thanks for the help timelapse!

Had my stage 3 last Friday and just got a very welcomed phone call from NATS this morning. Well Chuffed :E Pencilled in for the Sept course assuming my medical is ok, which is something that worries more than any interviews :ugh:

I'm not the thinest pencil in the box and my peak flow is a tad on the low side. Hopefully stopping smoking and some hefty hill walking every day should help that to rise a bit. Fingers crossed.

HI Neodude,

Congratulations on getting through the NATS selecion process...i bet your over the moon!!

Well done :ok:

Hi NeoDude,
I think its you did both 2nd stage in Fareham and 3rd stage in Manchester with me, id go as far as to say im 98%, thats a big percentage.
I also got the call and was successful, only im starting in June as i dont have excuses like a family, so will be starting soon! Well done mate!

Hey everyone :)
Just a quick question, when I went through the selection process about 2 and a half years ago, the second stage was a HR interview, computer test and technical interview.
Is this still the same???
I'm just finishing off my application 2nd time round!

Steffy, have a look at the posts at the beginning of this thread...they should help! Good luck!

In case they dont, the second phase is Computer tests and a structured HR Interview, third stage is a group excercise, a HR Interview and a technical interview. Just do your revision and have fun :)

Sounds harder! Eeek!
Thank you :)

Interview process stage #2
 

Hello all,

I have completed stage #1 of the interview process in London on the 26th April. I have just completed the personality questionaire on-line via SHL, I'm hoping I have a good one !!!!

I have no idea how I faired in the test, tried to be honest but still not easy. Fingers crossed I reach the next stage.........any info offered on the next stage of the process would be much appreciated.

Thanks:ok:

I was at the 26th April tests too. I was in the PM session, had my ATC talk first, then the horrible tests after that.

Got my email through yesterday too, but i haev just come off night shift so i will relax todya and have a look at it tomorrow.

Hope to get through to stage 2, i am so far enjoying the selection process. :eek:

Stuart

I was also at the PM session on the 26th. Had the aptitude tests first so was relieved to get it over and done with. Was convinced I had messed up the Spatial Awareness section so very surprised and happy to be sent the personality questionaire. Heres hoping the personality fits!

Good luck to everyone currently going through the recruitment process.

Hi all,
I did the personality test online(:eek: awful!) on Wednesday, but there was no indication of how long it would take for results, does anybody know roughly how long this bit takes?
Thanks

It didnt take very long for me, i did it last month or maybe the month before, as i remember it was a few days

stage3 tips
 

Hi NeoDude

This is my third and final attempt at joining NATS, and I have just been invited to stage3 of the recruitment process.:bored:

I am very nervous and desperate for this, and would welcome any pointers on the group exercise or interview.

Thanks

Hi Milly,

Really can't give you any more info other than what has already been given in this thread. Group exercise: Contribute, listen to other opinions, don't be bossy. Interview: Be yourself and be honest, visit somewhere, read up on ATC. Every interview is different. I think mines differed a great deal from what is usually described here so be prepared for anything.

Good luck.

Although people on here seem to say that 3 times is the limit, is this a fact?

It's just that after speaking to a number of ATCOs in person whilst at Swanwick, I heard some of them had gotten in on their 4th or 5th attempts.

ShuttleSixYankee- Is that actually what you were told from those ATCOs at Swanwick?

If it is the case then I would be more than eagar to submit my FOURTH application for Trainee ATCO- Im feeling pretty gutted at the mo as I recently sat my stage 1 tests in London for the 3rd time and passed them- then completed the online personality questionairre about a week ago and was told I had not been invited to Stage 2- got a rather irritating email from HR telling me I'd failed the questionairre! Shocking and unbelievable after putting in so much time to pass those aptitude tests!

Hmmm, this is the first I've heard of that. Might be worth checking with HR first though.

I was surprised when I heard it - and yes it was from Swanwick ATCOs, first hand. I spoke to at least two people who had gotten in on their fourth attempts.

I'll be in touch with HR. I know they have recently extended the upper age limit for applicants up to 36 now (due to internal research into controllers ages or something like that) so the number of attempts in which one can apply may have also been revised. It was 3 attempts only for quite sometime.

Seems possible from what these Swanwick controllers have apparantly been saying. Worth a try!!

