Social side of NATS
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Social side of NATS
Hi,
I would like to ask about the social side of becoming an ATCO with NATS, compared to going to university.
I hope to apply to NATS in the next few years, as I am 16 now, but what would be the comparison between the college at Bournemouth and going to university?
And further to that, once at a unit, do new recruits start to know their colleagues and then make bonds with them and so on, going out at evenings/weekends together or is it different at each unit?
Look forward to the replies!
Thank you!
I would like to ask about the social side of becoming an ATCO with NATS, compared to going to university.
I hope to apply to NATS in the next few years, as I am 16 now, but what would be the comparison between the college at Bournemouth and going to university?
And further to that, once at a unit, do new recruits start to know their colleagues and then make bonds with them and so on, going out at evenings/weekends together or is it different at each unit?
Look forward to the replies!
Thank you!
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The two are in my mind completely different.
You have to remember that with joining NATS to train as an ATCO you are being paid to do a job and as such are expected to behave proffessionally and do the work that comes with the job. If you don't then you will most likely fail. Having said that i'm not advocating being a monk and not enjoying yourself while you are there, just do it at an appropriate time.
Each unit is different but all are friendly and i'm sure whichever one you end up at will welcome you.
Myself i would recommend both, uni first and then join NATS.
Good luck
You have to remember that with joining NATS to train as an ATCO you are being paid to do a job and as such are expected to behave proffessionally and do the work that comes with the job. If you don't then you will most likely fail. Having said that i'm not advocating being a monk and not enjoying yourself while you are there, just do it at an appropriate time.
Each unit is different but all are friendly and i'm sure whichever one you end up at will welcome you.
Myself i would recommend both, uni first and then join NATS.
Good luck
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uni then nats.....
30 odd year career, whats the rush.
the 2 are very different. as mentioned nats is a job.... uni is fun. sodd the debt, if you make it as an atco you will earn enough for it not to matter.
uni is much more relaxed, more time to be 'social' and very, very little responsibility...
i was accepted at 17 but turned it down, buggered off for a year to travel and the uni for 3 years. started nats after that and would not change it one bit.
go to uni, get it largely out of your system, a few years not living at home will also help. i wouldnt recommend jumping straight into nats asap, you may regret not enjoying your next few years in the student way....
W
30 odd year career, whats the rush.
the 2 are very different. as mentioned nats is a job.... uni is fun. sodd the debt, if you make it as an atco you will earn enough for it not to matter.
uni is much more relaxed, more time to be 'social' and very, very little responsibility...
i was accepted at 17 but turned it down, buggered off for a year to travel and the uni for 3 years. started nats after that and would not change it one bit.
go to uni, get it largely out of your system, a few years not living at home will also help. i wouldnt recommend jumping straight into nats asap, you may regret not enjoying your next few years in the student way....
W
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Thank you for your reply 1985
I'm expecting to apply for NATS when I turn 18 (heard a few opinions about doing that here recently like not having enough experience at that age!
)
Sorry, I will rephrase my initial post, I don't expect to misbehave etc. or college to be exactly similar to university.
Just an insight on how everyone gets along with each other both at the college during training and then once posted to a unit. How do trainees get on with fellow trainees/fully validated ATCOs and whether units/watches become close friends outside of work.
Thanks again
I'm expecting to apply for NATS when I turn 18 (heard a few opinions about doing that here recently like not having enough experience at that age!
) Sorry, I will rephrase my initial post, I don't expect to misbehave etc. or college to be exactly similar to university.
Just an insight on how everyone gets along with each other both at the college during training and then once posted to a unit. How do trainees get on with fellow trainees/fully validated ATCOs and whether units/watches become close friends outside of work.
Thanks again
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j2wo,
been a long time since i went through CATCC down in bournemouth,but other than the pittance that new student atcos are getting paid i cant see the social side of college life as having changed that much.
a regular five a side game was always played between the students, allong with golf at the pitch and put course on the headland, and im sure one or two social beverages are still consumed at the "appropriate time" too.
you'll have a few die hard spotters on your course, but the majority of fellow students will be normal people, with pretty much the usual variety of out of work hobbies etc.
as for joining at 18, thats entirely up to you, i went through catc having just turned 19 and it didnt do me any harm
good luck with your future
been a long time since i went through CATCC down in bournemouth,but other than the pittance that new student atcos are getting paid i cant see the social side of college life as having changed that much.
a regular five a side game was always played between the students, allong with golf at the pitch and put course on the headland, and im sure one or two social beverages are still consumed at the "appropriate time" too.
you'll have a few die hard spotters on your course, but the majority of fellow students will be normal people, with pretty much the usual variety of out of work hobbies etc.
as for joining at 18, thats entirely up to you, i went through catc having just turned 19 and it didnt do me any harm
good luck with your future
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unless you lack any social skills you will be fine at a unit.
centres are less of a small community as a tower so will be easier to bond with people as there are more people there. but at all units there are varied age ranges, interests, outside hobbies... its not to hard to find some common ground.
and as man friday says, he and some others go through early and are a success... just depends on the individual.
