TCR,

If you're within the age range given, you're have the same opportunity as anyone else.

I got through the interview process at 17/18 and started just after my 19th birthday (that was back in the day when the selection process took over a year!), as did many of my colleagues.

It's just not an issue.

Okay, thanks a lot. Lets hope you're all right.

TCR, believe me, I'm involved in Recruitment quite heavily, and it's just not an issue. In fact on my last interview day I said 'yes' to two guys who were both 18, and my best ever interview was a girl who was 18. If you have the skills we're looking for, you're in.

and heres me thinking i was your best ever interview, lol

Ha! I was going to say something, but thought better of it...... :mad::mad::E

ShuttleSixYankee:
huh, sorry for being dumb, but what are D/S/T
in "D/S/T calculations" is "S" = scan maybe?

thx :)

Distance/ Speed/ Time!

Hey Gonzo,
On that note, is there a maximum age where you'd think twice about a candidate? Or is it really not an issue. I'm nearly 26 and am hoping to eventually get through. But I see most people on here are in their early 20s. I failed this year, but am still hopeful for the future. At what age does the door start to close?
Thanks,
Vic

(Speed = Distance / Time):rolleyes:
Lol, pretty sure most people learnt that in Primary School!
Sorry buddy:ok:

Vic,
I was 25 when I got through (first time by some miracle). I have seen more than a few trainees through the system since then. In my humble opinion maturity and some life experience can only be a help to you. At the end of the day if you fit the stated recruitment criteria, pass the tests and show some promise at the interview then your age is irrelevant. Good luck, although some days the job can give you a beating, on the whole it beats working for a living........

Hi

Could anyone recommend some good hotel accommodation near CTC Fareham?

As Vlad says, as long as you are in the age range (and if you're at interview, then you are, otherwise you'd have been sifted out before that stage), then we use other factors to determine your suitability.

And of course if we did decide to say 'no' because we thought you were too old, that would be illegal.

To put the other side of things, I have interviewed and said yes to a 40 year old (when there there was no upper age limit). He of course had lots of life experience to draw on during the interview, and his coming career, so it was an impressive interview from my point of view.

As regards those who are on the younger side, as I've said before on this very thread, you need to think very honestly about your own character. You do need to be very mature and level headed to do this job, you need to be able to cope with pressure and mentally 'juggle' lots of balls, so to speak. If this isn't you, then perhaps a few years at uni or work would prepare you more thoroughly.

Virgin girl.....my spare room! :cool::E

VirignGirl,

There's a Travelodge in Southampton Eastleigh, which is 10-15 mins drive away, there's also a Premier Travel Inn at Fareham.

Hmm, this concept is rather new to me. Does this mean if there is no movement(speed) the time will stop? :p

My brother been accepted 3rd attempt at age of 28 !

stayed at the premier travel inn at fareham, only a few quid taxi ride to CTC to! Main plus is it's next to TGIs!

Air Traffic Control - Graham Duke
 

I have bought this book (the 9th edition), and am in the process of reading through the whole thing, in preparation for my reapplication next year. It was recommended by the ATCO who spoke at the stage one in London. Just curious if this book contains sufficient/accurate information on ATC, and if there is any further reading any wise people may recommend.

From reading the first few pages, I have a feeling that the 18-page handout we were given to read through for the stage one motivation test was partially produced using the information from this book.

Any light-shedding much appreciated!

Also, my goodness there are a lot of abbreviations/acronyms used in ATC. Mind boggling!

Queuey!
Any feedback much appreciated!:D

It is a good book, but very out of date now.
Read as much as you can as all the information you can gather will be of use in the technical interview.
If you go to the CAA's webiste, and go to the Publications, then Air Traffic Services section, you can download a copy of the Manual of Air Traffic Services pt.1. This book is the guidelines that ATCO's in the UK operate to, and is the main text book used in the college.

Even the 9th edition that was published in 2005? Surely that can't be out of date?

There has been alot of airspace and law changes recently.

Gonz, I've been juggling my balls like mental for years. I now need glasses.
:E

NATS visit
 

Hello

Can anyone provide contact details for ATC at Glasgow, Edinburgh and the Scottish Area Control Centre at Prestwick? I am looking to arrange a visit prior to attending stage 3 of the selection process, but I can't find any contact numbers online. Any information much appreciated.

Thanks

26th July test day - Manchester
 

Hey everyone - I was at the testing day on in manchester on the 26th... anyone else there?
Have you heard anything back yet?


This number is indicated on the recruitment application tracker page of the nats website: 01489 616090

Im not sure if its what you're looking for but it might be a lead for you to contact specific bases

Nats Test Day
 

Hello Ian. Not the 26th, but I was there the day before. Had a message on my Nats application page to complete the online personality questionnaire today. 'Ve done so, so just waiting now:\. Hope you did well:ok: Let us know if you're asked to do it, best of luck.

Pah, damn... got an email of rejection today - I'm 110% sure that I knew everything on the motivational paper - must have crashed out on the shapes :sad:

Good luck to you Nokio - keep us informed of the next stages

Hard lines Ian, stick with it friend, lots of practise time tiil the next go. Ive read that many people at the college got through 2nd and 3rd time around. We can but try.:ok:

Its so frustrating that they cant give feedback... just like pilot sponsorship!

Its weird, I have a friend who went to 6 of these things, each company dropping him at different stages. Eventually he got in on the 6th attempt, and another who got in on the 1st one... quite random selecting but worth keeping in mind when another rejection email is sent your way :cool:

Hey Ian,
Like many people on here I know you're pain, I'm now preparing for next year. Was that your first attempt? Only got a year to wait eh!
It's frustrating not knowing where you went wrong, I think the shapes caught me out as well, but then everyone seems to struggle on that so it could be anything really. Would love to know how they mark these things!
Good luck next time.

