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Help! How long is the selection process for ATCO?

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Help! How long is the selection process for ATCO?

Old 29th Jun 2008, 16:02
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Help! How long is the selection process for ATCO?

I'm applying to see if I'm eligible to train to become an Air Traffic Controller, but I have to know: how long does the three-stage process take? You see I have the option of going to University (in fact, it was the first option before I seriously considered a career in Air Traffic Controlling) but, if the process takes longer than around 7 weeks (1st of September), I have to make a decision of one or the other... My first stage is on July 14th, anyone have any experience of how long it can take? Thanks!
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Old 29th Jun 2008, 16:17
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Don't know for sure but I have a feeling you won't have your place at the college confirmed by 1st Sept. What is the harm in applying for NATS while starting your Uni course?
Your interviews only take 1 day each & are staggered so by missing the odd day at uni, it isn't going to cause you lots of harm. If you fail then you are already at uni & can carry on your studies, If you pass then you have a choice to make.......

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Old 29th Jun 2008, 16:52
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Ke200, it's really up to you; at every stage you are given a list of dates to choose from.

Quite a few candidates take around a month from stage 1 to stage 3.

However, my opinion is that those going through stage 1 now will start in January 2009 at the earliest, obviously depending on how many the college take in on the September/October course (217 I guess).
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Old 29th Jun 2008, 17:42
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You could always drop out if you got accepted, if you thought that was the best thing to do..

Without wanting to start (yet another) debate on here about whether a degree is worthwhile if you're planning a career in ATC - you have to consider that just because you get through the selection doesn't mean you have a job for life. So if you start your degree, get the job, quit the degree, come to the college.. there are many many points at which you can still fall down and whilst it's usual to get a second chance, it's not a guarantee. And then you'd be a bit stuck. Of course you could reapply to Uni again, but you might have a big wait before starting again.

All depends where your priorities lie and what you think is best for you. If you want to make a go of it as soon as possible then do. If you're a bit more wary and want a little more security, I would suggest finishing the degree first and then applying might be the better route.

IMVHO. YMMV. IANAL.

Having said all that, I am jealous of the guys who are at the same stage as me at Heathrow who aren't even 20 yet!

(To answer the question, some people on our course went from stage 1 to starting job within 3 weeks. Others (like me) took 6 months)
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Old 29th Jun 2008, 19:37
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Thanks, but can anyone give me an answer as to how long it takes to get through the stages? All I want is to have a confirmation of "yes, you are eligible to train for ATCO" before September 1st, not including training itself. As in, does it take (for example) 4 weeks, one week for stage one, two for stage two and another for stage 3? Or is the process much longer, taking a month to receive confirmation for each stage? I'll work out the finer details later, but thanks for the advice - I thought it would be a little unusual to start a degree only to drop out a few months afterwards!

I guess I can always ask the people at the stage one tests - I heard somewhere there's a trained controller there.

@ Gonzo, i'f i'm eligible and can get a confirmed place I'd just work full time somewhere to have a bit of money for living costs until that date arrives

@ timelapse, I'd really want to get a solid career going rather than building up debt by going to University, but all I want at the moment is confirmation that i'm suitable to train. I could always get a job somewhere while waiting for university assuming I don't make the grade - I hope that doesn't happen though.
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Old 29th Jun 2008, 20:13
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The problem is that the dates for the stages are made available to you as you pass each previous stage.. sometimes you might have to wait weeks for a date to come available near to you which is the problem with trying to guess it.. If you applied now I would say that on average there is a good chance you'll find out before Sep 1st..
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Old 29th Jun 2008, 20:43
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I would say that it should not take more than 3 months! Most people I know were about 2 months from stage 1 to stage 2 but there were some who were 1 month.
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Old 29th Jun 2008, 20:47
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Ah ok, thanks. I applied a week ago for a July 14th stage 1 test (the earliest possible). I think i'll just take every opportunity at the earliest possible time and see if I qualify - if not I can always drop out - i'd rather have as little debt as possible and this career seems perfect to my interests in technology and aviation University seems like a bad choice to be honest - we were rushed into applying for a course and I chose the most generic but (I hope) respected one possible, but... I just want a solid job

Anyway, cheers all!
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Old 29th Jun 2008, 20:51
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Thanks, but can anyone give me an answer as to how long it takes to get through the stages?
Hence:


Ke200, it's really up to you; at every stage you are given a list of dates to choose from.