W
centres are less of a small community as a tower so will be easier to bond with people as there are more people there. but at all units there are varied age ranges, interests, outside hobbies... its not to hard to find some common ground.
and as man friday says, he and some others go through early and are a success... just depends on the individual.
W
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Thank you wizad and man friday for your replies!
You all definetly sound really friendly!
Sounds really good what you say about CATC, I expect my decision about which I chose, NATS or uni, will be down to the time of acceptance by either (whichever accepts me first, if any!
)
wizad, do you find you know a lot of your colleagues at your unit personally or just know them by name or not even that?
Or in other words, are you friends outside of ATC with your colleauges?
You all definetly sound really friendly!
Sounds really good what you say about CATC, I expect my decision about which I chose, NATS or uni, will be down to the time of acceptance by either (whichever accepts me first, if any!
)wizad, do you find you know a lot of your colleagues at your unit personally or just know them by name or not even that?
Or in other words, are you friends outside of ATC with your colleauges?
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both mate.
as i say im at a unit (LTCC) and on my watch there are in excess of 50 including ATSA's. theres a good group of lads and we do socialise both ATCO andATSA, but im also good friends with a few from my course on other watches here and in turn you socialise with others on their respective watches.
also people on my course at nearby towers, LL and KK still regular drinking buddies, much to the disdain of other halves' better judgement.
and lets not forget our colleagues and other course mates down the road at LACC.
like anywhere, theres always some you get on with and some you dont.
we do have watch group trips abroad a couple of times a year for those choosing to go. also mates here do go away together, world cup, cricket etc... the social side is there if you wish... dont have to go on everything and doesnt always involve beer....
W
as i say im at a unit (LTCC) and on my watch there are in excess of 50 including ATSA's. theres a good group of lads and we do socialise both ATCO andATSA, but im also good friends with a few from my course on other watches here and in turn you socialise with others on their respective watches.
also people on my course at nearby towers, LL and KK still regular drinking buddies, much to the disdain of other halves' better judgement.
and lets not forget our colleagues and other course mates down the road at LACC.
like anywhere, theres always some you get on with and some you dont.
we do have watch group trips abroad a couple of times a year for those choosing to go. also mates here do go away together, world cup, cricket etc... the social side is there if you wish... dont have to go on everything and doesnt always involve beer....
W
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j2WO
sage advice above... IMHO you would be silly to give up a place at Uni for a job at NATS... Get the 3 years partying and working relatively hard out of the way, then join NATS.
The coursework on NATS is far more intense than Uni - I had a great social life at CATC, but you need to temper this with being fit enough to do simulator runs etc.
If you join NATS, and fail along the way in training, what will you do??
If you have got your degree beforehand, then at least you have something to fall back on.
Take the poverty and fun now, it will be harder to go back to being an unpaid student if you try NATS first then have to go to Uni... even tho it is not that high a wage at the college, you will still miss it.
Good luck
sage advice above... IMHO you would be silly to give up a place at Uni for a job at NATS... Get the 3 years partying and working relatively hard out of the way, then join NATS.
The coursework on NATS is far more intense than Uni - I had a great social life at CATC, but you need to temper this with being fit enough to do simulator runs etc.
If you join NATS, and fail along the way in training, what will you do??
If you have got your degree beforehand, then at least you have something to fall back on.
Take the poverty and fun now, it will be harder to go back to being an unpaid student if you try NATS first then have to go to Uni... even tho it is not that high a wage at the college, you will still miss it.
Good luck
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Thanks for latest replies!
wizad
Thats what I imagined, the trips part sounds really nice too So its basicly everyone meets at college but you still stay in touch with some fellow trainees when you all split off into your units.
anotherthing
I'm still torn between the two, even though I know uni should go first for enjoyment, back up plan and all.
My birthday is in March, so I would apply for NATS on my birthday perhaps, and see if I get very far before final offers from unis in summer/September. (Not sure how uni applications work!
)
wizad
Thats what I imagined, the trips part sounds really nice too
So its basicly everyone meets at college but you still stay in touch with some fellow trainees when you all split off into your units.anotherthing
I'm still torn between the two, even though I know uni should go first for enjoyment, back up plan and all.
My birthday is in March, so I would apply for NATS on my birthday perhaps, and see if I get very far before final offers from unis in summer/September. (Not sure how uni applications work!
)
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Careful about calling all ATCOs friendly.... 
