Hey Guy,
Yeh i think im on the same course as you, enroute? I'm all sorted for a place to live, but if youre nervous, best advice is to spend the better part of an hour reading this thread, there is a tonne of great info so you know a bit more about what we're getting into, and what to expect.
I'm living in sydenham so if you're nearby, shoot me through a PM and we'll meet up for a few beers!http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...s/icons/46.gif
Tim

@arthur, Class 3 medical took me about 2 weeks, I would only get it done once you are told you are suitable following interview. I got it done after I accepted an offer however (I am controlling in a blue suit at the moment)

@silicon, I would ring them up and ask them why you dont meet the requirements, I would assume that they have made an error given the experience that you have. At least if you know where you didnt make the grade you can get on you way to fixing whats broke so to speak. I know a guy In a similar position (20+ years experience in UK) got told he was unnacceptable because he had not exercised his tower endorsement in Australia. Long story short he still hasnt (got a tower endorsement) and has an interview with AsA. I think it depends who reviews your application.

Anyone else on this forum doing conversion course starting 29 April (terminal) and staying at quest? I have a car and can carpool, inbox me if you need.

Sat the online test yesterday, apart from the fact that two of the questions had no correct answer there for me to click (emailed them about that one!) it seemed ok, let's see how I go :}

might be a case of "pick the most correct answer" there. the psychometric questions can be a bit like that. good luck anyway mate

Hi Guys,

Anyone else out there on the ENR80 course starting April 15th?

I've just been accepted :)

Hey Darren!

I've been on course for six months but that sounds great - can I move in?!

:E

Hey Darren, I fly into and out of MEL a lot, I probably speak to you as well from time to time....I work for a large airline based in the middle east that is presently in partnership with QF....the sound of a deck for beer drinking sounds too good to be true:ok: Can I come round, sit on the deck and drink beer? I can sweeten the deal with a few hosties that I'm sure I can drag along:}

Good on ya Butch

Jim,
All four of us on my tower course were pilots and I believe a high percentage of the trainees on one of the current enroute courses are also pilots. So I doubt they are biased against us.
One of the assessors when I did the sim exercise asked me if I was a pilot, because of the phraseology I was using, but he didn't seem to have a problem with it.

Jim,

Like Steve, I know many students from my time at the academy that had pilot backgrounds, therefore I find it difficult to believe that you would be discriminated against for those reasons.

I believe that that regardless of the specific subject of any of the tests on the assessment day, you have to follow the instructions. If they say, "Using the information available, tell me this... or answer that, then if you answer using your previous experience and what you think you already know on the subject, you don't necessarily hit the nail on the head.

They are testing your ability to absorb information, relay it and follow instructions... after all if you are successful they will teach you everything you need to know.

I might be wrong, I don't have any experience recruiting for ATC.

Regards,

Spanks

Jim, the whole point is you're undergoing an aptitude test not a knowledge test. Clearly "leave you pilot knowledge at the door" wasn't stressed enough because what did you do?

Hi guys,

I had an incomplete application in the system. I got an email on Friday saying that some spots for assessment are still available in April and I should apply if I want to be considered. Are these guys short of applicants or something? Do they actually keep an eye on incomplete applications coming through? I would have though that they would only bother with the submitted ones.

Anyway, put my application in today so lets see how it goes.

were are always short of controllers in Oz, both military and Civvie. at some point the system is going to break in certain areas, they are trying to recruit in order for that not to occur

Hi guys, I have an assessment day early April.

Is it important that I visit a centre/tower/terminal before my assessment day?

I tried arranging a visit, but each time I call, and the reception lady tries to transfer my call to someone in the right department; no one answers the phone.

Should I just keep persisting? How long in advance do I need to arrange a visit? 1-2 weeks? I worried I wont have enough time to schedule a visit before my assessment.

Cheers

Hi there

When did you apply for the job? I was just wondering as I just recently applied but haven't heard back yet? Did you just apply recently?
Thanks!

I applied around the end of January.

It took about 2 weeks before I was asked to do the online test. But then it took around 6 weeks before I was contacted again, saying I was successful and to select a time for the phone interview.

Constipated....:rolleyes:

PM with your details and I will see what I can about getting our people to talk to your people and organise a visit - well worthwhile for you to see what you are getting into and a sign to those doing the interviewing that you made an effort...

TT

TrafficTraffic,

Thanks for the offer, but I was able to make contact with someone from ASA and they said they will organise it for me and get back to me in a few days.

But if it falls through, Ill get in touch with you.

Cheers.

Suggest those interested get apps in, getting plenty but not too many with aptitude so I hear

yeh good call hempy, although I hear that the latest course to start have an above average aptitude, with an immaculate dress sense!

hi there
Anyone on the forum who is starting Tower 69 course on 15th April?
cheers

Hey Singaflyer - check your PMs...

Accommodation
 

Anyone looking for accommodation in Melbourne, close to the Academy?

Room to rent in an almost new, 4 Bedroom house in Burnside Heights (17kms from AsA).

Available from April 22nd.

You will be sharing with a rated Air Traffic Controller who can help you with your studies at the academy.

