NATS advert
 

Just heard a NATS recruitment radio advert on XFM Scotland.

Very unusual for commercial radio.
Also, the key was the 85k earning potential - planes or airports hardly mentioned.

I look forward to my new career with NATS and I regard it as a special one. I only wish it was advertised as something special, and not just another fast track to money making !

But maybe I am wrong !

regards

Why, oh why, do they do this, emphasising the dosh????? :confused: It is not the way to go (or gone, I'm out soon).

Not got the potential to earn 85K here!!

CAN

WORMS

OPEN :( :(



again again again again again again again.

Good luck in your career if it happens ....and I hope you come in for the right reasons

I'm not going to comment on the advert, as I haven't heard it, but if you had to make it a requirement that all candidates had to have a great interest in aeroplanes, you'd get at most three or four on a course, and not 40-60.

£85K was mentioned. Was the £10K starting salary mentioned? :p

also wondered if it did mention being on £10k, racking up debts, that even if they make it to the college they don't have a huge chance of validating and actually attaining that £85k

£££'s
 

I think you'll find that many atco's (myself included) work for the money and not because of their love for aviation. An interest in aviation is not essential to do the job. I do enjoy the job but I enjoy more the financial benefits attached!

not to mention getting out of college, to unit, in the first place!

QWERTY9

I think you would be surprised.

no place in atc for aviation enthusiasts - light the fuse....
 

Its about time this job, or should i say profession, is not advertised as jolly spiffing fun for those who like planes but as a demanding but rewarding career where you can earn a very good salary after putting in a lot of effort to reach and maintain the standard required.

I'm always surprised by those who claim no interest in aviation in this job, and by the fact that it isn't something of a requirement for entry. Sure, being a spotter can be counterproductive, but I think it's much easier for someone with an interest in aviation to gain an appreciation of things at the pointy end of a plane (or blunt end of a helicopter).

I know the people in ATC without enthusiasm for aviation will disagree with me. Fair dos, it's your right to disagree. Still, would you expect to be treated by a doctor without an interest in medicine? Would you accept legal advice from a lawyer without some enthusiam for the law? Would you rather go to a car mechanic who restores an E-Type at the weekends or one who thinks of cars in the same terms as domestic appliances? How about taking communion from an agnostic priest?

To truly be a profession, those of us in it must maintain an interest in our area of professional expertise. That, to my mind, includes the things we're vectoring about the sky and their operation; not just how and where we vector them.

Lock'n Load wrote HEAR HEAR :ok:

LnL, I agree with you 100%, but the fact remains that if it were a condition of entry, we'd not have courses of 50 or so trainees starting every few months. I think many do grow an interest, and even of those who don't, most still have an interest in learning more about aviation as they understand it will make them a better ATCO.

LnL, in answer to your question I would like to be treated by the best doctor, represented by the best lawyer, have my car fixed by the best mechanic, don't take communion so not relevant. The point is just because you like aircraft doesn't make you good at working with them and just because you have no interest in aviation does not mean you cannot be professional and maintain an up to date knowledge of aviation matters, is that not what LCE's are meant to check? The implication that since I am not a spotter means I am less professional or able to do my job is one which I continue to find arrogant and offensive.

Hi guys,

A slight aside.

Was wondering at what stage do most of those who are unfortunate enough to fail, actually fail?

Would most still be in the college or would some fail after reaching their respective centre and start OJT?

bratback - as I said in my post, it is your right to disagree. It's just as offensive and arrogant of you to assume that you're right and I'm wrong as it for me to think the converse. Luckily, we have the right to disagree. My own experience suggests that controllers with no interest in aviation tend to be very good at moving traffic, and less good at accommodating unusual requests or allowing pilots some flexibility of operation. That's an observation based solely on what I have seen and is thus by no means the be all and end all. I'm sure you'll continue to disagree and hey, be glad you live in a country where freedom of speech still mostly exists!

I have to agree with LnL here. Having no interest in aviation does not prevent you from being a good controller, but it does prevent you from having that little extra in certain unusual situations. I am not a spotter but I have a keen interest in aviation. I know stuff that no doubt seems useless to most but who knows one day it might come in handy. I think an interest in avaition is key to the role of an ATCO.

I concur with the above.

Likewise - and not only in unusual circumstances - but having sufficient involvement and interest to know what is meant by, say, a particular military term or procedure, or having the gumption to look up where a particular aerodrome or private strip is located - just for future reference, just in case - out of interest. Perusing current aviation magazines, perhaps, in the rest room, instead of playing computer games?

You have aviation magazines and computer games in your rest room????:eek:

Wow! :D