
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Scotland
If your biggest issue was a lack of practice unfortunately you need to have a think on whether this is the career for you. The tests are designed to be taken without practice to find people who naturally have the skills to be ATC.
It’s not really something you can train and you’d possibly only be setting yourself up for failure in a few years time.
It’s not really something you can train and you’d possibly only be setting yourself up for failure in a few years time.
I also don't think you should discount someone from profession where the training is 18 months of practice practice practice. There's no such thing as raw talent. For example people who have years of gaming experience are more likely to have the skills to pass these tests first try. Reaction time and object interpretation are absolutely trainable skills.
Joined: Jul 2023
Posts: 18
Likes: 2
From: Nats
By lack of practice I moreso meant that I hadn't looked at any type of game-based assessment prior to the application and was completely lost when I was reading the instructions for more than one of the tests. I'm not necessarily looking to fo hours and hours of practice, just want some experience with similar games to make sure I do understand what's being asked.
There are 1000x more reasons why someone isn’t suitable for the role than why they are and while some of these can be improved upon most of the really important ones can’t be. Some can do it some can’t that’s just how it is. It’s the same reason why improving your stamina or sprinting a bit faster won’t get you to the Premier League and when it comes to ATC this is the premier league.
The harsh reality is that the courses right now are filled with people who have no business being anywhere near the job. A huge amount of them will never validate and many of them are people who fudged the initial tests instead of just doing them.
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 13
Likes: 3
From: Southampton
But this is the job…. You can’t be prepared for absolutely everything and need to interpret things quickly and act decisively or people die..
There are 1000x more reasons why someone isn’t suitable for the role than why they are and while some of these can be improved upon most of the really important ones can’t be. Some can do it some can’t that’s just how it is. It’s the same reason why improving your stamina or sprinting a bit faster won’t get you to the Premier League and when it comes to ATC this is the premier league.
The harsh reality is that the courses right now are filled with people who have no business being anywhere near the job. A huge amount of them will never validate and many of them are people who fudged the initial tests instead of just doing them.
There are 1000x more reasons why someone isn’t suitable for the role than why they are and while some of these can be improved upon most of the really important ones can’t be. Some can do it some can’t that’s just how it is. It’s the same reason why improving your stamina or sprinting a bit faster won’t get you to the Premier League and when it comes to ATC this is the premier league.
The harsh reality is that the courses right now are filled with people who have no business being anywhere near the job. A huge amount of them will never validate and many of them are people who fudged the initial tests instead of just doing them.
Joined: Apr 2024
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Scotland
But this is the job…. You can’t be prepared for absolutely everything and need to interpret things quickly and act decisively or people die..
There are 1000x more reasons why someone isn’t suitable for the role than why they are and while some of these can be improved upon most of the really important ones can’t be. Some can do it some can’t that’s just how it is. It’s the same reason why improving your stamina or sprinting a bit faster won’t get you to the Premier League and when it comes to ATC this is the premier league.
The harsh reality is that the courses right now are filled with people who have no business being anywhere near the job. A huge amount of them will never validate and many of them are people who fudged the initial tests instead of just doing them.
There are 1000x more reasons why someone isn’t suitable for the role than why they are and while some of these can be improved upon most of the really important ones can’t be. Some can do it some can’t that’s just how it is. It’s the same reason why improving your stamina or sprinting a bit faster won’t get you to the Premier League and when it comes to ATC this is the premier league.
The harsh reality is that the courses right now are filled with people who have no business being anywhere near the job. A huge amount of them will never validate and many of them are people who fudged the initial tests instead of just doing them.
Skills are gained through development, practice, and dedication. If I hadn't received such encouraging messages from other members of this thread, I would be seriously questioning the desire to join a profession where it seems commonplace to put down anyome junior or aspiring.
The simple reality is that I may be fantastic at this job, or I may never get past stage 1. All I asked for was help, so give advice or keep your thought to yourself, please.
Joined: Jan 2025
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Worcestershire
Hiya! That’s my start date at Gloucester too- do you know what you’re doing about accomodation yet? Me and my girlfriend aren’t sure whether to rent a flat or try living in a van if it isn’t for too long haha
Joined: Jul 2023
Posts: 18
Likes: 2
From: Nats
Wow. Some sweeping statements there. When was the last time anyone died in uk from ATC mistake? And from when I first started in Air Traffic ( over 35 years ago ) the valid controllers have always said the new intakes weren’t as good as the previous and that they’d never validate. I do hope that none of the new trainees have the misfortune to come across you if you are an instructor at your unit.
The point is that not enough people are good enough and a big part of that is the application process. If you can only pass a test that’s not designed to be studied for by studying for it then you probably aren’t meant to pass it’s not rocket science.
The trainees now really aren’t of the same standard though. The application process itself was dumbed down with some of the more important but harder elements being removed to provide a wider ranger of trainees who possess other skills, that while important, won’t be enough on their own. It means that people who just aren’t good enough or people who study for the tests are getting a course and just wasting everyone’s time.
