NATS Training, ??????
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Join Date: Apr 2009
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NATS Training, ??????
For those of you who are training or have finished, please could you answer a couple of questions. I have been reading through these forums and have found plenty of information, but one of the threads was discussing pay once initial training of 11 months has finished, saying that it infact drops, i understand that you lose £60 pw accom allowance, but while on NATS webiste, iread that it rises to 15-18k until you are valid at a unit.
Also i live in portsmouth, roughly 1 hour perhaps just over, would you advise me to say over in bournemouth, mon - fri. Also how do the arrange holidays, do they give you dates that they are closed. Are the hotel/guest houses in walking distance? Prices?
Thanks for the info in advance
Coolem15th
Also i live in portsmouth, roughly 1 hour perhaps just over, would you advise me to say over in bournemouth, mon - fri. Also how do the arrange holidays, do they give you dates that they are closed. Are the hotel/guest houses in walking distance? Prices?
Thanks for the info in advance
Coolem15th
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I'm starting at the college soon and although I'm sure someone will come along with the rest of the answers, I can help a bit....
Pay: At the college, the pay is £10000 pa (taxed) and a £60 pw accommodation allowance (tax free). I don't know if you are 25 or over, but if you are, I think you are also eligible for working tax credits, so that pushes up your income a little further.
When you go to a unit, there is no accommodation allowance and you are now being paid £15-18k pa (taxed). As far as I know, you also need to make pension contributions and if you have a student loan, deductions will be taken to repay that if your salary is over £15k pa. I think this is why people see a drop in their 'take-home' pay at this time.
Hotels/guest houses/B&Bs: Most of these are in the Boscombe area of Bournemouth (look up Westby Road for the location of several of the popular ones) and the college is at Hurn (adjacent to Bournemouth airport) so walking isn't possible. However, there's a good spirit of car sharing within the trainee group at the B&Bs and house shares, so not everyone needs a car. I know there are one or two B&Bs closer to Hurn that take trainees, so you could walk but you could end up on your own. Prices seem to be about £400 pcm if you're in a B&B (bills inclusive) but less if you choose to house share).
Can't help with leave or the pros/cons of commuting - only that college hours are 0815-1615 Mon-Fri so consider that when adding on commuting time. Most trainees I know recommend studying in groups in the evenings - this could be difficult if you're not around, so you may need to make alternative plans or be willing to study on your own.
Hope that helps a bit...
Pay: At the college, the pay is £10000 pa (taxed) and a £60 pw accommodation allowance (tax free). I don't know if you are 25 or over, but if you are, I think you are also eligible for working tax credits, so that pushes up your income a little further.
When you go to a unit, there is no accommodation allowance and you are now being paid £15-18k pa (taxed). As far as I know, you also need to make pension contributions and if you have a student loan, deductions will be taken to repay that if your salary is over £15k pa. I think this is why people see a drop in their 'take-home' pay at this time.
Hotels/guest houses/B&Bs: Most of these are in the Boscombe area of Bournemouth (look up Westby Road for the location of several of the popular ones) and the college is at Hurn (adjacent to Bournemouth airport) so walking isn't possible. However, there's a good spirit of car sharing within the trainee group at the B&Bs and house shares, so not everyone needs a car. I know there are one or two B&Bs closer to Hurn that take trainees, so you could walk but you could end up on your own. Prices seem to be about £400 pcm if you're in a B&B (bills inclusive) but less if you choose to house share).
Can't help with leave or the pros/cons of commuting - only that college hours are 0815-1615 Mon-Fri so consider that when adding on commuting time. Most trainees I know recommend studying in groups in the evenings - this could be difficult if you're not around, so you may need to make alternative plans or be willing to study on your own.
Hope that helps a bit...
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coolem,
I detect a flaw in your thinking. It partly stems from a ridiculous statement made in the mid-1960s by the late American singer, Gene Pitney.
Portsmouth is not 1 hour from Hurn anymore than Pitney was "24 Hours from Tulsa". - Velocity has a major role to play in both calculations.
Incldentally, the commonly used units for expressing the distance between Bournemouth and Portsmouth, (or indeed any other points on the Earth's surface), are Statute/Nautical Miles or Kilometres.
Now, If you travel 2 hours a day from/to Portsmouth as opposed to, (say), 30 minutes each way to Boscombe, over a 45 week course, that equates to over 9 days of lost studying time.