House is fully furnished but you will need to provide the furniture for your room. Lockable garage available. No lease agreement to sign.

$200 per week plus share of bills. Only sharing with 1 other clean single male.

No unhappy or moody people need apply.

Inbox me for mobile number.

Unhappy or moody people? I seriously can't think of anyone at the academy when I was there like that. I think it comes later. ;)

hi mate,

im on the tower course in august, any chance we can stay in touch if i have any questions as i live in cairns
greg

tower course info
 

hi looking for general information about the tower course in melbourne. im on the august course.

is it basically mon to fri and what hours 8 to 4 type thing or something else. im wondering if i am going to be able to travel home to cairns on the weekend once a month etc.

also what is the course structure, is it theory for the first few months then practical or something else? is there a lot of study after hours not that i mind.

what are the areas like to live west of the airport around keilor , taylor lakes and burnside heights, are these new type suburbs and nice?

when do you find out where you will be posted and do you get to state preferences

Greg,
The questions you asked have been answered ad infinitum in this thread. If you do a search for an FAQ in the thread, you should find all you need and then some.

As mentioned above by stevep64, you want information, read this entire thread. Pretty much every single question you have has been asked and answered in this thread. But hey, I'm feeling nice so...

Yes, basically Monday to Friday, no weekends, no public holidays, and time off during the xmas/nye period. There are two shifts of approx 07:00 - 14:00 and 11:00 - 18:00. Your course will work one of those shifts for a couple of weeks, i.e. a cycle, and then it could change or stay the same the next cycle, and so on. Chances are, your first cycle will be the early shifts ; you will be told your work hours when you start anyway.

It starts off with pretty much mostly all classroom theory stuff, then moves onto a mix of theory/simulator work and then mostly simulator work with random theory stuff thrown in once in a while.

It's adult learning and what you do after hours is up to you. But keep in mind, there is A LOT to learn and understand, in not a lot of time, and it is up to you to put in the effort and time, however much that may be. If you want to make it though, partying and going out every night is not advised.

They're pretty much all newish suburbs and you probably should be able to get to work within 30mins if you lived in those areas, but other than that, I can't really tell you much about them.

You can certainly let the staff know your preferences, but at the end of the day, you're going to be posted to where you're needed, and that means at any of 27* control towers around the country, including Broome, Alice Springs and Karratha.

*there's actually 28 control towers around the country, but the chances of an Ab-intio being posted to the Hamilton Island control tower is pretty much zero. But then again, the company that you will be working for has done some strange things.

thanks
 

thanks very much for your time to answer my questions, much appreciated.

tower course
 

to old to party every night!!:O

Hi All,

Have read 50 odd pages, first time poster.
I put in my resume and applied via seek some time ago.
Roughly 2 weeks later i was emailed to do the online test. After the online test i was phoned for the phone interview, 3 weeks later.

Some people have said to me they were pre warned of the phone interview, and got to set a time. Mine was out of the blue, basically they called and it was straight into the phone interview, every-ones experience will be different I guess. The guy on the phone interview was only after short concise answers. When I asked him at the end when I would hear back, he was caught of gaurd, and suggested I keep checking my Emails.

Probably a week later I was called (not emailed) to attend the Brisbane testing center for April. Following this they emailed me to pick a day and I picked Monday 08/04/2013.

So after reading this forum a bit I brushed up on my Maths skills using year 8-9 algebra workbook 1 (available at QBD) - algebra workbook 2 says year 9-10 so I just used workbook 1....
I dont think this is cheating as the online test for math was measuring speed of sums, not knowledge.

So yesterday I did the big day test, very nerve wracking!
There was six of us (including me) and 7 Testers. We each got given a timetable which was different (some people did sim first, some did sim second etc etc.)

They asked us not to go into specifics, so I will give you this for the sim - just make sure you have a good short term memory! If your going to decide something make sure you can tell them what that was in 2 minutes time :)

For the group test, was actually quite fun. They gave us each a sheet with limited info, we couldnt look at each others sheets. It was a game in a way of finding the info you needed from the others, who would in turn need some info from the next guy to do their task. (edit )

For the spatial test some of the things I have read about did not exist, I have read some people previously were tested by having a moving box across the screen dissapear then they have to click when it reappears. This was not on the test!!!
Anyhow the things they did test there is no prep you could do! If I could retest tomorrow, I could not prepare, and would do the same tomorrow most likely for results!



For the interview i found this easy, was very relaxed, however we also had another interview / briefing which was us getting up in front of the assesor and presenting back to them information we only had a short time to read. This was more like getting up in front of class of students and doing a debate or doing show and tell - for myself, a more shy person, I found this much harder then they person to person interview!

If you also did the test yesterday, today or tomorrow (Wednesday) let us know how you found it? And GOOD LUCK!

hi jonmayyyy, I just did the brisbane assessment day too.

Not too sure how I went. I think I might have stuffed up the sim, and also the maths related test. But I guess time will tell...

I guess its just a matter of time, hopefully we hear back within 2-3 weeks; but Im not holding my breath.

Hi jonmayyyy,

I am the quiet guy from "another" country who did the test the same day as you and did not make the cut for the group test according to you.

