Moving to Greener Pastures....
 

Hi All,

I am an ATCO with 3 years radar experience. I am living and working in Ireland and have been thinking about moving abroad to work as an ATCO for some time now. Partly the reason is the cost of living here in Ireland together with having to put up with a company that employs more chiefs than Indians!! Don't get me wrong, I'm paid very well and feel privilaged to have a job I love doing. But, I'm young and would like to experience ATC in other countries too. I've thought a lot about the Middle-East and know people who've had great experiences there. I've also thought about Europe, not only eurocontrol in Maastricht, but other ATC Providers in other European countries. I'm just not sure if by leaving a well paid job here in Ireland is the best thing??? I guess its just a risk I have to take.

I would like to know if there are any ATCO's out there who have made the jump. What experience you already had? Is it difficult to find work as a controller in other countries? Pay and Conditions? Anything really.

I think this sums up how I feel....:ugh:

Thanks for any help....

Hi there,look very carefully at the Middle East. Cost of living is rocketing and the pay conditions are not keeping up, mass exodus at the moment. You with NATS? Stay, or move to the UK TC) very short of ATCO's. Euro control would be a good option. PM wil give you some info of life here in the desert.

Me coming home after 3 years.

Look very carefully at the Sandpit but if you want a busmans holiday for a couple of years, it's great.

I also tried Canada, great country and the money ain't too bad and as long as you stay away from Edmonton Centre you can have a great time. PM for details.

FT

surely the pastures are the greenest in ireland? :}

best of luck!

They were green and then the celtic tiger bit them all off. no more left!

My sentiments exactly.....

How green and pasture-ey do you want? We're short in NZ. Really want long-termers, though. I'll send you a link if you're interested.

Unless you have a tower rating also you might need a bit more than 3 years experience to move abroad. Depends on where you go though I suppose.

Canada required 5 years experience for their program.

PM if you want any info.

Come Down Under, JR!
I'm surrounded by Poms, Micks, Septics, Kiwis, Turks, Canacs, Iraqis and Singaporeans. I think there's even an Aussie in there somwhere. Oops, they are all Aussies - except for the Kiwis who seem to come and go as they please!
Have a look here: http://www.airservices.gov.au/employment/.

Still that Catch22 boll*cks! :yuk:

Airways New Zealand are indeed desperately looking for ATCO's. And this time they even help you getting residency.
http://www.airways.co.nz/careers/vac...acancy0630.asp
This would only be an option though, if you like abknoxious micro management... (markjoy might know what I mean ;) )

How much choice of location is there? I thought returnees or experienced people were consigned to the bottom of the pay heap, and sent off to somewhere like Invercargill TWR to start with?:confused:
Pig

I shall ask around those a bit more in the know than me, ie almost everybody, and post back. Invercargill can be a cold hole...I spent three yr there. Liked it, but not the sort of place you'd generally consider emigrating for. If Airways are that short, you might be able to do some trading concerning the location. I'll see what the ATCA view is, too.

I am a controller in the USA with En Route/Tower/Approach control certifications. If I wanted to get an ATC job in New Zealand how would I go about doing it?

You wouldn't happen to know if NATS would hire a controller from the USA with tower/approach and en route certifications would you. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.

OK guys, the word is we're fairly short. ACC/TMA and ADC all considered and radar controllers from overseas are eligible (via a local/expat formula which is a bit long winded for me to post definitively on) are probably elegible to ge directly to a centre. In actual fact the centre is in Christchurch, all the radar sectors except oceanic are run from there. If you don't want to go to Invercargill, or any other extremity type place, just tell them sometime during the application process that you probably wouldn't accept a job if that was the offer. Here's the link. http://www.airways.co.nz/careers/vac...acancy0630.asp
Hope this helps.
BTW union membership is encouraged. NZATCA is a member of ALPA.

pms? I might get a bit moody at times, but...:confused:
Oh. Ah.
So this is popularity.
To those who pm'd me, I've just checked and attempted to reply. Think I've got everyone.
Anyone shortchanged,(in content/volume/usefulness etc) please PM me again.
Seems I have a bit of research to do. Cool. Some of us might be able to take some leave in a wee while:)

Thanks all for the help.....I'm sure I'll still be tryin to decide a year from now!!!!