I'd say it is better to go out in the 1st stage than at the personailty questionnaire because then you're just flummoxed and wonder how the hell you'll get further next year. Count it as a blessing. :ugh:

Hey vic - yeah it was my 1st attempt. But.. not all hope lost, I went to a Flybe interview and failed the apptitude tests... went to a CTC interview a month later and passed the (much much harder) aptitude tests in the high band grade so I guess practice does make perfect....!

My words of wisdome haha

Something Positive
 

To bring a bit of cheer back to this topic...
I've found out I'm through, and barring any medical problems, start on the September course. :)
This wasn't my first attempt, so keep at it; it could well happen for you too.
Wind was obviously blowing in the right direction that day, must have been our groups superb effort on the board game:}:\
PM me if you are a September bod
Anyone else got a thumping hangover today:p

Congrats mateh, well done

Keep us updated as to how it is etc, Im sure there'll be lots of people who are interested :ok:

So Ian, are you going to apply next year, or move on and do something else?

Also...

Does anyone know of any books that they feel helped them prepare for the aptitude tests in stage one? I think one with particularly emphasis on spatial reasoning, the cubes, would be best. I've been looking around but none seem to have enough examples of rotating 3D shapes mentally.
Any recommendations would be appreciated!

You might find it funny, but the best I can recommend is practising 11+ papers:D. My sister sat hers as I took my aptitude tests and they had almost anything you will encounter on the NATS tests in them, bar the aviation specific stuff. As far as numerical and spatial reasoning can go I found them excellent.

As for books, a quick search of amazon revealed these-

Mechanical & Spatial Aptitude by Learning Express - "cubes"


The Aptitude Test Workbook: Over 400 Practice Questions by Jim Barrett


Air Traffic Control Test Prep by Patrick Mattson - I bought this one before I applied, it's quite expensive and not even based on UK ATC so don't take any technical info out of it. However it is a prep for the FAA ATC entry exam and has some really good spacial awareness and numerical memory exercises in there.

Good Luck:ok:

Oh yeah deffo try again next year. Pleanty of time to practice now eh?:ok:

Hi there.

Just an introduction first: I'm currently doing a degree but I really want to be an ATCO. I'm planning on applying to NATS either this coming january or the next, depending on whether I want to do a masters degree or just finish my BSc and try and get into NATS asap(That's what I really want to do, but the fear of not getting accepted is worrying me - that maybe I should keep my options as wide open as possible and do the masters).

Anyway, I'm into programming as a hobby and this has given me an idea for something to work on in my free time - designing a simple game-like training program for the NATS entrance exams - it would be good if someone could let me know more specifically the details of the various tests - especially details like what sort of designs are on the cubes... are they complex random blotches or fairly simple patterns. Any details about any of the tests would be great - any Simple drawings would be useful as well... to try and make it look more like the real thing.

And also it would be good if someone/a few people who have taken the tests recently could have a look and tell me how similar it is to the real thing... however, that will be in some time when I've actually started the project.

Of course, it would be free (as in beer).

Anyway, just an idea - if anyone wants to give me details or help out with the software, let me know

Thanks

well got my 2nd interview on 10aug many fingers crossed!!!
its my last attempt!
x

Hi,


First of all I know my English is not perfect-perfect, but my natural accent is just like exactly the same as we have to artificially pronounciate the numbers in aviation, so I think this is even an advantage. And subsequently I'd like to apologize if there are written mistakes here. (especially for the commas all around the wrong places :))

I'd really like to ask something and I wish someone like Gonzo -who has a role in the selection process and really knows the ropes- to answer if its possible. I've recently got axed on stage two, so I rang the centre and they called me back in a few hour to let me know that I completed the computer test and the problem was the interview and that is all they are allowed to say.
So here is my problem:
What I know about NATS-es priorities during the selection, it is expected the future employee to stay for long term in employment, once the company invested so much in the training and so on. I know this is a vital point, since it was mentioned just here on this forums at least three times and furthermore they said on the RADAR2001 site as well.
So I took the time and recalled more than 50 questions out of the 60-ish they asked, and I found that although I gave more or less ok answers generally, there was on occasion when I completely misunderstood the question. It was something like "Do you mind changing your plans?"
Now there was already 3-4 question about the "ability to focus", "resisting distraction" and so on, so this one mustn't have been about the short term plans for the next hour, one day or week, but I'm sure it was about the long term, especially since there wasn't any other question related to this.
The problem was when they asked this, I still thought that we are talking about short term plans, I thought they want to know if I'm willing/able to change my course of action, in the case my manager tells me to do something else instead or something, so I said "no I don't mind to change my plans" and I started "babble" about this kind of stuff, instead of convincing NATS that I determined to plan for long term.
Obviously, this specific answer was also in contradiction with the one I gave about plans in the on line questionnaire...

So what I'm trying to ask, Is there any point to send a polite letter to the NATS Human Resources and explain all this?
Am I right, when I think it would be a waste to fail on things like these, when I invested so much to learn the motivation material, I succeed on the on line personality test and I was even eligible on the computer tests?
I blame only myself, so I really don't have grudges and I also have a job, so I'm not desperate, I just would like to do a job which I think is really important, where I feel it really counts what I do.

I would appreciate any kind of advice on this, thank you in advance!
Janos

Hi Janos,

I recently had stage 2 and interpreted that question in the same way. I also answered that I didn't mind changing my plans and got through to stage 3. If you are planning to write to NATS' HR then I'd have a few more examples available before submitting the letter, especially as the policy is not to give any feedback. I know how disappointing it is, especially when you were successful at the other components of stage 2. Best of luck!