ATC trainee after the age of 30?
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 5
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From: London
ATC trainee after the age of 30?
Hi all,
I "wasted" my time in the last years doing a technical PhD program, however,
all the traveling around the world gave me a passion to work in the aviation industry. In particular, ATC looks like something I could see myself really enjoy doing. However, looking at most of the training programs it seems that I am too old to apply for most of them. (I just turned 31, born 1981). I am an EU citizen, and in Switzerland you have to be between 18-30, in Germany not older than 24, at Eurocontrol the age limit is 25 I think. I am not sure about the UK though, whether it is 30 or 35.
Anyway, what I am trying to figure out is whether there is any training program within the EU that I could apply for at my age. I am quite flexible, do not have family, so if there is a chance to become an ATC I would like to go for it!
Many thanks for you help!
I "wasted" my time in the last years doing a technical PhD program, however,
all the traveling around the world gave me a passion to work in the aviation industry. In particular, ATC looks like something I could see myself really enjoy doing. However, looking at most of the training programs it seems that I am too old to apply for most of them. (I just turned 31, born 1981). I am an EU citizen, and in Switzerland you have to be between 18-30, in Germany not older than 24, at Eurocontrol the age limit is 25 I think. I am not sure about the UK though, whether it is 30 or 35.
Anyway, what I am trying to figure out is whether there is any training program within the EU that I could apply for at my age. I am quite flexible, do not have family, so if there is a chance to become an ATC I would like to go for it!
Many thanks for you help!
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 5
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From: London
Sounds good, so I will wait until beginning of May and hopefully the accept then new applicants. If someone knows about other EU countries where I could apply for, that would be highly appreciated 
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 559
Likes: 33
From: looking out of the window
Hi,
I was recently in a similar situation to you - I applied for NATS in the UK at the ripe old age of 30, and by the time I had completed the application process ( I took my time as I reckoned it was my last chance) I was almost 32 by the time I started at the college. Passed the Aerodrome course 8 days after my 32nd birthday and validated before I was 33.
What the above rambling is trying to say is that, if you have the will and tenacity to take on all the inconvieninces that starting training brings with it: relocation, tiny salary (by most 30 year-old's standards) and a whole heap of hard work then age is no barrier and at the end of it you get one of the best jobs in the world.
I know that NATS had their age limits challenged under equal opportunities legislation. How Eurocontrol and other ANSPs continue to get away with it is beyond me.
If you want any further info specific to being an old codger (because you will feel a bit like that during training) then drop me a PM.
WL
I was recently in a similar situation to you - I applied for NATS in the UK at the ripe old age of 30, and by the time I had completed the application process ( I took my time as I reckoned it was my last chance) I was almost 32 by the time I started at the college. Passed the Aerodrome course 8 days after my 32nd birthday and validated before I was 33.
What the above rambling is trying to say is that, if you have the will and tenacity to take on all the inconvieninces that starting training brings with it: relocation, tiny salary (by most 30 year-old's standards) and a whole heap of hard work then age is no barrier and at the end of it you get one of the best jobs in the world.
I know that NATS had their age limits challenged under equal opportunities legislation. How Eurocontrol and other ANSPs continue to get away with it is beyond me.
If you want any further info specific to being an old codger (because you will feel a bit like that during training) then drop me a PM.
WL
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 464
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From: Northern Ireland
Just out of interest, what is the 'tiny' pay for training.
I am soon to turn 34 and have been thinking of applying but I have a family and a mortgage and am not keen to move away. But I am familiar with operating on an Airfield and I have this notion I could manage in Air Traffic Control. Might consider giving it a go if it suits.
I am soon to turn 34 and have been thinking of applying but I have a family and a mortgage and am not keen to move away. But I am familiar with operating on an Airfield and I have this notion I could manage in Air Traffic Control. Might consider giving it a go if it suits.
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 559
Likes: 33
From: looking out of the window
Current pay for TATC's is £10,700 plus you get £60 per week living allowance. Net take home pay for a standard UK tax payer is just over £1000.
Once you get a license and go to a unit this rises to between £16,000 and £19,000 depending on the band of the unit (1-5).
All of the above applies to NATS only
Once you get a license and go to a unit this rises to between £16,000 and £19,000 depending on the band of the unit (1-5).
All of the above applies to NATS only
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 892
Likes: 6
From: southampton,hampshire,england
Better news! If you get to a "band 5" Centre the salary eventually climbs to around £100k p.a. Plenty of time off too.......during the quiet months between October and March lots of sectors are joined together.....you only do a few hours per week. Once you get used to the job it is actually quite easy, however the initial struggle to get to a life on Easy Street is like climbing a vertical cliff in a snow storm.....and many fail.
Good luck...whatever you do.
Good luck...whatever you do.
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 856
Likes: 30
From: Dubai and Sunderland
NATS Cadet pay scale has amazed me of late, I started my cadetship in 1987 and took a £3000 pay drop, from LATCC ATCA scale, to £9600 plus expenses! Here we are 25 years later and cadets not getting much more!!
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 45
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From: UK
Good luck if you decide to go for an ATC job, it's a great career, that few leave. However, I would strongly disagree that it's easy, the day you think like that, no matter where or how busy a unit you end up at, that's when you should be very careful, you are always only one transmission from a f**k up.
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 1
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From: mumbai
career in ATC.
Hello my daughter will turn 26 this September and she wants to do career in ATC. Currently she is staying in Germany pursing international aviation management career so what she need to do in order to work as air-traffic controller. In Germany there is age limit not older than 24. Can she take ATC training in the UK and after successfully getting trained to work in Germany again ?Thank you very much in advance.
Joined: Nov 2005
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 12,456
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From: Wildest Surrey
Hello my daughter will turn 26 this September and she wants to do career in ATC. Currently she is staying in Germany pursing international aviation management career so what she need to do in order to work as air-traffic controller. In Germany there is age limit not older than 24. Can she take ATC training in the UK and after successfully getting trained to work in Germany again ?Thank you very much in advance.
However ths will not be a direct route into NATS and there is no guarantee of employment after you complete the course(s)
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 497
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From: Way north
I checked out as TWR/APP after turning 35....
But I think under European regulations you're not allowed to discriminate on age.....
I personally would stay far away from "self paid" courses... a lot of companies like training their own staff, cause then they know what they get.
But I think under European regulations you're not allowed to discriminate on age.....
I personally would stay far away from "self paid" courses... a lot of companies like training their own staff, cause then they know what they get.
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 4
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From: TWR
In my opinion the biggest issue of a late ATC career start is the lifetime loss in salary pay. Where I'm employed you need 20 years seniority to reach the top level salary of ~155k USD/year. I will reach it at 39, while others I graduated with will reach it at 53. 25 vs 12 years at the top of the pay ladder is quite significant.
Training wise I see no problem with trainees in their 30s. With the right abilities (which you are tested and selected for) and the right attitude it's no problem. I started as an OJTI when I was 23, and I've never seen any issues with any trainee due to age. I acutually think I've encountered more 21 year olds than 35 year olds with the wrong attitude having their training terminated.
Training wise I see no problem with trainees in their 30s. With the right abilities (which you are tested and selected for) and the right attitude it's no problem. I started as an OJTI when I was 23, and I've never seen any issues with any trainee due to age. I acutually think I've encountered more 21 year olds than 35 year olds with the wrong attitude having their training terminated.