The last time I visited Hurn Airport, there were no hotels or guest houses within walking distance.
I detect a flaw in your thinking. It partly stems from a ridiculous statement made in the mid-1960s by the late American singer, Gene Pitney.
Portsmouth is not 1 hour from Hurn anymore than Pitney was "24 Hours from Tulsa". - Velocity has a major role to play in both calculations.
Incldentally, the commonly used units for expressing the distance between Bournemouth and Portsmouth, (or indeed any other points on the Earth's surface), are Statute/Nautical Miles or Kilometres.
Now, If you travel 2 hours a day from/to Portsmouth as opposed to, (say), 30 minutes each way to Boscombe, over a 45 week course, that equates to over 9 days of lost studying time.
The last time I visited Hurn Airport, there were no hotels or guest houses within walking distance.
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Yip, that's all correct.(the paperclip post) From my experience I would say go with the B&B option, the group study really helped me. I stayed on Wesby Road, loads of others driving in so transport not an issue. £85-£105 per week, some B&B's include meals, some washing/ironing, so they all work out the same really. The cost of the B&B would be substantially offset by the fuel saved by not having a 100 mile commute.
Good luck !
Oh yeah, the holidays, they tell you when, and all subject to possible change, but roughly 4 months, 2 weeks off, 3 months, 2 weeks off, 3 months, finished. All this would be changed if you hit some problems and needed/were offered a recourse for whatever reason.
Good luck !
Oh yeah, the holidays, they tell you when, and all subject to possible change, but roughly 4 months, 2 weeks off, 3 months, 2 weeks off, 3 months, finished. All this would be changed if you hit some problems and needed/were offered a recourse for whatever reason.
Last edited by PaulM; 20th Apr 2009 at 21:06. Reason: zooker
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Ivor is a trainee at a band 2 unit and the take home pay, after tax, is between £930 and £ 960 per month.
At the college Ivor used to get between £950 and £1000 per month, net, and that included the weekly allowance.
Band 1-2-3 trainees all earn the same.
Band 4 a bit more, and Band 5 a little more still, but to work at those units you have to be ace like the big man PaulM himself
At the college Ivor used to get between £950 and £1000 per month, net, and that included the weekly allowance.
Band 1-2-3 trainees all earn the same.
Band 4 a bit more, and Band 5 a little more still, but to work at those units you have to be ace like the big man PaulM himself
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but to work at those units you have to be ace like the big man PaulM himself
Joking aside - I would not commute, being able to get together with course mates to revise bookwork and to talk about problems encountered in the sims (as well as talking about possible solutions) is a major benefit. It is so much easier to do so if you do not commute - otherwise you will find you work long days, or just don't bother getting together with coursemates.
An hour to Bournemouth seems a little optimistic to me - try it one day at the time you would leave if you were attending the college for an 0815 start... traffic can be horrendous.
If you go to a B&B in Westby road area (best bet to start with), you can cycle to the college - takes a leisurely 20-25 mins if you're anywhere near fit and there are showers available at Hurn.
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I had a place in Southampton when I went through the college but made a personal choice to stay in a B&B in Bournemouth as it is a great help to be able to study in groups with your coursemates.
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I live in Wimborne just outside of Hurn, I have family in hedge end, travelling to Hedge end from Home, A31 - M27 then off at junc 7 takes 45 mins on a good run.... So Portsmouth to Hurn (M27, A31, A338) will take just over an hour on a good run and the A31,A338 junction is a bitch on rush hour, as is the road from A338 to the airport.
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Why does your college need to start at 0815?
Most educational establishments start at 0900 at the earliest.
(All times local).
Most people are not alert at 0815 (local).
That's why operational ATC staff get shift pay, because they have to be.
Most educational establishments start at 0900 at the earliest.
(All times local).
Most people are not alert at 0815 (local).
That's why operational ATC staff get shift pay, because they have to be.
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0815-1615 hours actually work quite well for most, given that we miss the worst of the rush hour, especially the evening rush.
The schools round here do not start much later than we do.
ON a normal day, Boscombe-Hurn is in the region of 10-15 mins driving time, give-or-take smackups on the A338 which seem to be getting more common....
The schools round here do not start much later than we do.
ON a normal day, Boscombe-Hurn is in the region of 10-15 mins driving time, give-or-take smackups on the A338 which seem to be getting more common....
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How far do you want to cycle?
