Relocation once Trained
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Relocation once Trained
Hi all,
Just a quick question to all experienced and current ATCO's outthere. I am considering on becoming an ATCO. I am aware that for the initial stages on training you will be based in Bournemouth. Also once you start you will either be pushed towards Aerodome or Area Control. I am originally from Yorkshire and do not have an issue with relocating to Bournemouth temporarily to complete initial training at college. However once done I wanted to move back to the Yorkshire area or even Manchester area. I am aware that Manchester Area Control is shutting in 2010 however could one work at Manchester Airport itself. I am not really keen on relocating too far as I have already been living in Warwickshire for the past 6 years and have just moved back to Yorkshire.
Also is the salary the same for Area Control and Aerodome/Radar once validated.
If any one can answer the above questions then it will be great.
I amm attending the first stage on Monday 30th in London and see what happens from there.
Thanks for any help.
Just a quick question to all experienced and current ATCO's outthere. I am considering on becoming an ATCO. I am aware that for the initial stages on training you will be based in Bournemouth. Also once you start you will either be pushed towards Aerodome or Area Control. I am originally from Yorkshire and do not have an issue with relocating to Bournemouth temporarily to complete initial training at college. However once done I wanted to move back to the Yorkshire area or even Manchester area. I am aware that Manchester Area Control is shutting in 2010 however could one work at Manchester Airport itself. I am not really keen on relocating too far as I have already been living in Warwickshire for the past 6 years and have just moved back to Yorkshire.
Also is the salary the same for Area Control and Aerodome/Radar once validated.
If any one can answer the above questions then it will be great.
I amm attending the first stage on Monday 30th in London and see what happens from there.
Thanks for any help.
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I wouldn't be going into this job hanging my hopes on a posting to Manchester tower, if I were you. The stark reality is that you will go wherever NATS wants you to go. The numbers required dictate that there are far more area controllers trained than aerodrome, so the strong likelihood is that you will end up at one of the two centres: Swanwick, near Southampton; or Prestwick which is just south of Glasgow. Even if you are selected to work at an airport instead of an area centre, Manchester is the most sought after posting within NATS. You could very easily end up in Aberdeen, London, Cardiff etc.
NATS say that they will take your preference into account in terms of the area/aerodrome split, but the harsh reality is that the requirements of the business take priority.
Sorry if the above seems a bit uncompromising, I'm just letting you know what the situation is before you get too far along the process. If Yorkshire/Lancashire is the only place you will be happy then NATS isn't right for you. You'd be better trying for a job at one of the local non-NATS airports like Leeds, Liverpool, Blackpool or Doncaster. Good luck with whatever route you take!
NATS say that they will take your preference into account in terms of the area/aerodrome split, but the harsh reality is that the requirements of the business take priority.
Sorry if the above seems a bit uncompromising, I'm just letting you know what the situation is before you get too far along the process. If Yorkshire/Lancashire is the only place you will be happy then NATS isn't right for you. You'd be better trying for a job at one of the local non-NATS airports like Leeds, Liverpool, Blackpool or Doncaster. Good luck with whatever route you take!
Last edited by Roadrunner Once; 27th Mar 2009 at 16:09.
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have to agree 100% with roadrunner
If you are not keen on relocation then you are probably applying for the wrong career. NATS , now more than ever, is less interested in its employee's needs and more in its own. sorry to sound down beat as well, but thats the truth. IF you go approach then you could end up anywhere in the country, including manchester. if you end up in area then its southampton or prestwick.
As for salary, it a contentious issue. The union democratically negotiated varying rates dependant on complexity , level of traffic and a whole range of other reasons. consequently , where you get posted affects how much you can earn. the highest paid are the area people at southampton as well as the two main london airports. then the area people at scottish and manchester then there is a sliding scale .If you need exact figures i'm sure they are available somewhere on t'internet.
best of luck! its an interesting job despite all our moaning
If you are not keen on relocation then you are probably applying for the wrong career. NATS , now more than ever, is less interested in its employee's needs and more in its own. sorry to sound down beat as well, but thats the truth. IF you go approach then you could end up anywhere in the country, including manchester. if you end up in area then its southampton or prestwick.
As for salary, it a contentious issue. The union democratically negotiated varying rates dependant on complexity , level of traffic and a whole range of other reasons. consequently , where you get posted affects how much you can earn. the highest paid are the area people at southampton as well as the two main london airports. then the area people at scottish and manchester then there is a sliding scale .If you need exact figures i'm sure they are available somewhere on t'internet.
best of luck! its an interesting job despite all our moaning
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Thanks
Thanks for that. What choice do you have in being on approach instead of area. How do NATS determine what you will be doing.
I know I stated before that I wanted to come back to Yorkshire region. What I meant to say was that, I would like to come to this region however I could settle for gong to London or Birmingham if not manchester. What I dont want to do is live in Swanwick or Prestwick. I know I may not have a choice, but is it possible to once you have been validated and become an ATCO to then apply to a Non-Nats airport like Leeds, Liverpool, Blackpool etc......
