Airservices Australia Psychometric Testing
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YAASB, thanks for the positive feedback! I'ts helpfull......, and sounds really encouraging for someone like me, hoping to get a "look-in". Hate the negativity (much of which seems ill informed), so often posted in this forum..........!!! 
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Assessment centre day
Have got the email to say I've passed my phone interview. I'm booked in for my assessment day in Sydney on the 27th of June. Looking forward to it but also bricking it a little at the same time. 
Whether they're out 2 months or 2 years I think its more important how they teach anyway.You can have a great atcer whose knowledge is huge but unable to pass on that information.
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le Pingouin
le Pingouin
The instructors are teaching what you need to know to pass the academy course. They are required to hold endorsements for the airspace/aerodromes they are teaching and are themselves checked regularly similar to field controllers. They also undergo an instructor's course before starting in the classroom/simulator. They have also seen the simulator exercises a number of times so they can concentrate on what you need to learn and teach to that, knowing where the "traps" are and assess your handling.
Although instructors may not have been in the field for a while, they will have a comprehensive knowledge of ATC procedures so they can prepare you for your final posting. E.g. a tower instructor will take you through radar towers, regional class D and urban D. You need to learn it all. An instructor direct from the field will have worked only one of these for years.
Approaching the course with your "far from ideal" is not the way to start.
The instructors are teaching what you need to know to pass the academy course. They are required to hold endorsements for the airspace/aerodromes they are teaching and are themselves checked regularly similar to field controllers. They also undergo an instructor's course before starting in the classroom/simulator. They have also seen the simulator exercises a number of times so they can concentrate on what you need to learn and teach to that, knowing where the "traps" are and assess your handling.
Although instructors may not have been in the field for a while, they will have a comprehensive knowledge of ATC procedures so they can prepare you for your final posting. E.g. a tower instructor will take you through radar towers, regional class D and urban D. You need to learn it all. An instructor direct from the field will have worked only one of these for years.
Approaching the course with your "far from ideal" is not the way to start.
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To those who have been accepted into the course: Roughly how long did it take between attending an Assessment Centre and getting your results?
Last edited by TranceX2; 10th May 2011 at 01:44.
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I just attended the assessment day in Sydney so I can pass on a little information which may be of help.
Logistics: First up, book your flights and accommodation as soon as you can. I flew up the day before so I would not have to worry about getting there on time. I stayed in a hotel about 10 minutes walk from the venue. The venue is only a one minute walk from North Sydney train station and this is only about 1/2 hour train trip from the airport. I had an 8.45 flight from Sydney to give myself plenty of time.
On the day, a young lady from the Gold Coast spent all day worrying if she would make her 6.30 flight. Finally she decided to leave early so she could make her flight. Unfortunately she missed one of the tests and will now have to wait a few months till she can do this test in Brisbane. If you get this stuff sorted now, less to worry about later.
As for the day itself, the Air Services guys were great and do their best to make the day more relaxing. You can't really prepare for the tests, all you can do is be well rested and ready for the day and just really be yourself. We don't know what they are looking for and there is no feedback given on the day.
I now have to sit back and patiently wait to hear back from them
Logistics: First up, book your flights and accommodation as soon as you can. I flew up the day before so I would not have to worry about getting there on time. I stayed in a hotel about 10 minutes walk from the venue. The venue is only a one minute walk from North Sydney train station and this is only about 1/2 hour train trip from the airport. I had an 8.45 flight from Sydney to give myself plenty of time.
On the day, a young lady from the Gold Coast spent all day worrying if she would make her 6.30 flight. Finally she decided to leave early so she could make her flight. Unfortunately she missed one of the tests and will now have to wait a few months till she can do this test in Brisbane. If you get this stuff sorted now, less to worry about later.
As for the day itself, the Air Services guys were great and do their best to make the day more relaxing. You can't really prepare for the tests, all you can do is be well rested and ready for the day and just really be yourself. We don't know what they are looking for and there is no feedback given on the day.
I now have to sit back and patiently wait to hear back from them
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fujii,
Is what they are teaching up to date? Are MBZs and GAAP Towers still in the curriculum? Are out of date sep standards still in the curriculum? It is okay to say they are teaching what you need to know to pass the academy course, but is the academy course up to date?
Has ASAs total balls up of the last 10+ years in regards to training been the big contributor to the less than 40% check out rate?
