air traffic assistant qualifications?????
 

what can the above qualifications be used for if ur operator is refusing to train u further,even if u have an ojti licence AS AN ASSISTANT for new recruits and annual standards checks?

air traffic assistant qualifications?????
 

Not to sure what you mean by this post.
Depending on the size of unit some assistants are given a yearly check.
Nearly all assistants will have had some form of training.

i resigned since the company would not send me on tower course. i have arrived in the UK and feel that surely qaulifications that a person gets from training as an assistant can be used. any input would be helpful

Ok, you've "arrived in the UK" no doubt to a fanfare of trumpets, but, the first thing you have to do is convince a UK Airport that you aren't going to flounce off in a fit of pique if you don't get what you consider to be rightly yours....

Your qualifications and experience elsewhere count for nothing unless it's in the UK, most non NATS ATSA posts in the UK are internaly advertised and filled internally at the airport itself, occassionally speculative CVs find their way into the system, but not often.

Unless you become a UK citizen, You face the additional hurdle of getting a work permit for permanant employment and an exhaustive security background check, neither of which a UK employer would fund you for.

Apart from that, you're in!:rolleyes:

Further to niknak....

Not to mention that many NATS assistants who are qualified to train (ie ATSA3 OJTIs) can't just walk into a training course with the company. You can't expect a small budget regional unit to send all their assistants onto controller training courses...... Who would train our assistants?!?!?!? :confused:

Further thoughts...

I'm not sure how it works in South Africa but ATSA "qualifications" are not worth a lot in the UK. We are trained and attain "Validations" whether it be on simulator disciplines or ATC sectors etc.

If you want to get a tower licence as a controller, you will need to apply to NATS like everyone else. Your ATC experience/background will probably help you towards this and give you a headstart on other ab-initio recruits.

Good Luck

I'm an assistant at a NATS unit and have asked if I could be sponsored to get my tower and approach tickets. The GM said yes the college said no. I even asked Paul Barron on one of his unit visits and he just fobbed me off with a load of excuses. It is very difficult and I would even go so far as to say impossible. Goog luck with it though.

Arkle - you intrigue me...
Who was it at "The College" who denied you access to ATCO training?
4 ex-assistants were on the last graduation from Hurn, with backgrounds ranging from "young, attractive, ex-simulator ATSA 1" to "ex-Gatwick lighting board ATSA 4 of indeterminate vintage". [both very nice people ;-)]
All went through exactly the same selection procedure as non-assistant applicants, some after more than one attempt. The selection is handled through NATS Recruitment and is not a function of the College. The only reason that candidates aren't accepted onto a course is lack of suitability measured against the same criteria as everyone else.
What answer did you expect from the CEO?
If Mr Barron had said anything to cast doubt on the selectors, or had reversed their decision, I fear that the repercussions would have damaged NATS credibility as an organisation that trains ATCOs to the highest standard. it would also have pi$$ed-off just about every controller on the planet, plus the aforementioned Recruitment & Selection personnel, who are doing a damned difficult job to the best of their abilities.
Assistants within NATS are being trained as controllers and this will continue as long as there are assistants of the calibre required to make the grade.
Keep applying. If you are good as you think you are, you will be accepted. If not, be a happy assistant. NATS needs them too.
Whatever you decide to do though, don't fall into the "I'm good-enough, they just won't let me" pit.
DwB

There are cases of ATSA's being sponsored by their respective units, there is currently 1 on Basic and 1 on APS that I know of at least.

How on earth does one become an assistant in the first place? They rarely seem to be advertised.

Look at airport websites...... Write to the airport...telephone the airport. .. They are out there but they won't knock on your door without a prompt.:}

ATSA's becoming ATCO's
 

The best route to take is through the non-NATS regional airports that run a full ATC service.
Several have a very good track record at taking on ATSA's and then putting them through ATCO courses, but you can expect to be 'bonded' to the airport - i.e. forced to sign a contract making you stay at that airport once trained, so they get their money out of you in the long run.
Put in speculative CV's and sell your aviation background, which will give you much more of a head start than someone with no aviation experience at all.
If you can't get a job as an ATSA then consider training as an Aerodrome Flight Information Service Officer. Again jobs can be as a rare as 'rocking horse *****' but go down the speculative CV route to the appropriate airfields and you never know what could come of it.
Britkit