Thinking of Applying
 

I've been seriously considering applying to train as an ATCO but it would mean a huge upheaval in my life (specifically, uprooting myself and my family from West Yorkshire to Bournemouth to wherever I get posted) and I wanted to ask a couple of questions first:

1) I thought it might be a good idea to get some first-hand experience before I apply. Might this be possible and, if so, what's the best way of going about it (my nearest airport is Leeds/Bradford)?

2) I know there was another question about payscales, but I wanted to clarify the structure during the training period: would I be right in thinking that it's £10K for the college period (six to nine months for an aerodrome controller) then around £16K after that for another two or three years? Also, is Working Tax Credit payable during that period?

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can give me.

I can only help you with the second point; I'm starting college in a couple of weeks, and yes you're right, 10,000 whilst training, 15,000-19,000 whilst validating, then it rises quite dramatically on your third anniversary of joining NATS (if you're valid by then). Hope that helps.

Out of interest, how dramatically does it rise? I had a google for NATS pay scales on the web, but it appears they are not in the public domain. Can't be that embarrassing, surely ;)

LXGB

There are not many companies who publically publish their payscales as they're obviously commercially sensitive.
Have a look through this thread for an idea ;)

BD

Cheers BD & db :ok:
LXGB

Wossis LXGB - thinking of jumping ship? ;)

Always good to keep an open mind ;) Keeps people guessing :E

10k at the collage is def correct, and so long as you don't get re-coursed, you'll be here 9 months with area, less if doing aerodrome or approach. It does increase when you move to your posting. On validation, if before your 3 year anniversary, between 25-35k approx, depends on the grade of where you go. Then, you'll be looking at wonderful salarys, they go up and up and up too. Not too long before the 100k ATCO is the current talk of the town

if you're doing approach how long is the training then? Also, I was under the impression that there is just one course, is that not the case and you can specialise in what area you want?

Wot, let loose with real traffic after less than 9 months in the business???? Well that explains a few things.........

And having to actually pass the course. Then having to successfully complete a Sector Validation Course. Then getting let loose with real traffic, with an instructor sitting with them and usually 400 hours of that before they might be at a stage suitable for examination and licensing to go solo.
For example...........

BD

I can see no reason why you won't get the family tax credit, you will be employed, and ought to be eligible.

I get it (Or did until April, when I went through the threshold) - I've been in NATS for 7 years, should give you an idea of the salary increases.

It would be a good idea to go your local tower for a look but if you get through the training down in Bournemouth - the job you end up doing whether area/approach/aerodrome will be very different to the job you see the controllers do at Leeds Bradford! I'd advise you to spend a couple of hours watching area and approach controllers, say at TC in West Drayton, Middlesex. And pop along to Heathrow, very close by, to watch the aerodrome controllers.

So when you go to the NATS college do you guys choose different courses (aerodrome, approach etc) depending on what you want to end up doing(or do you get assigned the area you end up doing), is that how it works?? :ugh: or do you all do a general course covering all the important aspects of ATC and then specialise in your area when you are posted?apply to a unit???? Can anyone please explain how it works at the college,:ugh: thank you

I asked that too, I think it must be a secret because no one wants to say ;)

SO which areas are considered harder to get into?? or which areas are considered a challenging areas or is it dependent on ones interests??:O:O

In general Area is the harder discipline, or at least the harder course to pass at the college. I found the Tower and Approach Radar courses roughly equally challenging, but I don't know if there is a pecking order at the college these days. When it comes to postings, (again, in general), the busier units get the more promising students. For Area this will be LACC (Swanwick) and LTCC (West Drayton). For Tower, Heathrow and Gatwick. For Approach, LTCC. The busiest units where you would do both Tower and Approach are likely to be Manchester (by volume) or Aberdeen (by complexity).

Gonzo is right when he says that they take your preference into account at each stage, but don't imagine that you have that much of a say in the matter, it depends entirely on what is available at the time. There are usually more people that want Tower or Approach than places available, and the majority will do Area. Likewise with postings - you will be sent to wherever the vacancies are. Sometimes an Area course will send a lot to Scottish, for example, but normally most will go to LACC and LTCC. Few people want to go to Aberdeen ('The Scottish Airport' :E ), but a disproportionate number will get sent there because of the large number of controllers required at Aberdeen to cover their extra offshore tasks.

I hope the last paragraph doesn't seem too negative, I'm sure if you love the job then you'll be happy whichever discipline you end up doing, and enjoy working wherever you get sent - every unit has it's challenges and rewards.

:=
not true, really you go where the company needs you. Yes you have to pass the course but at the end of the day you sign a form that says you are a mobile grade.
The decision as to what discipline you follow at the college is wholly arbitary. Or so we all felt on my course.
Expect to go down the road of the area discipline as that seems to be in most demand at the moment.
:=
again not the case. Nobody was sent to scottish during my time at the college (and i was there for a while). The most northern place an area controller got to was MACC (and that was only one per course / out of 27 trainees). The biggest split is TC / LACC

Each discipline is unique and each has points that people will find hard. The instructors at the college train you to be able to cope, the OJTI's at the unit you are eventually posted to build on your limited (should that be very).