Has the 'exNAB Genius" further destroyed ASAs ability to replace the retirement tsunami that is about to be realised.
Is a rating on a fictitious piece of airspace with fictitious pilots equal to a current rating in the real world. Before you get excited fujii, I personally know many of the instructors (good people on the whole, and they will know who I am on this forum). I reckon all will agree, that all things being equal ( ability to impart knowledge, etc) that the best instructor is the one with recent real world experience.
Rubbish, procedures change. If the College can't keep the curriculum up to date due to a lack of bodies and an incompetent boss then they are not preparing the trainees for final field posting.
How many years ago did MBZs go the way of the dinosaur? When did we get rid of visual seperation about FL125? All of this is still in the Academy Course.
Fujii, it would be great for current controllers to have a break from 24/7/365 controlling and deliver the training to the ab-initios, but this won't happen because ASA has been taken over by people who are large on 'big picture', 'worlds best practice', and 'continuous improvement' whilst lining their own pockets.
These individuals realise that the government cannot let ASA 'fail', alot like the RAAF, and also realise that the government cannot admit that the government lacked any kind of oversight of the disaster.
When it comes tumbling down, the architects of the stuff-up, will be rewarded with promotions, directorships to cover up the train wreck. These narcissistic individuals realise that there are enough people below them who actually give a sh!t and that these people, who have been shafted for years, will fix up the disaster that the expense account rorters created.
This is not a slur on those who are delivering the training to the ab-initios, they are doing this in spite of the train wreck ASA have become under the current CEO, who continues to pretend that he is fixing the stuff-ups of the past CEO. Six years now, that argument is getting very old.
The instructors are teaching what you need to know to pass the academy course. They are required to hold endorsements for the airspace/aerodromes they are teaching and are themselves checked regularly similar to field controllers.
Has ASAs total balls up of the last 10+ years in regards to training been the big contributor to the less than 40% check out rate?
Has the 'exNAB Genius" further destroyed ASAs ability to replace the retirement tsunami that is about to be realised.
Is a rating on a fictitious piece of airspace with fictitious pilots equal to a current rating in the real world. Before you get excited fujii, I personally know many of the instructors (good people on the whole, and they will know who I am on this forum). I reckon all will agree, that all things being equal ( ability to impart knowledge, etc) that the best instructor is the one with recent real world experience.
Although instructors may not have been in the field for a while, they will have a comprehensive knowledge of ATC procedures so they can prepare you for your final posting.
How many years ago did MBZs go the way of the dinosaur? When did we get rid of visual seperation about FL125? All of this is still in the Academy Course.
Fujii, it would be great for current controllers to have a break from 24/7/365 controlling and deliver the training to the ab-initios, but this won't happen because ASA has been taken over by people who are large on 'big picture', 'worlds best practice', and 'continuous improvement' whilst lining their own pockets.
These individuals realise that the government cannot let ASA 'fail', alot like the RAAF, and also realise that the government cannot admit that the government lacked any kind of oversight of the disaster.
When it comes tumbling down, the architects of the stuff-up, will be rewarded with promotions, directorships to cover up the train wreck. These narcissistic individuals realise that there are enough people below them who actually give a sh!t and that these people, who have been shafted for years, will fix up the disaster that the expense account rorters created.
This is not a slur on those who are delivering the training to the ab-initios, they are doing this in spite of the train wreck ASA have become under the current CEO, who continues to pretend that he is fixing the stuff-ups of the past CEO. Six years now, that argument is getting very old.
Last edited by max1; 20th Apr 2011 at 10:57.
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Max1,
GAAP still exists.
Famous college words: "Do it this way, but in the real world you would do it like this...."
All instructors and blippys are great, but what they have to work with is limited.
GAAP still exists.
Famous college words: "Do it this way, but in the real world you would do it like this...."
All instructors and blippys are great, but what they have to work with is limited.
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Hey Bradster...., thanks for the advice, although it seems you and I think alike......, scary huh! 
I'm booked in for 16 June in Syd, and yes, I have already booked my flights & accom......., got in early. I'll be arriving in Syd the evening before, and I'm booked into the Vibe Hotel, which I believe is only about a 10 min walk from the venue. My return flight departs Syd at 7.45pm, so I hope that gives me plenty of time to get a taxi back to the airport, from Nth Syd? They say the assessment goes until 5pm, was that your experience?