Quite a few candidates take around a month from stage 1 to stage 3.
If you want definitive answers to any questions, contact the HR Recruitment team. The NATS representation at Stage 1 is now a trainee ATCO: They generally went through the selection process 18 months to 2 years ago, maybe more, and the timescales have changed quite a bit since then, as has the training at the college, so unless they've made an effort to keep up to date with Recruitment and training, they might not be able to answer your questions.
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Old 29th Jun 2008, 20:59
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Originally Posted by ke200
I thought it would be a little unusual to start a degree only to drop out a few months afterwards!
Haha not unusual at all! Out of 20 who started on my degree, 3 dropped out by Christmas of first year. But then I did choose Geophysics. Best 4 years of my life so far, and I don't regret being in debt for it at all. In fact, student debt isn't classed as real debt so I'm not particularly worried about it (i'm talking about the goverment student loans here, not dodgy loan sharks). That's my view on it anyway, although bearing in mind I am Scottish and went to a scottish uni so I didn't pay tuition fees and I got nice means tested bursaries. But please don't be put off uni by just "being in debt" at the end of it. If you want to do uni for the sake of getting a degree and for the experience, just do it. I did.

My selection took something in the region of about 2 months. I passed the medical back in November, but I'm only actually starting a Bournemouth next week (eek!).

I'm sure if you applied right now, you'll be done by Sept 1st. Heck, if you don't pass the first stage, you'll know sooner! (That isn't supposed to sound harsh, though I am aware it probably does).

All the best with your application!
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Old 30th Jun 2008, 11:58
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"there are too many people on this Island"

"However, my opinion is that those going through stage 1 now will start in January 2009 at the earliest, obviously depending on how many the college take in on the September/October course (217 I guess)."

Gonzo,

I was just wondering what the figure "217" represents? Students??? If so I thought only around 60 get on each course??

Chedchenko.
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Old 30th Jun 2008, 12:17
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the number is your course number! not the number of people on it but if the college was big enough i'm sure our esteemend management would get as many as possible in!!

I was on course 88, way back in 93. Gonzo was on ........ (i'm sure he'll say!)

the courses did get regraded a few years back when the college was restructured (again!!), i can't remember how many got missed out but the course numbers jumped from 13x something to 200

ps Gonzo, my previous log-on got mysteriously blocked
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Old 30th Jun 2008, 15:49
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somewhere around the region of 40 trainees per course number (area and aerodrome combined)

as far as i understand jan 2009 is the earliest start date available as of now, but of course there may be alterations to that. i'd say its 50/50 that you'll find out by sep 1st... thats 6 weeks from stage one to the finish which is pretty quick...

good luck either which way though
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Old 30th Jun 2008, 16:43
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I think Gonzo was on either 106 or 107
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Old 30th Jun 2008, 17:25
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sounds about right!!
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Old 30th Jun 2008, 18:07
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T'was the Glorious 106!

The waistcoat still fits!
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Old 30th Jun 2008, 23:17
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106....the number of the ??????
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Old 1st Jul 2008, 13:22
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Its been a lot more than 3 months for me. I first was invited for stage 1 on the 15th of Feb and now its July and my stage 3 is tommorow. They say it can take 2 weeks to get your results back and if thats the case thats 6 months exactly
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Old 1st Jul 2008, 14:11
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5 months and a day, surely?
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Old 1st Jul 2008, 15:52
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the signs are good for tommorow
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