I just do not find it fair that you pinpoint someone in public saying that he did badly and made it difficult for you. I would like to know in what way I made it so complicated for you.

Speaking more does not mean that it is better or more correct. What is important is the content of what you say, and I feel that I communicated what others needed to know from the information I was given and which nobody else could know.

We could just speak one at a time since I remember that one times I spoke the assessors asked us to speak one at a time. And as the assessors requested, we had to be ourselves not pretending to be someone we think they would like us to be. I am a bit shy too like you, but that does not stop me from communicating when it is required, I just could not find anymore information that could be useful for the rest of the group apart from those times that I spoke.

That exercise required team playing. I feel that by pinpointing and blaming that person from another country does not really show a real team player.You might have done well, bad or so so in the test, but in reality you are not showing to be a good team player, but someone who pretended to be one.

I believe I am a good team player since my work actually requires it in each project and I never go around people's back criticising others.

I have my opinion about how each one did, but I would not be pinpointing in public saying that a particular person did it difficult for the rest, let alone when it is not true.

Team playing is about collaborating and speaking to each other, not speaking about someone to other people. I don't know if some people pretend to be someone they are not when it comes to tests. I just hope that the assessors can really pick up who was pretending and who wasn't.

Anyway, good luck to you and the rest of the guys and hopefully we will see each other in Melbourne and will be able to clarify this matter.

I just jumped in because I felt I had to defend myself and disagreed with your comment. I did not find it fair. You could just have said how it went for you, not who did badly. And when you say that I made it difficult for you, you cant just leave it like that. Every statement has to be accompanied by an explanation to support your comment.

It's the first time I see someone putting someone down in this forum.

As I said, wish you the best of luck and hope you make it through even if I don't, but please, try not to pinpoint in public, and talk directly to that person at that moment when you feel something to say. Hope to see you in Melbourne.

Cheers.

Well said.....I miss this banter, hope to see you at the academy soon!

hi outsider,

I meant no offence, but for me personally I had trouble understanding what you were saying sometimes.

I did very poorly in the presentation, you may have aced this, and thus balanced your performance.

@constipated, i also buggered the sim a bit, i managed to crash a plane into a crashed plane, who does this? other than that fatal mistake generally tried to be clear and communicative in the sim, overall i think they would forgive 1 or 2 big errors if you were doing all the rest very well.

(edit)

If, during the exercise, I had asked you to please speak more clear or louder, how would this make you feel? You would only be annoyed and I would be negatively affecting you during the short time we had.

I put the info regarding this more as a general guide for future candidates, to expect to have to talk loudly, if I could not quite hear you the, assessor another 3m meters away would have more trouble.
But I could be wrong, and your assessor herd you better than we herd each other, and deems you as a good team player.

double post

Hi jonmayyy,

Thanks for your clarification. I wouldnt have minded you asking me to speak louder/clearer if you had problems hearing me. But I understand your point.

I listen to many real transmissions between ATCs and pilots through live-atc.net and it is quite common to hear one asking the other to speak clearer, or someone reading back the information incorrectly and the ATC repeating it.

I didnt say that I did well in this one.I personally do not feel satisfied with my performance during the group exercise. But I dont know how they are going to assess it. Some people talked a lot, others not that much. Sometimes it was difficult to break into the conversation since the assessors just wanted one person talking at a time.

Next time I will speak louder/clearer. I did not realise I could not be heard much at that time. But I guess that is something that the assessors will mark down on me. What I meant by the previous post is that if that is right, they will take it into account and it would not affect your performance in the test, but mine. That's why I didnt see why you had to blame or point someone out. You can describe how you think you did, not how you think "I" did.

That's all. Anyway, thanks for you answer. It is understandable.

Good luck to everyone.

does anyone know roughly how long before we hear back from them? Hopefully less than the 4+ weeks everyone else have been saying...

I was told by the assessors that there is a course available in Brisbane around May. This would mean things would need to move pretty quickly, as we would still need time to organize our medical; which I have heard takes weeks, sometimes months.

Hi Outsider,

I understand regarding the derailment of our task. We seemed to spend too much time deciding one particular element and only around 5 mins to the end we put in some physical action, in hindsight we probably needed 5 minutes per element, not 20 minutes on one, 5 on the rest...

In a sense it was an unwinnable scenario, I know my task had some impossibilities on my own sheet which wasn't discussed, if I could not figure it out I didn't want to waste our groups time.

When we both reach the learning academy we will laugh over a beer about it. (pity we cant really discuss specifics here)

@constipated,
We asked at the end and the assessor told us they were trying to bring the time frames down from previous years. She was still unable to give us a concrete time frame but suggested around 4 weeks.

hahahaha. "When we both reach the learning academy"... I see you pretty confident about it. Lets hope so, although I am not quite satisfied with my overall performance.

The test verification was so so. Spatial went great for me I think. And diagrammatic alright too. As for ATC simulation I think I did great in one part and so so in the other. Regarding group activity and briefing.....probably the weakest points....I never did well in presentations anyway, so I was expecting it. The group one was quite confusing....

Well, hope we can have that beer anyway. You buy it ;).

Cheers!