You only need to look on here at the number of people who can’t get a stage 3 date to see how many applicants are getting through the initial stages. Are you really trying to tell me that all of them are good enough?
Joined: Jul 2023
Posts: 18
Likes: 2
From: Nats
Do you really believe you are genetically better qualified for ATC than any other person? There is no job in the world that you cannot train for, and certainly no skill that you cannot practice to become better. Nobody is born to be better at control aircrafts, that is why you went through the same training as all of the other ATCOs you work with who "have no business being on the job".
Skills are gained through development, practice, and dedication. If I hadn't received such encouraging messages from other members of this thread, I would be seriously questioning the desire to join a profession where it seems commonplace to put down anyome junior or aspiring.
The simple reality is that I may be fantastic at this job, or I may never get past stage 1. All I asked for was help, so give advice or keep your thought to yourself, please.
Skills are gained through development, practice, and dedication. If I hadn't received such encouraging messages from other members of this thread, I would be seriously questioning the desire to join a profession where it seems commonplace to put down anyome junior or aspiring.
The simple reality is that I may be fantastic at this job, or I may never get past stage 1. All I asked for was help, so give advice or keep your thought to yourself, please.
Genetics has nothing to do with it but how your brain works definitely does and that certainly is something that you can’t train.
The valid atcos next to me absolutely should be there but the reality is too many trainees at the college and occasionally at a unit just shouldn’t be.
I genuinely hope that any trainee who starts the job will validate because we absolutely need them. But if you need to practice for the tests in order to pass them then the odds are already heavily against you.
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 13
Likes: 3
From: Southampton
Avpiper has hit the nail on the head. Give useful , constructive advice or keep quiet. It does nothing to help the people who are attempting to join ATC to read your posts and only does our profession a disservice. For all those aspiring ATCOs out there I promise that the majority of us are supportive of your efforts and will give 100% to help you validate. It’s a tough job but no one dies if you make a mistake. We all make mistakes every day. Even the God that is Flightmaster!
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 143
Likes: 71
From: Hampshire
avpiper, it may be blunter than what you wanted to hear but Flight Master is giving you advice. By all means apply, but if you’re having to practice to get by the initial testing you may well struggle further down the line. Once training starts it isn’t a case of 18 months of practice, practice, practice and then you just have to be fine at the end of it. It’s more a case of 18 months of do, do, do, being assessed continuously to meet various standards as time goes on. There’s no real effective equivalent of a “practice pitch” where you can sink extra hours into it in your own time either.
There are plenty of valid controllers who didn’t get in at the first time of asking (albeit, the testing has probably gone through various guises since then so it won’t necessarily be identical) but it can and does happen. Give it a go, but go into it with your eyes open. It’s probably not going to get any easier than those tests for quite a while. Good luck.
There are plenty of valid controllers who didn’t get in at the first time of asking (albeit, the testing has probably gone through various guises since then so it won’t necessarily be identical) but it can and does happen. Give it a go, but go into it with your eyes open. It’s probably not going to get any easier than those tests for quite a while. Good luck.
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Stourbridge
I’ll drop you a message if that’s okay and we can chat more? ☺️
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Stourbridge
Joined: Feb 2025
Posts: 3
Likes: 1
From: Stirling
hey thats also my start date!
these things can happen, and i don't know, and don't know if anyone knows what the magic requirements for the assessments but, one thing i did notice if you see any Lighting Panel Operator jobs going (Heathrow or Gatwick only i think) then when i applied i had to sit the ATCO stage 1 assessments before interview, so even if you don't have the intention of doing that you could always apply with the chance you get more practice at it!
good luck, i failed my first attempt at the stage one assessment, recently passed the stage three so its anyone's game!
these things can happen, and i don't know, and don't know if anyone knows what the magic requirements for the assessments but, one thing i did notice if you see any Lighting Panel Operator jobs going (Heathrow or Gatwick only i think) then when i applied i had to sit the ATCO stage 1 assessments before interview, so even if you don't have the intention of doing that you could always apply with the chance you get more practice at it!
good luck, i failed my first attempt at the stage one assessment, recently passed the stage three so its anyone's game!
Joined: Feb 2025
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Portsmouth
avpiper Unfortunately I can't post URL's as I have less than 8 posts however, if you google nats aptitude test and click on the Job test Prep link. That will take you to some paid aptitude tests. They are virtually identical to the real thing. They're fairly pricey but easily the best you're going to find so it depends on how committed you are. Good luck with your next application. Was meant to quote this, you can tell I'm new here haha.
Last edited by ATC_; 23rd February 2025 at 18:03. Reason: Meant to quote an initial post, tagged the poster to highlight the edit to them.
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: United Kingdom
What did you decide about van life in the end? I've been considering it too.
