RE: Control tower visit
 

have alook at page 276 think i put manchester's in there

Waiting for a start date..??!!
 

I passed my stage 3 and medical last month and havnt heard anything yet from HR regarding start date etc..
Anyone in the same boat?

Hi all,

I have a stage 2 coming up and curious if there is an interview or purely computer tests?

Hope someone can help,

Thanks

I'm still waiting to hear back on a start date too.

I passed my medical a few weeks ago and was told that i would be allocated a course start date as soon as my certificate was received but i've heard nothing yet either.

@ OnEsTeP & Azabeth

Can either of you tell me if you did an interview in your stage2?

Thanks

@ STG2

There is no interview at stage 2 - it is purely computer based aptitude tests.

All the info including details about what is conducted at each level is on the NATS recruitment website. You should familiarise yourself with it, it may be useful to you...

Cheers Whitelighter, I appreciate your input

I've been on the website and have all the info from there, passed the games and arranged visits to a tower and en-route center, so well prepared:ok:
I just was reading through this thread and somehow got confused about an interview at stage2 :confused:

Does anyone know what the traffic is like getting to CTC from Portsmouth for 8am? I've got my stage 2 next week and booked a hotel in Portsmouth for the night before. Don't want to be leaving thinking I've got time to get there and then spending 20min sat in traffic and end up being late.

speedbird - when i went down traffic was fairly light and I was yonks early, its no problem though as you can sit and chat to your fellow applicants whilst waiting. It kicked off 10mins late anyway.

Whitelighter- Stage 2 is just computer tests. They are very straight-forward and there is little you can do to practice for them except for brushing up on your mental maths skills. It is a very casual setting- you can go in comfortable clothes rather than interview style clothes. The tests take most of the day but you get lots of breaks. Don't bother trying to judge your own performance either. The guy i was sat next to said he found all the maths really easy- and he finished all his tests way before me. I thought i had done really badly because i kept missing questions but it turned out i passed and he didn't.

Good luck- just keep calm and if you miss questions don't worry.

At 8am it has the potential to be awful on the way to CTC as there's a whole lot of people trying to get in and only one road to do it. My advice would be to leave a lot of time and buy a newspaper, you can always read that in the car if you get there early :)

stage 3 group test
 

has anyone done the stage3 group test recently? I have my stage 3 in 2 weeks but heard a rumour that it was now different to the usual bus route exercise that I have read about in earlier posts on here ?

Thanks for the advice darn and The Many Tentacles. I shall be aiming to be there before 8am. I timed it today and it should take no more than 20min in reasonable traffic. I have a good book to read if I'm really early.

I handed my medical in 2 months ago and still haven't heard either. E-mailed and left answer phone messages but still nothing. At least i'm not the only one.

Numeracy Test
 

Hey All,

i have my stage 1 test coming soon and i'm not worried about any of it besided the numeracy test. Can anyone who has taken the test recently give me some kind of example of what i could expect. I know they are speed, distance and time questions....but how there structured and wether or not your allowed to use a calculator?


Many thanks

:)

start date
 

POPEYE

I think theres a load of us that had their medical signed off a month or two ago and nothing has been heard back...it would be nice to get an email or something just to explain theres a delay etc..
Im going to try and ring Nikki again today..Any news ill let you know
cheers

Nice one fella! :ok:

Firstly - wow I am glad to have found this forum.

I am attending Stage 1 Tests Friday 09/07/10 so next Friday. Would you advice just reading the information they supply back to front again and again till then?

Also a couple of questions

A. How likely is it presuming I did get through all the selection process (Top 3% so I'll start praying now...) that I will be posted away from the South East. Ideally I would like to work in the South East rather than Glasgow...

B. Some people say the Salary is AWESOME others say its not so awesome... how can there be such a difference in opinion?

C. How do people find working shifts, I myself would love it I already work shifts and have no problem - how varied are the shifts.

D. whats the dress code usually - smart but comfortable? Trousers, shirt, no tie?

E. what should I wear for this stage 1 tests. I am going to wear a suit but if everyone says dont I wont. But I feel its an interview thus wear a suit...