Christchurch and Highcliffe are around 5-7 miles depending on where you are, Boscombe is a similar distance. Further afield, you've got Ringwood or Poole if you're really keen
And ignore Zooker, most others do. I've not seen anything that he's posted ever contribute anything valuable/relevant to the discussion
Christchurch and Highcliffe are around 5-7 miles depending on where you are, Boscombe is a similar distance. Further afield, you've got Ringwood or Poole if you're really keen
And ignore Zooker, most others do. I've not seen anything that he's posted ever contribute anything valuable/relevant to the discussion
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Well I like to think cycling into Glasgow from a rural town in Invercyde is pretty far!
I'd have to disagree with Zooker comment as he/she/it contributes some hillarity at times! Many ignore but endless ignorance/comedy such as "The Many Testicles" really does make my Scottish humour rumble.
All we can say about such mythical beast is that it listens to music by Donald Fagen!!
I'd have to disagree with Zooker comment as he/she/it contributes some hillarity at times! Many ignore but endless ignorance/comedy such as "The Many Testicles" really does make my Scottish humour rumble.
All we can say about such mythical beast is that it listens to music by Donald Fagen!!
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Ill almost certainly be staying in Boscombe when I start down there in August. I'll have a car and will be happy to give couple of guys/gals a lift.
In terms of finding a B&B down there, when do the students normally do it? Is it better to go down perhaps a week before and organise it, or do you go to college on the first day, meet some other guys in the same boat and then go find somewhere together?
Would be cool if someone who has already done/started the training process to explain how/when they organised it.
Cheers
In terms of finding a B&B down there, when do the students normally do it? Is it better to go down perhaps a week before and organise it, or do you go to college on the first day, meet some other guys in the same boat and then go find somewhere together?
Would be cool if someone who has already done/started the training process to explain how/when they organised it.
Cheers
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I am going down tomorrow.... and I am staying in a Trainee only B&B, Some people prefer house share, some people prefer B&B, up to you.
House share can get bad if somebody is taken off the course or leaves the course meaning you are stuck in a contract and will have to pay there share if they pack up and leave. But tends to be cheaper than B&B.
I organised about month early because wanted to make sure would get a place but I think is fairly easy to find a place, I think a lot of people B&B and then move onto house share when they meet others, I plan to stick out B&B all the way.
Hope it helps and will see you there!!
House share can get bad if somebody is taken off the course or leaves the course meaning you are stuck in a contract and will have to pay there share if they pack up and leave. But tends to be cheaper than B&B.
I organised about month early because wanted to make sure would get a place but I think is fairly easy to find a place, I think a lot of people B&B and then move onto house share when they meet others, I plan to stick out B&B all the way.
Hope it helps and will see you there!!
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I've just finished at the college and would strongly recommend staying locally rather than commuting.
As for accommodation, I can't advocate enough The Strand (19 Westby Rd, Boscombe). It's a really nice place (trainee atcos only) and the lady who runs it is very fair (no contracts, no fuss about direct debits for rent or anything like that). I've left a good bunch of people in there and was really sorry to leave!
And before anyone asks, no - I'm in no way related to the owner!
For more info contact Liz at [email protected].
And for any other college/accommodation queries feel free to PM me.
As for accommodation, I can't advocate enough The Strand (19 Westby Rd, Boscombe). It's a really nice place (trainee atcos only) and the lady who runs it is very fair (no contracts, no fuss about direct debits for rent or anything like that). I've left a good bunch of people in there and was really sorry to leave!
And before anyone asks, no - I'm in no way related to the owner!
For more info contact Liz at [email protected].
And for any other college/accommodation queries feel free to PM me.
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mattay,
I'm starting on 220 too (July since I'm on Aero) and have just about sorted my B&B accommodation out. I contacted a load of B&Bs off the list that NATS sent round, but beware that since we're starting in the middle of summer, it's going to be busy and a lot of B&Bs are either not taking TATCOs, hiked up their prices or are simply full already.
Lots of the Area guys seem to start in a B&B for a few weeks and then start looking for a house share if that's what they want.
I'm starting on 220 too (July since I'm on Aero) and have just about sorted my B&B accommodation out. I contacted a load of B&Bs off the list that NATS sent round, but beware that since we're starting in the middle of summer, it's going to be busy and a lot of B&Bs are either not taking TATCOs, hiked up their prices or are simply full already.
Lots of the Area guys seem to start in a B&B for a few weeks and then start looking for a house share if that's what they want.