NATS recruitment
 

A friend of mine is looking to apply for the NATS assessment as advertised on their website. As I understand it, if successful then all the training is done at Bournemouth and you are paid during the training.

If you complete the training successfully are you then bonded in for a certain period of time?

There is a huuuuge thread at the top regarding this.
The training has been relocated to Swanwick now, and no you aren't.

Thanks for the speedy response. All the threads I looked through at the top seemed more about the actual assessment.

As a pilot I'm quite taken back that they don't bond you in at all. There's nothing to stop you leaving after a year or so if you find you don't like the job, leaving them with the bill for all the investment they put into you. Perhaps that's just my mentality which is what I've become accustomed to in the pilot world, which is perhaps everything that is wrong with it.

I was under the impression that new trainees are now bonded? Has this changed again?

there's certainly no mention of it...

new recruits are bonded, don't know the exact details of it, I am sure that someone on here will know though...

All new recruits now bonded for 3 years.

Has NATS posted anything on this? I can't find any information on it on their website and I have never heard it before.

That surprises me as I do wonder how many people they actually get leaving in the first 3 years.

Had to sign a document before starting college. The first course to be bonded started in March last year.

I see, well that doesn't bother me personally, how ever I am suprise there has been no mention of this during my application or on the NATS website.

There was quite a few when I was at college that got their ratings and then left to go to non-NATS airports. Bonding seems like a sensible decision tbh.

Not many. But just because there aren't many jobs around elsewhere!

But who in their right mind would actually want to leave NATS? It's such a great organisation, with really high morale, and fantastic opportunities open to all, leaving can't be on anyone's mind surely?

I think he is serious, and I agree. Go work for SERCo to see how not to run ATC!!!

Or Peel, they are bad as well.

3 years seems very short. If you ended up at Swanwick you'd be lucky to have been valid a year by then. I'd have thought at least 5 would seem more sensible.

:ugh: :ugh: :ugh:

Maybe a company that looks after it's staff doesn't need to put them in bondage. Perhaps pay, conditions and postings need to be readdressed.