Hi everyone,

Looks like I'll be on the July course as well. I spoke to Jo at NATS HR today and she said that I could go on the July course and do area or wait til October and do aerodrome. I chose July because I really just want to get started now. She also said that she expects the July course to begin on the 7th.

With regards to salary: Yes, the salary is poor for a while but we all knew that before applying. It looks like we're just going to have to grin and bear it, and anyway, the rewards at the end will be worth it. Being from Glasgow, I'm used to ASDA price goods!!!!

Look forward to meeting you all in July.

Kev:ok:

Useful information indeed, which could prolly be obtained from HR in a phone call rather than opening yet another thread on the topic on a public website where older, wiser and more cynical ATCOs lurk!:hmm:

Whilst I appreciate Standard Noise and others at the college were there a lot longer than students are now, I think I would take £720 a month in 1992/3 over £940 now every time.

Cost of petrol, beer, cigarettes doubled or more than doubled. (I know, we don't have to drink and smoke!)
Car tax + insurance skyrocketed.
Food - can't remember how much my weekly shop was when I was a student in the mid 90s but it was a LOT less than now. Of course I now only shop at Waitrose (organic, naturally) and have progressed from cod roe to caviar!

Then again, I'm from the days of £1500 take home a month and living like a king so can't fully appreciate how tight things are/were for today's students and Standard Noise's generation.
I think I was the only one on my course not to buy that BMW/Merc/convertable after passing Aerodrome 2! Rich :mad:

To the OP: Good luck and you'll manage on the money as long as you're sensible. You'll come out with around £680-690 plus the accommodation payments (which you don't pay tax on)

To the rest quibbling over who got what... Like most, I paid for the priviledge of being a student. I'd have jumped at £10k a year extra to do so. Try living in the real world :)

I think it looks like we should all be fine and not living on the streets....

Confirmed with Jo today I am starting on the area course for July, and should expect some sort of contact via email or whatever soon. :)

It's well seeing for you that you could afford a car as a student. I had to cadge lifts cos I couldn't afford to drive one til I'd been in for 18 months.
Oh, and coming from NI, I know very well about high car insurance. Try insuring any car over there. Make your eyes water.

1. if you don't have a car, don't buy one whilst at the college. There will be a whole bunch of folks on your course all going the same way as you and who will be grateful to split the fuel costs. Only get a car if you need one for uses other than the daily commute.
2. Rigger, look on the bright side. This time next year you'll be able to afford a couple of houses if property prices continue to drop.:ok: How's life in "Torchwood" territory?
WTB - They pay enough. Not lots, but enough. Better than the 'bru.

DWB,

Going fine thanks, hows life with you at the college of knowledge?

Well, the weather is nice... Everything else is in a state of flux. :rolleyes: