Timeline when I tried:

Applied June 06
OCAT Aug 06
Testing day Nov 06
Interview Jan 07
Rejection letter Feb 07 :{

Trying again in a year or so!

delay in timeline
 

The delay in the timeline between assessment day in April '07 and interviews this month in Melbourne has to do with the "Global Search" that Airservices conducted for overseas rated controllers. Hiring current controllers from overseas and then putting them through a shorter course to licence them in Australia filled all places at the college late last year(so I am told?).
If anyone is currently working as a controller can you give a current feeling within the industry as alot of posts that I have read are very negative, low morale and fellings towards management and procedures. Also what is the current earnings, what is stated in advertising material is rarely the realsitic figure.:)

Gaz,
the delay in recruitment is nothing new - 14 years ago, it took me nearly 18months to jump through all the hoops [during which time i finished my B. of App. Sc]

as for money:
based on the current EBA (which expires the end of this year, so things could change - and hopefully they will)

training salary at the college is $35,404. (about a year)
field training salary is $53,000 (hopefully only about 3-4 months, but unavailability of simulator, training positions, training officers can mean it takes longer)
if you successfully get your first rating, you jump to $72,071. but you are also now doing shiftwork - nights/ weekends etc.

the annual increments after that (if you satisfy the pre-reqs) are a lot less impressive, about $5-7K, which almost keeps up with inflation.

actual money in hand will depend on whether you have a HECS debt, but you should be able to work it out at the tax website (ato.gov.au, I think)

Overtime? LOTS and LOTS and LOTS. depending on the group you are sent to, could be as much as 1 or 2 a fortnight. Probably an extra $300 post tax for each 8 hr shift.

at the moment, condition of employment include a 5 year training bond, which means you can't voluntarily leave in that time without paying a penalty exit (exorbitant in 1st year, with slightly less amount each subsequent year, still quite large in 5th year)

also, you have to agree in advance to work wherever AsA send you - so don't count on getting your hometown, or tower, or approach, or enroute, etc.

hope that helps.

good luck with your application, we need every one of you.

I reckon the thirty minutes would have been terrible? How do you get the results? (verbal written etc) Does anyone know what score/percentage you need so pass each section?
And finially the maths section at the begininning are they all just aviation related speed distance questions or are there a mix of those and other quesitons?

P.S. looking forward to this test!!!!
P.P.S having been nine months already I want to get this over and done with but I dont want to be underprepared!

The waiting time for results isn't so bad because you spend the whole time winding down from the effort of the day. It's a relief to know it's all over and there's nothing else you can do to influence the result.

Most people didn't even stay around and just got the email a few days later. They just handed out the bit of paper with the cutoff score for each test and your mark for each test and if you passed each of the 6 tests you will get to to the psych. profile questionnaire and interview.

Cutoff points for each test are meaningless because the calculation of your score is all done by the computer behind the scenes. You get progress scores as you do each practice test so you have some idea of how well you're doing.

The maths questions at the start are all a variation of time = distance * speed - all using aircraft speeds. And as someone mentioned, in the last minute of the test, just randomly select answers for all the questions you haven't answered because you don't lose poitns for wrong answers.

Is AsA currently hiring foreign ATCO's??

Well they keep saying they are to the press and to staff; yet no evidence of this "recruitment campaign" is evident.

There is a link on this page:
https://airservicesaustralia.nga.net...?mode=emp_opps
But it states "Applications for the Global Search for experienced Air Traffic Controllers have now closed. Submit your application here to be considered for other future positions."


My sources say they want a total of 85 licenced staff from the 'global recruitment campaign'; we've taken about 32 or so, so far. Then some of those have already returned to place of origin; essentially because of lack of support and the current (dare I say poisonous) work environment.

The BOND
 

The Bond applies to trainees from when they "get rated". Some recruits I've spoken too had to sign and agree to the bind prior to being offered a position; others have yet to sign the document agreeing to the bond clause.

The issues in my mind:
1)It's not an OS specific bond, relating to the cost of getting an OS recruit on the job; but the Abinitio bond applied to individuals to try and stop them leaving after the impost of ASA paying for their training.

2)The Abinitio bond expires after 5 years of rating, just when if you are going to go, that's when you are 'sellable' on the global stage; i.e. it make no sense at all.

3)Some OS recruits had to sign, others got a 3 year bond, other the full Abinitio 5 year bond.

4)How are you going to attract the right sort of people if you only keep them by making them pay if they leave, given the current global shortage, it's one reason why I'd be black marking ASA when weighing up my options.

5)As it applies after you get rated, some OS recruits are currently thinking of leaving before rating checks or getting assurance it won't be applied if they do rate; otherwise thanks for the last 6 months paid holiday; I'm going home.

Hi All - well had the testing today and boy is it tough. All I can say is never give up as you never know how you've done. I was sure that I'd stuffed up part of the first test, but did actually pass.

Out of 16 of us sitting today, about 5 passed.

Apparently the rumour is that interviews might be as early as next week.
Has anyone been interviewed recently? If so, how was it? How long did it last and was there any techinical ATC questions in it at all?

With this in mind, can anyone help me arrange a visit to an ATC facility in Sydney ? Please PM me if you can help with this as I know it can be an advantage to do this before an interview.

Thanks

ryanduo,

I knew nothing about the bond until the "training agreement" turned up with the rest of the employment documents in the mail.
It applies from when you achieve your initial rating.

$70,000 reducing $14,000 per year over 5 years. (I think it may have changed recently)

The interview is the usual behavioural questions etc.

Good luck.

I'm looking at applying late next year when I finally have my degree so I'm eligible. Reading this topic has maybe sweat a little (or maybe thats just the 38 degree heat down here).. still I am determined in my resolve.

Having said all that, this topic has been quite helpful in that now I know at least what I'm running into.. :ugh:

Thanks!

Having just completed the whole process, it's a long slog and it moves slowly at times but I feel pretty confident. I have just completed the interview phase, waiting on offers in the next month so good luck to everyone else who is waiting?

Give it a go

I'm waiting too and expecting an answer next week. I had my current boss as a reference and they haven't been contacted yet. Don't know if they will. I'm hoping the response doesn't drag out beyond Easter.

For those who have applied over the last month (or few) should hear something soon to begin the long long process. However I am told by AsA HR that the next course is in August, so if you want in for this course, be :mad: quick

there is an abinitio enroute starting April

My interview was only last week and HR said I would find out in 3 to 4 weeks time, I assume I was one of the last interviewed. Were interviews only conducted in sydney melbourne and Brisbane? How many people were interviewed and how many course positions are they looking to fill?

What were your referees asked? just the standard? Did they contact all of them?

Did the OCAT yesterday. Here's me thinking it would be comparable ot the RAAF Aptitude testing (hmmm, bad assumption:sad:).....Answered about 35/51 we'll see how I go....

Having also sat interview in Feb, Melbourne, references have been contacted today. Not sure what it means but you would hope that when references are contacted that you have been placed on the really short list. Like everyone I would like to know as this process for me has been dragging on for about 18 months now. Referee thought they were being interviewed for a position as the call took about 20 minutes, so to all make sure that you list a referee that has patience

a seven page questionaire? Was it an email based thing? I will let my referee's know in that case.
Good luck everyone I want to know now!