Anyway, thanks again for the feedback......, I'm sure it will help others. And, most of all......, GOOD LUCK!! Keep us posted........
I'm booked in for 16 June in Syd, and yes, I have already booked my flights & accom......., got in early. I'll be arriving in Syd the evening before, and I'm booked into the Vibe Hotel, which I believe is only about a 10 min walk from the venue. My return flight departs Syd at 7.45pm, so I hope that gives me plenty of time to get a taxi back to the airport, from Nth Syd? They say the assessment goes until 5pm, was that your experience?Anyway, thanks again for the feedback......, I'm sure it will help others. And, most of all......, GOOD LUCK!! Keep us posted........
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Max1, MBZs are most certainly not in the Academy curriculum. Vis sep, lat sep and any other sep you care to mention is on the whole kept up to date. There is an SME for each subject who keeps the content up to date with MATS, AIP and NAPM. PM me if you want clarification.
Cheers,
NFR.
Cheers,
NFR.
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I started this week on course 50, one year and five days since I initially applied.
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NFR,
You seem involved. Maybe ask the latest ab-initio courses whether they got instruction and presentations that included MBZs, GAAP towers( rather than Class D) and vis sep above FL125.
PM me if you want further details.
I want the ab-initios to get a relevant and up-to-date course, I want them all to check out on sectors, I want ASA to treat them well, I want our Air Traffic System to serve the Australian public properly.
My frustration is aimed at those in ASA who don't realise/care that we are there for the airlines, GA and the Australian public. Not the other way around.
You seem involved. Maybe ask the latest ab-initio courses whether they got instruction and presentations that included MBZs, GAAP towers( rather than Class D) and vis sep above FL125.
PM me if you want further details.
I want the ab-initios to get a relevant and up-to-date course, I want them all to check out on sectors, I want ASA to treat them well, I want our Air Traffic System to serve the Australian public properly.
My frustration is aimed at those in ASA who don't realise/care that we are there for the airlines, GA and the Australian public. Not the other way around.
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PM sent Max. I can only speak for the enroute stream material, but I know that the point you raise about vis sep is certainly taught and simulated correctly in the current curriculum.
Cheers,
NFR.
Cheers,
NFR.
fujii
The instructors are teaching what you need to know to pass the academy course. They are required to hold endorsements for the airspace/aerodromes they are teaching and are themselves checked regularly similar to field controllers. They also undergo an instructor's course before starting in the classroom/simulator. They have also seen the simulator exercises a number of times so they can concentrate on what you need to learn and teach to that, knowing where the "traps" are and assess your handling.
I've sat behind very experienced controllers who have been away from active traffic for prolonged periods doing roving checks & such & the loss of skill is positively frightening.
Approaching the course with your "far from ideal" is not the way to start.
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Attitude
My return flight departs Syd at 7.45pm, so I hope that gives me plenty of time to get a taxi back to the airport, from Nth Syd? They say the assessment goes until 5pm, was that your experience?
I finished at 5.00pm as did another person. The other 4 still had one test left to wait for, finish time unknown.
Another interesting thing, only 2 of the 6 were from Sydney.
4 of the 6 assessment tasks were not computer based, this included the ATC simulation. One of the computer test was just re-doing the online test, to confirm you did it. The other computer test had some practice so you were prepared.
My Attitude to the day;
Preparation: Do stuff to keep my mind sharp and plenty of exercise to keep body good and help keep boost brain.
On the day: I tried to look at is as a bit of fun and a challenge. A small adventure if you like. If I succeed, fantastic. If not, its not the end of the world.
I tried lots of deep breathing to stay relaxed. We had the opportunity to chat with the Air traffic controller assessors and learn a little.
I will keep you posted as to my results, hoping for the best, expecting the worst
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I've had a phone interview and am nervously awaiting to see if I get to the next stage. The lady said she'd be in touch "shortly" but that was over a week ago. Does anyone know the percentages of people who get to each stage? Is the phone interview something that weeds out most of the people or is it just a formality to ensure you sound half intelligent?
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I got my notification by email within a week, but I'm not sure that means anything really. I think they'd almost certainly let you know if you didn't get through, and right through my application process (it's been 16 mths since my initial application went in), I've held the view that "no news is good news"........, so I'd say: be patient, you should hear something one way or the other.
