NATS recruiting controllers externally?
 

It seems there's an ad out for ATCO (s)? At Stansted

Not like NATS to recruit controllers directly from outside (yes I have heard it happens occasionally but the external Ad for the job is a bit unusual)

What's happened to their college training pipeline?

I give up searching: Where have you seen this ad....?

https://krb-sjobs.brassring.com/tgwe...0&jobid=896886

link from here: Vacancies - NATS

Sign of the times....

Seems curious that from its large pool of controllers across the UK, NATS can't find anyone to transfer to Stansted?

Or is Essex really THAT bad?

More like they have no controllers available......if they recruit externally, it normally means they've $cr €w €d up.

Im assuming there are fewer ADI courses at the college now there are less TWR jobs available with the lost contracts? Has this played a part as well?

They had to recruit externally in a hurry prior to opening the extended Farnborough LARS. I think this covered Western Radar too.

There have been a number of ADI courses recently and a number of students at the college now who have ADI ratings already. It is baffling.

ADI rated ab initio controllers are of no use when you need APS controllers. There are many controllers on the market (often of European origin - I know of several Spanish nationals who self -funded with a UK college) with ADI who were trained at 'other' colleges and if they seek employment by NATS without having achieved C of C, perhaps NATS require them to complete an APC (Assessment of Prior Competence) before letting them loose in the field.
Years ago, NATS used to require people to complete the entire course if they hadn't trained with NATS originally.

There has been maybe 4 in the last year and all with less than 4 people on each course. There are 2 students at the college now who have ADI ratings and they have just started an APP course.

A 16 person basic course slated to go ADI and APP has just started. How many and up at airports or at TC is the question. NATS has got its numbers wrong and is now playing catch up. They let too many people go on VR so everywhere is understaffed including the college so the numbers of students can't ramp up much beyond 16 - 20 on a course. But those trainees won't be at unit and valid for at least 18 - 24 mths. Stansted taking on an experienced controller should at least shorten the process to getting an extra body.

And there are no NATS ATCOs at other units who want to go to SS? Surely they should be the priority and the back fill with Ab-initios or external candidates?

Applicants must hold an ADI rating etc etc... and mustn't be current Nats ATCOs:E:E:E:E

I wonder what's the legality of that!!

There are atcos within Nats that have specifically requested SS. However, as said shortages across units, mean they are not going to be released.
I know of 1 ATCO at Swanwick (not a happy bunny with this coming up and no contact) who thought they were on "a list"
I see bigger issues with taking internally ( call me cynical). 1.Is that individual near the top of their pay scale.. 2. If they in the defined benefit pension scheme.
If near the top of 1 and also in 2 then the costs would be significantly higher than hiring externally. If I was holding the purse strings, I know what I'd do.

How also does this external recruitment fit with a lot of the disparaging comments seen on this forum and in coversations around the company about the suitability of "non-NATS" ATCOs coming to BB and KK?

Funny how NATS usual policy of only possibly ever recruiting ab-initio through their precious in house college and the frankly disgusting comments bandied about on this forum by their own ATCO staff about being so 'superior' in regards to BB and KK are now really exposed like the trash they are :E

Yes, it may take a special type of ATCO to validate at certain units, be it BB, KK or in this instance, SS.

However. It does not have to be a NATS ab-initio trained, NATS unit previously validated etc etc ATCO. :hmm::=

I never went to the NATS' college and I am valid in two sectors in TC.

I think your comment is a bit unfair, you have to be in the right place at the right time.

Sometimes you also have to take on the risk yourself. I gambled a lot to be where I am now, it was definitely worth it, but bloody hard work.

We had a young lady at Farnborough who self funded her training and she was fully as good as NATS trained staff.
She went to Gatwick from Farnborough but whether she has stayed there with the change of ATS provider I don't know.

She didn't make it!!! Just sayin that's all!!!

That's a pity, I always got on well with her.
Mind you I shouldn't be surprised as 3 other people I knew over the years went to Gatwick; 1 succeeded and the other 2 came back to Farnborough having 'failed'.
There was another who had a 'compulsory' posting there during the 'station downgrading' phase of the '80s/90s. For those unaware, long before 'Bands 1 to 5' were invented, NATS decided that most medium/small airfields shouldn't have ATCO 2s as the 'working' grade but they should be ATCO 3s, so those '2s on the unit either had to agree to a downgrade or get a posting to an ATCO 2 post.
This particular person refused to do either (he wasn't the only one in NATS either) and was first given a compuslory posting to Gatwick. I forget what happened but he returned to Farnborough from where he was given a 'compulsory' to CATC.