F Do you think being an ATC is a well respected career, when you tell people you are an ATC are they impressed? (ignoring all the people that think you wave the planes down)

G. any other tips?

OK, so I will have a go at answering this.

A) Quite likely. If you go down the Area stream then you will almost certainly be based at Swanwick near Southampton. If you go Aero, then you might still get Swanwick with an approach rating, or London Airports. You may get the provinces but the demand right now is in the London sites.

B) This is subjective, as it depends on where your coming from. If you are at 6th form or college then the prospect of £36k after validation and £50k after three years is going to sound like winning the lottery. If (like me) you have left a career paying £75k plus per year, perhaps a bit less awesome. Its all about perspective

C) Dunno, cant help there as I havent started that bit yet

D) The units I have been to seem to be pretty much whatever you are comfortable in. Swanwick was flip flops and shorts, Heathrow a bit more smart but certainly not suits etc

E) They are your prospective employers - go in what you think is approproiat. I went for smart shoes, pressed chinos and a tailored shirt...

F) My own opinion here, but I think a career in ATC is one of the best you can have. People are impressed (if that bothers you), and I think its up there with some of the toughest and certainly one I have been aiming for for at least 5 years

Thank you very much for your reply. Very comprehensive!

Do you mind if I ask what career you are leaving and why? obviously I don't expect you to answer if its personal - i'm just curious!

Have you gone through the selection tests? How did you find stage 1 for example? My plan is to read the information they sent me cover to cover again and again but I have no basis of what bits to pay more attention to. I am a graduate so fair to say I have had alot of exams through my education, GCSEs, A-Levels, Degree...but I have always had a basis on what to revise for. The document they send is big so its alot to take in! Also how do I revise for the maths section? People say its simple math regarding a altitude, time and distance but aside from that theres no way to revise patterns on cubes...

If you think the document they send you is big, then you haven't really seen anything yet. Take a look at MATS Part 1 which, if you get into the college, you will be expected to learn lots of off by heart for various exams... Best learn everything they send you! :rolleyes:

Biology student.
 

Dear All,

I am Masters in Biotechnology. Aviation has just been a passion. I saw this trainee position and have been asked to attend the stage 1. I have absolutely no knowledge as to what I should accept. I have got some materials from NATS. I have read it once or twice, and I do seem to understand what the documents are all about.

What chance do you think I have to pass the stage 1? Are there any sites with basic information that I need to gather before appearing for this stage 1 test?

.
 

Youve got exactly the same chance as everybody else no matter what your qualifications are.
I would suggest reading the document nats sends you more then once or twice - you need to know it!
Brush up on your mental maths and practise the example questions provided on the website...You dont have to do any further reading in order to prepare for stage one.

Appearing for my Stage I
 

Hi,

I am appearing for the Stage I Assessment on the 23rd of July.. in Fareham..
Is anyone else appearing for the assessments on the same day...
ohhhh... am so excited...

I received the test materials from NATS yesterday.. hopw i have enough time to prepare...

can some one just guide me on..

if i am right we have the following tests

1. ATC
2. Numeracy
3. Spatial Resoning
4. Diagramming

For ATC... - the material from NATS is what I have

Numeracy - where would I get the required material to prepare and revise.. ??

Similarly for the Psycometric aptitude.. I just have the examples on the NATS site.. Would that be OK?

And
1. Should we be dressed in formals for the test...??
2. How the environment??? Friendly or Stern???
3. The test starts at 9:00 am, when would I be expected to be there??

All the very best for all the mates who are appearing for the assessment..
All the very best buddies...

:):)

Random question!
 

have any of you requested postponing your start date at the college for more than 3 months?

I was initially due to start back in Feb on the Area course but got bumped back to May by NATS due their cancelling of some Aerodrome courses around that time.

May was not great for me as I was expecting the birth of my first child around then and as I live in the North East it just wasn't practical for me to be so far away. I rang NATS and they were very understanding and said that I could postpone until the August intake which I agreed to.

Anyway, the time has come again for me to sign the contract/arrange references etc but the timing still isn't great for me. I do definately still want to do it however.