But for them to be valid ATCOs at LACC, they must have applied in 2003-2004, if not before. The most recent validations at LACC are mostly from course 126, which started in April 2003 (so applied in the six months leading up to that - when it was definitely only three attempts). Indeed, this time last year it was definitely three attempts. If there's been a change, and if there has then nobody has told those of us who interview, then it must be more recently than that, and nobody would have got through to validation that quickly. :confused:

Im sure I'd be a fool to ask if you had more than one attempt at getting into NATS, hey Gonzo?!:E

Just out of interest, there was an article on our BBC London news in the week about ATC interference from Pirate Radio Stations broadcasting over London. They showed an internal of your new VCR at EGLL (looked a better view from the old one I visited....!) Is this becoming a real problem for you tower controllers or do you know if it is it affecting the ops. over at TC aswell?

Nope, certainly not a fool. :)

I got in first time. However, there were plenty of my coursemates who had two or three application attempts.

Yep, they were validated LACC ATCOs, and as you say Gonzo, must have gotten through the college some years ago. No idea why or how the number of applications went through; I'm just passing on what the ATCOs told me.

It's a few years ago now but I know of one former ATCA (as was back then) who took five or six attempts before being successful and who ended up as "Top Cadet" (as it was also known back then) and also successfully validated at LHR when it was both twr and app.

The moral being, if you want it badly enough don't give up. Keep trying and don't take no for an answer if at all possible.

Good luck.

WF.

I won't go into too much detail, as some legal action might still be pending, but yes, it does cause us a problem with interference. Not only on the VHF voice frequencies, either, recently we had a spate of pirate radio interference with ILS signals.

On the other matter, 'internal' NATS applicants (ATSAs etc) have sometimes been handled differently, and 'sponsored' by their own unit (as many non-NATS units do) after having a gained a few years experience. Some of those might have been unsuccessful applicants.

I recently passed the online test and I received an email inviting me to stage 2, but then i got a phone call from HR asking if i would be prepared to do both stage 2 and 3 on the same day... and its only just over a week away, so lots to get learnt! Just a heads up to anyway who is about to do, or has just done their online personality test.

Its going to be a long day, but it gets it all over with at once - I also got the impression that the June start was quite empty which is why they were wanting to get the stages over with quickly, but that's just my interpretation and may not be correct. Hope this helps :)

It certainly sounds that way. They were very eager to get me on the June course, although with the amount of people who apply I would be surprised if they were ever short of candidates. I suppose its about finding the right people who will stick it out through college and further training, and succeed.

a lot of people who apply, like someone i know, don't finish college or uni till the summer so couldn't start in june

...or have a wife who is expecting twins in june ;-)

Is everyone (course 212) impressed with how much time we've been given to learn this DLP! Thought it was going to be a last minute thing!

me me me! (but you knew that anyway)

From what I hear they do need people on June still :)

Hi everyone,

I also did the stage 1 tests at the end of April and passed. I have since got a phonecall from HR asking if I can do stage 2 and 3 together and hopefully join with the June entry. I'm now getting as much information as I can into my head!! I don't think there's an awful lot I can do for the computer tests, I'll just be as prepared as I possibly can be for the 2 interviews. I'm actually looking forward to the big day (May 14th for me) and really hope beyond to all hope that I'll get in :)

The only thing I'm worried about is that if I do get in and expected to start in June then it won't give me a lot of time to organise accommodation and get all my stuff ready. But of course I'd much rather have that problem knowing that I had a place than not...

Info
 

Hi there

I'm an italian air traffic controller, age 43.
I've applyed to NATS and I've been invited to the tests in London, for the end of May. Eventhought my age I've been admitted the same:cool: .

Someone of you can tell me if there will be an interview even in the 1st stage of the selection ?

tkssssss very much

jamayca5.. There is no interview at stage 1, you just have to do the various aptitude tests including the multiple choice test based on the material you can find on the internet regarding ATC. In stage 2 you have a HR interview and in Stage 3 you will have a combined HR/ATC interview.

Goodluckage :ok:

p.s. scroll to earlier posts in this thread theres some good prep info in there for the tests.

got a email today it read

"Dear XXXXXXX

We confirm that your application has been withdrawn.

Yours sincerely


Recruitment & Selection
HR Services
NATS "

damn!!! looks like i didnt get through
anyone else failed

Looks like that could have been sent in error.
The letter sounds like you have withdrawn your application.

I'd agree, you should get in touch with HR and ask. I've been on the end of rejection and acceptance and they definitely don't look like that!

I double what Richy says - I've had them both too and neither look anything like that.

I have my stage 1 interview in a few weeks time. I would be grateful if someone could answer 2 questions for me:
1. Is the motivational paper multiple choice?
2. Are the interviews with ATCs held on an individual basis?

Many thanks:)