Shortage of ATCO instructors at training centers
 

Throughout Europe ATC training centers are looking for instructors to fill vacant positions.

Germany looks like it needs 19 !!!; Entry Point North needs trainers; so do the Suisse; etc, etc.

What is the situation like world wide?

Why is there a lack of trainers and why is the role of a trainer not more attractive compared to that of an ATCO?

What are the conditions of employment like in the different training skools?

Any body got some usefull answers ?

why there are not enough ATC instructors
 

iamhere

here is my version for what it is worth. Most ANSPs are government run, and a smaller proportion are either run as a private enterprises (either for or not for profit).

The problem is that with all these organisations you have either the lethargy of government which we all know about or the private enterprise trying to minimise their costs, so that the managers can make their huge bonuses at the end of the financial year.

What most of them forgot about was increasing the training requirement, which depending on the facility could be up to 2 or more years and the baby boomer generation who are just commencing their retirements and will continue to do so in greater numbers over the next 10 or so years. They only require usually a few months to give notice. Problem is the ATS management do not want to carry the extra bodies (read cost) waiting for when these dudes retire.

Now there is a crisis in ATC staffing levels worldwide with people leaving in greater numbers than they can train and validate, and the ME has started to up the ante with money, because they have it available. This is now causing more grief for most 1st world countries as their ATC workforce is being poached to greener or dustier pastures as the case may be.

Even residency, citizenship requirements are being dumped now in order that countries can poach the manpower they require.

The only problem as you say is why are ATC instructors being left behind with the money. Because their (the management) mindset hasnt yet changed, but it will because training will become more than or just as important as bums on seats, and the first few organisations that get that right will be the winners. Once they cant get enough trained people on seats because enough are not being trained then they will be fired into action, but its a 2 way street there because that will entice some workface controllers from the console to the sim and classroom which most cant do.

HMMMMM what to do?

give it a few years for the mentality to change.

Instructors ATC:
 

Many ATC Instructional Institutes/Academies/Colleges are employing "Contract/Consultant Instructors". The "Contract" lasts for the duration of the ICAO approved course length. This can be 8 weeks for an Approach(P) or Approach(R) course; up to 12 weeks for an Approach Combined Course: similar for Tower; similar for Area.

The pay structure seems to revolve around an allocation of (approx) 50% of and ATCOs salary in the same stream in the location: "Not real aeroplanes = not real pay"?

Then accommodation might be provided... transport arranged.. partner's airfare negotiated.

The cost to the trainee is normally borne by the future (current?) employer.

At a recent "consultancy", the trainees were charged at (equivalent of) USD12k for a 12 week course.

There being 8 of them: USD96k to the training institute.

Instructors paid: $6k/month (untaxed): 2 of; 3 months = $36k
Accommodation: $3k x 3 months = $9k
Transport: $6k total (hire cars)

Incoming to Institute $96k.... costs $51k... bottom line: $45k profit per course. :ugh: (I accept: other on-costs exist)

Soooo, up the ante if you choose to apply for an Instructorialship/Consultancy!!

POC:cool:

The reason that there is a shortage of instructors is that ATCO's want to stay in their environment, be that Tower/APP or Area. They do not want to go to the 9-5 Mon-Fri routine where you only get the weekend off. The perks to working shifts are way superior to working 'days' so the only way that any ANSP can get Instructors is to pay them more, and sometimes even that is not enough. Hence a shortage, worldwide.

Training has always been seen as a cost rather than an investment by ANSPs.
The beancounters see it that way, there is no productivity to be measured from training. The beancounters like to see we have X controllers generating Y income, so Y/X is the productivity of each controller. The higher the number the better management look.

In training they like to see X no.of trainees and Y money spent on training. So Y/X is the cost to get each trainee out of the College (not rated). The lower they can make that number the more efficient the College management look.
They, initially, don't worry that the trainees coming out may not be as well prepared as they should be, that is someone elses productivity issue to worry about.

A good ATC instructor usually should have had extensive experience in doing the job, and an ability to teach and train. Sometimes these are pretty rare.
Also if you have been doing the job for years, chances are that you have had to do a lot of On The Job Instructing, and might have ' trainee fatigue '.

ANSPs are probably looking for newly retired controllers who aren't willing to let go just yet, or aren't ready to start playing fulltime bowls, golf,hang-out with the missus, etc. They are hoping to get people who already have a retirement income, and are keen for a part-time job. Hence they try to offer lesser wages.