I'd say uni first. True, it has no specific value to ATC training, but it gives you a chance to become better at dinner party conversation, and it p*sses off all the former ATSAs turned ATCOs and the old boys who like to loudly spout about how graduates have no common sense!
At uni, you'll make a few friends for life, and the chances are they'll all end up in fields other than ATC. If you go straight to the college, you can still make friends for life, and good ones too, but why not have both sets?
I'd say uni first. True, it has no specific value to ATC training, but it gives you a chance to become better at dinner party conversation, and it p*sses off all the former ATSAs turned ATCOs and the old boys who like to loudly spout about how graduates have no common sense!
At uni, you'll make a few friends for life, and the chances are they'll all end up in fields other than ATC. If you go straight to the college, you can still make friends for life, and good ones too, but why not have both sets?
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Hi..
Thought i'd add my 2P worth.
I went the UNI then NATS route. Something i believe is the correct thing to do. Not only does Uni give you the "fall back option" it does also gear you up to start studying at a higher level. I did a science degree at uni, and i personally didn't find the work at CATC any more challenging than my degree work.
As you are so young you have so many options to you. with 30 career years ahead of you why rush? Go travelling perhaps if you dont fancy the university route.
I now work at an airport, and i like the closer bonds i feel you get working with a smaller group of people. ( i was at TC before) We also go out on trips, watch nights out and many of us meet up outside of work to play golf, go climbing and other interests including the aviation ones.
CATC was fun, a great time to get to meet your fellow students. These guys and gals are probably the closest mates i have had over the years and despite us now all being strewn across the whole country we keep in touch and still go to visit each other.
sickening eh?
Good luck with the applications... (uni apps are easy peasy) getting the A level grades not so
Most of all have fun and do what feels right for you!
81
Thought i'd add my 2P worth.
I went the UNI then NATS route. Something i believe is the correct thing to do. Not only does Uni give you the "fall back option" it does also gear you up to start studying at a higher level. I did a science degree at uni, and i personally didn't find the work at CATC any more challenging than my degree work.
As you are so young you have so many options to you. with 30 career years ahead of you why rush? Go travelling perhaps if you dont fancy the university route.
I now work at an airport, and i like the closer bonds i feel you get working with a smaller group of people. ( i was at TC before) We also go out on trips, watch nights out and many of us meet up outside of work to play golf, go climbing and other interests including the aviation ones.
CATC was fun, a great time to get to meet your fellow students. These guys and gals are probably the closest mates i have had over the years and despite us now all being strewn across the whole country we keep in touch and still go to visit each other.
sickening eh? Good luck with the applications... (uni apps are easy peasy) getting the A level grades not so
Most of all have fun and do what feels right for you!
81
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Flip side of the coin.....
J2wo,
I went 'the other way' and joined NATS straight (well course started several months after A-levels) from school. I had the grades I wanted to go to the uni I wanted. But then the buggeration factor.....a job offer from NATS! Don't get me wrong, was very lucky to have the choice. I chose NATS for a number of reasons. I knew that ATC was what I wanted to do for a career so I figured why delay my desired career longer than I need to? Who can say what ATC recruitment will be like in 3 or 4 years (depending on your chosen degree) time?
One thing to consider though is the degree that you think you might want to do at uni. If it's a worthwhile degree that might actually get you somewhere (dentistry, medicine, journalism etc), then think long and hard about going to uni first. If it's a generic degree (I was going to do American Studies which, lets be honest, isn't exactly a doorway to untold riches! ) then for me it would be a no brainer.....
Socially? Well I like to think that I'm not a social vegetable as a result of not going to Uni! I have plenty of mates outside of ATC as well which acts as a nice balance! It's a nice situation to be in and to be honest whn you make the choice to go one route or the other, I'm sure you won't have too many regrets either way! Hope this helps!
I went 'the other way' and joined NATS straight (well course started several months after A-levels) from school. I had the grades I wanted to go to the uni I wanted. But then the buggeration factor.....a job offer from NATS! Don't get me wrong, was very lucky to have the choice. I chose NATS for a number of reasons. I knew that ATC was what I wanted to do for a career so I figured why delay my desired career longer than I need to? Who can say what ATC recruitment will be like in 3 or 4 years (depending on your chosen degree) time?
One thing to consider though is the degree that you think you might want to do at uni. If it's a worthwhile degree that might actually get you somewhere (dentistry, medicine, journalism etc), then think long and hard about going to uni first. If it's a generic degree (I was going to do American Studies which, lets be honest, isn't exactly a doorway to untold riches!
) then for me it would be a no brainer.....Socially? Well I like to think that I'm not a social vegetable as a result of not going to Uni! I have plenty of mates outside of ATC as well which acts as a nice balance! It's a nice situation to be in and to be honest whn you make the choice to go one route or the other, I'm sure you won't have too many regrets either way! Hope this helps!
