Working For Serco
 

Anyone got any comments good or bad on what Serco are like to work for?

Cheers

DCS

Depends what you are looking for.... if you want the biggest wage packet at the end of the month, forget it. Expect to get worked hard up to the legal limit.... But thats the same for all similar sized ATC providers. My own experience is that so long as you are a team player you will enjoy working for them. I have left the company for pastures new on more than one occasion in belief that the grass would be greener elsewhere, but have always come back older and wiser. The money may not be the best, but you get looked after in other ways, such as training for other qualifications, courses, special leave, etc etc. Plus, depending on where you are thinking of going, you get to work in some nice areas, well away from the smoke.There are opportunities for promotion and career progression if you want them as well. There may be a few people along shortly with different opinion; listen to both sides of the coin before you make up your mind. Feel free to PM me if you want any other info.

I'd be interested to see some of the responses here.

I know a whole heap of folks who've head off in that direction. Out of about 12, none have come back. Yet...
But I think it depends on what you want out of it... It must have it's problems...

They're a contractor, nothing more and nowt less.
I worked for them a long time ago, but I know many people who recently were and still are employed by Serco.
Generally the feedback from UK staff is pretty positive, they do look after you, salaries were OK and the pension scheme used to be final salary (although I'm not sure if new joiners are allowed in now).
The good thing is, that despite not having many UK contracts left, those that they do have are pretty long term (albeit mostly military based) and they need as many atcos as they can get on their books, so, as has been mentioned, they're always willing to train staff.
Additionally, if they are faced with serious competition on a contract re bid, they have the financial muscle to put you on fully paid gardening leave for a long time just to screw up the chances of someone else employing you and getting the contract - they did that at Wattisham to great success.

I suppose the other advantage that some may see, is that you are working for an organisation within which you can move on either to another of their airports (in the UK or abroad) or to another life within the company itself.

From what I can see, you either join Serco and move on outwith the company within two years or so, or you stay with them for the majority of your career.

I have worked for them a couple of times over the years (80's-90's) and thought that they were OK.

One of the best things was that they didn't hold a 'grudge' if you left, and were therefore happy for you to rejoin the company again later (which couldn't be said for all ATC providers at the time!).

As for the salary, they always seemed to pay the 'going rate'.

All-in-all, not a bad outfit.

Imperator1300

Serco have the contract here in Bahrain. The GM is a good guy and runs a good contract. The money is close to being the best available in the Gulf. There are some issues with respect to leave and rosters but in the big scheme of things I am very happy with no really BIG complaints....

not a bad company to work for, seemed quite good at training staff up to with the required courses.

only down side was that senior management seemed to change every 18 months and the hr department were bollox, but then again the last two are pretty common these days!

oh, and it was unlimited FREE BAR at the FREE social functions. Xmas, Summer and any time any top brass visited!

SERCO

• good serious Company to work for.
• Salary always on time & correct figures.
• great leave entitlement, including off days.
• a good mix of expats working together & easy to get on with.
• good training.
• very good SUP!
• contract honoured.
• & most of all, Professional all the way from Office to Line crews!
• takes good care of our families, when needed!

There have been some of our colleagues who might have had a hard time getting to grips in live traffic, but Management showed that they have a heart, & offered these guys an alternative!:D

In my opinion NOWHERE is a bed of roses, we all make decisions, & sometimes they are good decisions & sometimes these decisions do not always work out. For myself & my family, so far our experience has worked out well, both with some hard work from our side & of course with the help of the Company & colleagues!:ok:

I would definitely recommend the Company!!

And they just increased my final salary pension by 5% !!!

Whereas my NATS pension remains the same as last year.

On the beach :ok:

Of course you have to accept the ignomy of working for the outfit that run the speed cameras

Alternatively, if you support speed cameras, then you have to work for a chief exec who got caught by one doing 100+mph :hmm:

I'm not in the business of running my employer down but what kind of drugs are you on?

Enjoyed 15 years with Serco, no snags. I echo the sentiments posted above. Especially the FREE BAR at functions! :ok:

@Funk

Listen 'colleague', if you are one of those who have been shafted in the past, then I'm sorry for you. So far, this is what we have experienced, so whether you agree or not, does not make any difference to me!

You'd be surprised what kind of drugs I am on (as you put it), definitely not the BLUE Coloured ones you NEED to have daily......

Have worked for Serco in the past - no complaints, not even minor niggles. Would be happy to be in their employ again, should the opportunity arise.

PS

Not high on anything!

All these new people joining within the last month with minimal posts praising Serco..... :8

Well Scott, I`ve worked for Serco/IAL on and off since 1991 and I don`t have a bad word to say about them and judging by this thread not too many people have.
The biggest difference between them and other providers I have worked for is that they always treat you as a person and not just a resource.

I worked for them some 5 years ago, and am just expressing what I consider to be an honest opinion, nothing more, nothing less, nothing sinister. Am no longer involved in ATC, but am still interested and was pleased to stumble across this forum serendipitously a couple of weeks ago; hence new member, minimal postings.

I wonder how many NATS NSL staff are taking a bit more notice of this thread than they normally would??

I did 10 years with serco (IAL) from 1994 to 2004. My experience was a good one. Granted one or two others didn't feel the same, but we can't please everyone all the time. I'm now working for NATS again and sadly I'm deeply saddened by what's going on in the company. For years NATS considered itself the 'best', well it's not far off being second best now.

Spot on. NSL being the key word here !