Privately funded ATC training...
 

I've successfully reached 1st interview stage in NATS application. Lucky enough to be able to consider the option, ie: no kids/student loan/mortgage (YET!), I am looking into privately funded ATC training ex: resource group/ global-ats.


2 questions:

• Can anyone offer their personal experiences of non-NATS training?
• How difficult is it to find validation training going the non-NATS way?
  

FYI, main reasons for straying from NATS route: my closest airports are non-NATS & non-radar. :ugh:So, if NATS I put me on radar training, I would require further ADI & APP ratings to return home. (Correct me if i'm wrong?) Although I could handle some years of up-rooting (during NATS training) I would like to return to my current county in the future.


Thanks in advance for any advice :O

Firstly, its likely right now that NATS will stream you Basic>ADI>APP for reasons that I wont go into here.

Of course they may do Basic>ADI and then send you to a London tower.

As you have said you have no kids or real comittments then I surely moving for a decent job isnt so bad?

The difference is NATS: Get paid to train and have the guarantee of a job when you pass. Or go private:: Cost for ADI/APP rating is about £45k I think, and then you have no guarantee of a job.

You would likely have to maybe do an ATSA role before being accepted as a Student ATCO. While it might seem harsh an unvalidated ATCO license isnt worth very much

wannabegirl,
stick with NATS if you can, unless you have unavoidable personal circumstances not to leave your local environment.

Sorry, but why are NATS likely to stream ADI? Surely with the oversupply of tower controllers (due EGBB) and soon to be an undersupply in NERL (VR) then new starters are less likely to he streamed aerodrome. Or am I missing something?

Why would NERL getting rid of staff through VR mean they want more coming in? Overbearing allegedly seems to be the issue (and if you believe that then I've got some lovely magic beans for sale on eBay..) so surely by that logic, no new trainees to area for a good few years.
What could possibly go wrong with a great plan like that.

Because if the VR situation goes CR then the won't legally be allowed to recruit AtCOs for Nerl for two years.

Plus I don't think there will be as many brum controllers stating with Nats as you might think. Lots will be set up with families etc in the area and perhaps don't fancy moving to another Nats airfield

NATS appear (and I emphasise 'appear') to have a policy of getting rid of those controllers at the top end of the pay scale ie experienced but expensive so that they have less outlay per unit on salaries. They are then replaced by people already in the training system. NATS then get their fingers burnt when as sometimes happens these new people fail to reach unit competency, hence they end up short of staff.
A person I know was given an 'offer he couldn't refuse' to take VR last year as he was at the top of the payscale.(he was only 55 I think)

whitelighter said:
"Firstly, its likely right now that NATS will stream you Basic>ADI>APP for reasons that I wont go into here."

NATS don't train APP??

Sorry, meant APS. That'll teach me to blindly copy formt he previous post.

NATS are the big players, having had a monopoly on the industry for years, however don't be put of by the private route, I have witnessed much success on the private route, myself included. One lucky soul even came straight of the basic and ADI course only to find himself in Doha a year later and they have never looked backed. Go for NATS but have a good look at Cwmbran and GlobalATS as well.

Self sponsored training
 

Being honest I have no idea what the cost of self training in a private college is.

I imagine its significant if you are being trained to radar rating standard.

Despite the noise from Europe there is actually a finite amount of ATCO positions continent wide.

With an ANSP's there is a strong possibility of employment as they typically train new ATCO's when they anticipate a shortfall.

Following training with a private college you will have your qualification (based on national rules or future EASA ATCO Licencing is a massive difference).

If you fail to gain employment within 12 months it may no longer be valid and you will have to pay more to revalidate.

We have lost a significant number of ATCO's to sunnier climes but all had a min of 5 years experience.

Many ANSP's who take direct entry ATCO's typically want 5+ years experience simply because they should easily attain a local rating without much conversion training.

regards

Are you sure? You are not allowed to fill the post for two years but nowadays every position in NATS has a unique number allocated to it. They could get round the two year rule by creating a whole load of new numbers (i.e. new posts) in the system (before commencement of any VR/CR) and recruit to fill those, leaving the vacated numbers unused for two years.

There are always loopholes, unfortunately.

Hey wannabe!

It's an expensive route to take and £45K all said for ADI and APS isn't far off the mark. If you're successful in gaining a place with NATS then that really is the best way to gain your licence and your ambition to control aircraft.

However, be careful in limiting your geographical area; you are really cutting your chances considerably with availability plus there's a big wide world out here to explore! :)

Good luck

I'm not 100% sure anotherthing, and I am sure there are many far more cunning than me, but certainly when I was involved in making redundancies in a different industry we were not permitted to recruit anyone for the same role after making people redundant, and even if we changed the job title the tasks included in the role were looked at and our company legal team advised us we would be open to employment tribunals etc from redundant staff if it appeared we were in effect actually sacking them, not making them redundant, as we were essentially immediately recruiting for the same role albeit with a different title (and salary - less of course)

Wow.. things have changed. I recall a number of ATCOs retiring and then carrying on working in their same grade, thus earning full salary plus their pension.

PS What does NERL mean please?

Nats En Route Limited as opposed to NSL, Nats Services Limited.

Nerl are the regulated London and Scottish FIR body, NSL do the airports, TC for the LTMA and a load of other commercial stuff

I think you'll find TC are very much NERL not NSL. NSL are the Towers, basically, that's the bits that NATS has to bid for as opposed to the 'monopoly' stuff.

Whitelighter. Many thanks.

Nope, TC are NSL despite being in the same building.

The VR is NERL staff and doesn't affect TC for example.

Are you sure about that? :confused: