Originally Posted by stgnats (Post 11418390)

I got the official NATS email saying that the applications for trainee air traffic controllers, I won't be going for this one, I'm going to wait for 2024 when I have more experience in the airport

Originally Posted by older (Post 11418843)

I applied as soon as I had the application open email! Luckily have a child free couple of days while they are visiting grandparents so completed Stage 1 and Stage 2 while it was quiet earlier today. I've just had a success email! Now to wait for a Stage Three date....

Originally Posted by solarplexus (Post 11418899)

same! i'm really excited

Originally Posted by older (Post 11418843)

I applied as soon as I had the application open email! Luckily have a child free couple of days while they are visiting grandparents so completed Stage 1 and Stage 2 while it was quiet earlier today. I've just had a success email! Now to wait for a Stage Three date....

Originally Posted by PaoloPP (Post 11419781)

Hey guys, i've done stage 1 on the 12th but still waiting to hear if I made it to stage 2.
Still showing as application under review, was it faster for you?

Originally Posted by ManUtd1999 (Post 11420784)

Could there be an extra stage of filtering before they send out invites? I hope not....

Originally Posted by gemboss (Post 11420878)

How long did it take from taking stages 1 and 2 to be informed if you’ve passed that stage?

Originally Posted by mrbll (Post 11421179)

Email saying I'd passed within 5 minutes of finishing each stage for me

Originally Posted by older (Post 11421206)

I wasn't refreshing email after I took them - or noting the time, so can't be exactly sure but I've just checked and my stage 1 and stage 2 pass emails were about 4 hours apart. So pretty quick. I took both onthe same day. Stage one in the morning and two in the afternoon. It was office hours on a weekday - so not sure if perhaps they are manually sent and weekend might make a difference?

Originally Posted by Jailhouse (Post 11420861)

What kind of personality would suit a NATS ATCO?
Are they looking for leaders or followers or a person good with numbers etc...

What kind of personality suits the role?

This is what they extract from their SHL test with 104 questions.

JH

Originally Posted by PaoloPP (Post 11419781)

Hey guys, i've done stage 1 on the 12th but still waiting to hear if I made it to stage 2.
Still showing as application under review, was it faster for you?

Originally Posted by JJay92 (Post 11422969)

Did you hear back? I’m in the same situation. I was invited to stage 1 tests on the 12th and completed them on the 17th. My application is showing as under review.

Originally Posted by Cameron235 (Post 11423277)

Did you manage to book an assesment centre? I got through to the 3rd stage but theres none available.

Originally Posted by sayitasitis (Post 11244227)

Also can't believe the comments regarding pay.

I can't even begin to guess what rust buckets problem is. And runway, by training at Global your experience during training, is likely to have been very different from the majority of other NATS trainees. In fact, you really need to count yourself lucky that you avoided CTC and the potential to hold for well over a year (even pre-covid). So to state that this guy should stick to Australia is downright ignorant at best. The huge majority of TATC's, SATC's and anyone considering the career will rightfully be concerned about the salary. Particularly with the rate that living costs are rising.

"Bear in mind there is a long list of people waiting to return to NATS who are happy and have been able to make their finances work in the short term for a suitable salary when qualified." - I'd bet that the returning trainees are definitely not "happy" with the salary. They will be happy to be returning but managing their finances definitely will not be a "short term" thing. The reality is that they will very likely hold, some for a considerable time. At this point they will not progress in salary past the SATC points (circa 25k p/a). Realistically it could be 2+ years before they reach that suitable salary. That's a long time to manage finances, particularly for those who have taken huge pay cuts, have kids, mortgages, credit card debts etc etc. Its a long list and everyone will have something that they need money for.

Dan Dare really hit the nail on the head. Trainees are hindered by the salary. It adds unnecessary stress to an already stressful period of time. The last thing you want to be thinking about the night before a sim summative is how you're going to pay this month's gas bill.

Let's break down some figures here.

Income whilst at CTC: £18k + £60 per week. Round this to £1300 per month salary and add £240 per month for the accommodation figure = £1560 per month.

Lets take some rough figures for expenses.
Accommodation in a house share = £600-800
Unless you are lucky, with so many trainees all looking for somewhere to stay, it's going to be difficult to get accommodation within walking distance to CTC so then you have transport costs.
Car insurance = £50-100
Fuel = £100-200
Food costs = £150-250
Phone bill = £20-100
Credit card/student loan/overdraft = £50-300

Realistically you could be looking at anywhere in the region of £970-1750 of outgoings a month. Now just imagine you have a mortgage back home in Belfast or Manchester or wherever else.. childcare costs.. car payments. And lets not go down the route of "oH bUT TheY cAN EAt LeSs Or WaLk EVeRyWhERe". These guys and girls are giving up years of their lives to train and validate. They put up with constant displays of complete and utter contempt from the upper echelons of management. Surely they deserve a salary that they can at least live on?

As stated above, the salary does go up a bit at unit. You'll be looking at £31k at the top bands after shift pay is included. That's currently as good as it gets for the 1-3 years it takes to get on-the-job training started and validate.

Rant over.. to summarise.. wind your neck in