Routes into ATC
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Join Date: Oct 2011
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Routes into ATC
Apart from NATS, are there any ANSPs / airports in the UK who recruit trainee ATCOs? I have seen the Highland & Islands Airports advertise from time-to-time, but that's about it...
If they don't recruit trainees, where do the smaller airports recruit from? There can't be that many experienced controllers wanting to move around?
Cheers in advance
If they don't recruit trainees, where do the smaller airports recruit from? There can't be that many experienced controllers wanting to move around?
Cheers in advance
Global ATC at Gloucester operate an ATC college, but unless you can get sponsored you have to pay for the training and there's no guarantee of a job when you finish the course(s).
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As chevvron has said, your best bet is to get sponsored by a unit. To do so - you’ll most likely need to look for a job as an Assistant at an airport, after a period of time they may pay for your training to become a controller.
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IMHO the best route in. By the time they start day 1 at college they already have a shed load of experience. And for a unit to sponsor their staff, they must have a fairly high degree of confidence that it will be a successful outcome.
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I completely agree with this. I'm currently an ATSA and the experience has been invaluable. I'm going to NATS now but the unit I'm at do train up their ATSAs to become ATCOs so it's a great place to start. There are quite a few ATSA jobs being advertised at the moment I believe, I'd look in to it
Going back a few years admittedly but back in the late '60s, I joined NATCS (as it was called then) as an Air Traffic Control Assistant, the educational requirement beng a minimum of 4 GCE (NOT GCSE) 'O' levels. To join direct as an ATCO Cadet required at least 2 'A' levels in addition to another 3 'O' levels (I actually got 6 'O' levels and one 'A' level when I left school) but I was happy to start at the bottom. I spent two and a half years as an assistant before passing the selection for ATCO Cadet but in that time I accrued a vast amount of knowledge and experience which all went towards me passing the 3 year course which involved achieving all ratings (in present terms ADV, ADI, APP, APS, ACP, ACS) and training at places as far apart as Bournemouth (the College of Air Traffic Control) and the Shetland Islands.
I saw many ATCAs who got impatient at the apparent slowness of gaining this experience and who left after as little as 3 months to pursue other professions - their loss; if you stuck at it the rewards were fantastic.
I saw many ATCAs who got impatient at the apparent slowness of gaining this experience and who left after as little as 3 months to pursue other professions - their loss; if you stuck at it the rewards were fantastic.
Going back a few years admittedly but back in the late '60s, I joined NATCS (as it was called then) as an Air Traffic Control Assistant, the educational requirement beng a minimum of 4 GCE (NOT GCSE) 'O' levels. To join direct as an ATCO Cadet required at least 2 'A' levels in addition to another 3 'O' levels (I actually got 6 'O' levels and one 'A' level when I left school) but I was happy to start at the bottom. I spent two and a half years as an assistant before passing the selection for ATCO Cadet but in that time I accrued a vast amount of knowledge and experience which all went towards me passing the 3 year course which involved achieving all ratings (in present terms ADV, ADI, APP, APS, ACP, ACS) and training at places as far apart as Bournemouth (the College of Air Traffic Control) and the Shetland Islands.
I saw many ATCAs who got impatient at the apparent slowness of gaining this experience and who left after as little as 3 months to pursue other professions - their loss; if you stuck at it the rewards were fantastic.
I saw many ATCAs who got impatient at the apparent slowness of gaining this experience and who left after as little as 3 months to pursue other professions - their loss; if you stuck at it the rewards were fantastic.
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I completely agree with this. I'm currently an ATSA and the experience has been invaluable. I'm going to NATS now but the unit I'm at do train up their ATSAs to become ATCOs so it's a great place to start. There are quite a few ATSA jobs being advertised at the moment I believe, I'd look in to it
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Thank you for your responses, I'm based in the central belt so I'll set up some alerts and hopefully there will be an opportunity up this way, or I could look into relocating. I've applied to the RAF as well although I realise that it's not straightforward to transition into civil air traffic control after you leave.
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Thank you for your responses, I'm based in the central belt so I'll set up some alerts and hopefully there will be an opportunity up this way, or I could look into relocating. I've applied to the RAF as well although I realise that it's not straightforward to transition into civil air traffic control after you leave.
Hi, I know this isn't near where you're based but just wanted to let you know that Biggin Hill are currently recruiting ATSAs. It's a cool place to work - mostly biz jets now but still lots of GA and of course Spitfires! Movement in the department is quite fluid at the moment - the last 4 ATSAs have gone on controller courses within a year of starting. Obviously it's not guaranteed that you'd get sent on a course but it's certainly a great place to start. If you're really serious about become a controller I'd say it's definitely worth an application and a potential move to the south!
Bear in mind you'll be an RAF Officer first and an ATCO second and somebody in authority might suddenly decide you're needed elsewhere in the RAF so you could be switched to something completely dfferent like being a supplier.
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