Is the salary really worth the job?
I know I stated before that I wanted to come back to Yorkshire region. What I meant to say was that, I would like to come to this region however I could settle for gong to London or Birmingham if not manchester. What I dont want to do is live in Swanwick or Prestwick. I know I may not have a choice, but is it possible to once you have been validated and become an ATCO to then apply to a Non-Nats airport like Leeds, Liverpool, Blackpool etc......
Is the salary really worth the job?
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However once done I wanted to move back to the Yorkshire area or even Manchester area.
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The chances are you'll be put onto Area rather than Aerodrome/Approach. If you do not want to move from your area then I'm afraid being an ATCO with NATS is probably not the route for you.
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I believe they choose which route you take when you start out at the College. They assess where there is a need for controllers and where they feel you will be best suited, then decided if it is Area, Oceanic, Approach only, Tower only, Approach/Tower
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Why, what do 'they' say it is? Whatever it is, it's not enough in itself to be the only reason for entering a career like ATC. Especially if you won't be happy in somwhere like Aberdeen, Swanwick or Cardiff. Like I said before, even if you beat the odds and get streamed for aerodrome, a posting to Manchester is very unlikely. If your ambition to be an ATCO isn't strong enough for you to get past that, then you are taking the wrong career path.
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ok cool. i get it now. Still interested in the career though, so lets see wot happens with the assessments.
What about the pay? Is it really as high as some web sites have stated. I mean once you have become an atco in 2-3 years are you really on a minimum of about £40k a year?
What about the pay? Is it really as high as some web sites have stated. I mean once you have become an atco in 2-3 years are you really on a minimum of about £40k a year?
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<<but is it possible to once you have been validated and become an ATCO to then apply to a Non-Nats airport like Leeds, Liverpool, Blackpool etc......>>
In very basic terms, if you reach that stage you will hold an Air Traffic Control Licence. However, in order to use it you must have the appropriate ratings. To work at an airfield you would need Tower and maybe Approach Radar qualifications which you may not get if NATS decide you are going to a Centre.
<<Is the salary really worth the job?>>
Are you kidding? If you are employed by NATS you will have a damned good job with excellent pay (50-80K depending on where you are posted), plenty of time off and good working conditions. Some of the youngsters out there may not agree because they don't know on which side their bread is buttered!
In very basic terms, if you reach that stage you will hold an Air Traffic Control Licence. However, in order to use it you must have the appropriate ratings. To work at an airfield you would need Tower and maybe Approach Radar qualifications which you may not get if NATS decide you are going to a Centre.
<<Is the salary really worth the job?>>
Are you kidding? If you are employed by NATS you will have a damned good job with excellent pay (50-80K depending on where you are posted), plenty of time off and good working conditions. Some of the youngsters out there may not agree because they don't know on which side their bread is buttered!
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What about the pay? Is it really as high as some web sites have stated. I mean once you have become an atco in 2-3 years are you really on a minimum of about £40k a year?
However as a trainee the pay is very low, so it is really a long term investment, especially as an area student, where it takes around 3 years.
At airports there is a chance to reach first validation fairly quickly (even less than 1 year from start of college to valid) and to increase the salary (it goes up to around 30k ish+allowances).
It's been said it's not all about money and that shouldn't be what motivates you, however who says that usually drives a very fancy car
.Also, I don't think ATCOs do AAVA's (very well paid overtime) purely for the love of Air Traffic
.
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With regards to the post by HD saying:
If this is meant to refer to 'youngsters' working in NATS, rest assured there are many non-youngsters in NATS who seem to think they have a hard life.
Some of the youngsters out there may not agree because they don't know on which side their bread is buttered
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people who harp on about other motivation other than money. may i ask why?
If people want to do the job for money then go for it. It's very good money and you get a shedload of time off to spend it in.
If someone can do the job they will. there are enough tests from application to validation to weed out the rubbish. Once people are valid and are sitting down doing the job does it matter what their motivation is?
I work alongside people who like spotting and aviation in general, i also work alongside people who couldnt care less. Neither group is better than the other.
If people want to do the job for money then go for it. It's very good money and you get a shedload of time off to spend it in.
If someone can do the job they will. there are enough tests from application to validation to weed out the rubbish. Once people are valid and are sitting down doing the job does it matter what their motivation is?
I work alongside people who like spotting and aviation in general, i also work alongside people who couldnt care less. Neither group is better than the other.
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Covonia
Have you been down to the Swanwick area? It is a nice part of the country. There is a shortage of flat caps, whippets are not common pets, and the chippies don't sell gravy, but other than that it's not three bad.
Have you been down to the Swanwick area? It is a nice part of the country. There is a shortage of flat caps, whippets are not common pets, and the chippies don't sell gravy, but other than that it's not three bad.