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Agree with the above here, I went straight into College without going to Uni. I thought exactly the same as Vampy, why bother with a uni course when I have a chance to do what I've always wanted to do... i'm not sure I could've coped mentally with being at Uni, knowing that I had the chance to do ATC :P
Social aspect is great at the college, and as you've seen above from others' experiences, at units. We're all in this marvelous "game" together, so everyone kinda appreciates where everyone else is coming from (that's my experience at least!). If your only 16, then I'm sure your views will change over the next 2 years before "the final decision" has to be made. But it's completely up to you! There's pros and cons to both paths.. but as I said, i don't feel I'm missing out on the uni aspect at all with being at college! Hope that helps mate, all the best
Social aspect is great at the college, and as you've seen above from others' experiences, at units. We're all in this marvelous "game" together, so everyone kinda appreciates where everyone else is coming from (that's my experience at least!). If your only 16, then I'm sure your views will change over the next 2 years before "the final decision" has to be made. But it's completely up to you! There's pros and cons to both paths.. but as I said, i don't feel I'm missing out on the uni aspect at all with being at college! Hope that helps mate, all the best
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Similar to the above, I had the grades at A-Level to go and do the Uni course I had my eye on (War Studies with History at Kings'.....would have enjoyed it immensely, but again not too many jobs in that field!).
I have never regretted not doing the Uni thing, and as has been pointed out, recruitment might change in the next few years...you might even have to pay for your training....
I have never regretted not doing the Uni thing, and as has been pointed out, recruitment might change in the next few years...you might even have to pay for your training....
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Well one thing I would say is that it is going to be harder to come to college with any debt you may have accumulated at Uni (dont know if you can still defer student loans these days) what with the pay being £10k and as Gonzo points out this could get even lower.
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Uni
Yes you can still defer you student loan at that salary(salary my arse). I was able to stop paying mine a couple of years ago when I took the drop to NATS £25K then.
Go to University first and discover who you are and who other people are. Grow as a person before becoming a NATS clone talking about how much money you earn or think you should earn. Thinking about mortgages, interest rates, marrying young and getting divorced
You don't have to kiss arse at uni to do well. You can be yourself as long as you work hard. Uni isn't all fun. I spent six years at Uni and you work bloody hard to get a good degree, that will make blue chip companies want you. You will have fun at Uni tho
Joining NATS is like joining the police, alot of old boys there may resent your degree. It gives you the power of choice to say I don't like this i don't want to work shifts and lie in a dark room on a beautiful sunny day, I don't want to spend the rest of my career in a workplace in the middle of nowhere near Southampton.
Best of luck which ever decision you make young fellow
Go to University first and discover who you are and who other people are. Grow as a person before becoming a NATS clone talking about how much money you earn or think you should earn. Thinking about mortgages, interest rates, marrying young and getting divorced
You don't have to kiss arse at uni to do well. You can be yourself as long as you work hard. Uni isn't all fun. I spent six years at Uni and you work bloody hard to get a good degree, that will make blue chip companies want you. You will have fun at Uni tho
Joining NATS is like joining the police, alot of old boys there may resent your degree. It gives you the power of choice to say I don't like this i don't want to work shifts and lie in a dark room on a beautiful sunny day, I don't want to spend the rest of my career in a workplace in the middle of nowhere near Southampton.
Best of luck which ever decision you make young fellow
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You don't have to kiss arse at uni to do well. You can be yourself as long as you work hard. Uni isn't all fun. I spent six years at Uni and you work bloody hard to get a good degree, that will make blue chip companies want you. You will have fun at Uni tho
Joining NATS is like joining the police, alot of old boys there may resent your degree. It gives you the power of choice to say I don't like this i don't want to work shifts and lie in a dark room on a beautiful sunny day, I don't want to spend the rest of my career in a workplace in the middle of nowhere near Southampton.
Joining NATS is like joining the police, alot of old boys there may resent your degree. It gives you the power of choice to say I don't like this i don't want to work shifts and lie in a dark room on a beautiful sunny day, I don't want to spend the rest of my career in a workplace in the middle of nowhere near Southampton.
A-That one has to kiss arse at NATS to get through.
B-That anyone (old boys or not) resents anyone else having a degree. Indeed, I honestly don't know if many of my colleagues possess a degree or not. There's an indication of how important higher education is to becoming an ATCO.
Scotslivet, please educate me, if you were so against working shifts (possibly on a nice summer's day) near Southampton (hardly the middle of nowhere), why did you ever apply?
I had great fun at the college. I also know many of my friends who didn't have fun at university. Go figure.