Has anybody here ever postponed more than once?

Thanks

hiya scotthooker, are you by any chance doing your first stage at the prestwick centre? If so what time? x

Use of calculator.
 

Dear all,

Could any one please let me know if use of calculator is allowed for the numeracy tests?

Also, OnEsTeP thank you for your reply.

Calculators are not allowed, but you do get paper to do rough workings on.

Thank you speedbird182.

scotthooker,

A - If you get put on an area course, you'll be posted to Swanwick or Prestwick. If you do aerodrome, you're at the whim of NATS - it depends on where they need people at the time - you won't find out your fate until they day you pass oral boards. If you don't get posted to LL, KK, LC etc. and do the approach course, there's a chance you'll end up at TC in Swanwick.

B - Initial salary is rubbish, but you get paid to train. Depends on your outlook on life.

C - This is the first job where I have worked shifts and would hate to go back to a 9-5 pattern.

D - Depends on the unit, I wear shirt and smart trousers apart from nights and weekends. I won't mention "Naked Thursday"....

E - It matters not, but shirt and smart trousers is a good bet.

F - On the whole people who ask me about my job are interested, because it's not a run on the mill career, it's a profession. Certainly raises a few eyebrows (never judge a book by it's cover....)

G - Put the work in, get through the college, get valid, and enjoy. It's the best job in the world.

I'm currently training in tower at a unit and am thoroughly enjoying myself. Good luck with the entrance tests.

abby_bwfc - I apologise I didn't feedback the correct date I am at the centre in Fareham on Tue 13/07/2010 at 09:00.

I take it you have an interview at the Prestwick centre?

imperial_monkfish - another superb reply! Can't thank the members on this forum enough...hopefully I'll be sticking around!

I've recently (yesterday) applied to NATS - I'm seeing a lot of people with Phase 1 tests coming up now, have I missed the boat for an intake, or is it a continuous process year-round?

Continuous process. 4 intakes per year.

Assessment I - Numeracy Test
 

Hi all,

can someone gimme an idea about how to prepare for the numeracy tests in assessment I? Am taking my test on 23 july... :):)

Thank you

Stage 3
 

I did my Stage 3 yesterday in Bournemouth and got an email this morning saying I have been accepted! Over the moon, didn't expect to get through on my first go.

I was now wondering what the medical and security checks entail and how long it should take before I get a start date? I know people in the last intake are still waiting for theirs but if anyone has a rough time-frame or approximate date I would appreciate it. The guys in the interview said it would be this time next year but there is some uncertainty given the fact that the training college is moving next summer.

CJSHIELDS - congrats! How much work/revision did you do for each stage if you don't mind me asking? Also when did you first apply/ attend stage 1

Did my online test today, did ok I think, got 3 or 4 out of five on nearly all of them, got full marks on a few. Got a 2/5 and a 1/5 when my browser messed up though which was massively annoying, hopefully I'm just worrying about nothing though.

Hi u all guys!!

I'm having my stage 3 in August in Swanwick. As far as I'm Spanish, I'm gonna spent several weeks in Southampton to get used to listening to native English and get some fluency when speaking. Therefore, meeting during this weeks some people over the area interested in ATC issues could be great!!Or even not interested... :) And it would also help me to bring my best English back :rolleyes:.

Does anyone want to be my friend??(I'm joking!!lol). But if I can find a group of people to have a drink, go out and have a great time along my stay there, I would really appreciate it as far as I do not know any people over there.

If anyone is likely to help me, send me a PM please!!!Thank you!!

"process takes 20 min and involves checking test and simple arithmetics test (both timed). No need to be afraid ot them, just do them."

Was just looking through the posts in the thread and saw this - my online test had two sections, both of which were the checking test - on the first one I was shown my results, I assume it was a dry run, and on the second one clicking on the finish button took me to the NATS website. No mental arithmetic mentioned, unless I will be getting an email about that soon?

Oh no problem Scott hooker, mine is on Friday at Prestwick.... good luck anyway :) might end up meeting you if we make the selection process! x