Pat
 

Hi Pat
I've been through Stage 3 recently and had the same worries, I can't actually remember any of the questions being out of the ordinary so I would just do the usual preparation with regards of thinking of situations which could apply to a few competencies, as you've probably read on here there are 16 in total so be prepared for that aspect of things and you'll be fine.
Andy

Online Test
 

Hey all,

Only just applied and I was wondering what the initial online test involves which you are asked to take prior to the Stage 1 assessment day. Or am I just worrying far too much about it?

Cheers

Steph

Have a look at post 4703 on page 236, I asked practically the same question and this reply helped me - good luck!

My stage 1 is next Monday 26th, at CTC, the afternoon session - anyone else doing stage 1 then?

Hi all, another prospective trainee here!

I've got my stage 1 on Mon 26th at CTC in Whiteley too, but morning session rather than afternoon.

I've been busy reading the guideline document inside and out, but only just found this website and thread so I'll be sure to absorb as much as I can from this too before the first of (hopefully!) all three of the big days.

Just been watching the news about the Gatwick sale and was wondering about possible effects on NATS. New management could mean a change of ATC service provider at some point. Anyone got any thoughts on whether or not this potential insecurity might effect NATS recruitment? As I'm about to go through S3 I've been thinking a bit about whether or not I would want to do areodrome or area, but if NATS were to loose the Gatwick contract I presume that would create quite a drop in demand for new aerodrome controllers...

That said, I understand that the new owners already own London City, where NATS are the current ATS provider, so maybe its a non-issue.

stage 1
 

Anyone got their stage one at nPc Prestwick tomorrow (22 oct)?
I have tomorrow afternoon. If anyone needs directions, or is unsure what to do when they get there give us a shout as i work there. See you tommorw maybe.

I wouldn't worry too much Pat. The new owners are more interested in the passenger side of the airport (e.g. revenues from retail outlets e.t.c.). NATS will be around for a very long time at Gatwick I'm sure!

Hi all. Applied to NATS for the first time, got my Stage 1 at Prestwick on 20th November. Anyone else going on that day?

Want to say thanks to the participants of this forum. Reading all your posts has definately made me calmer ahead of the assessments as I have a better idea of what to expect. Fear of the unknown, and all that.

A quick question to those who have been through stage 1: How intensive are the maths-based calculations in the assessments? Maths has always been my weaker area, although I've been practising and studying like mad to brush up on everything I waved goodbye to in high school :)

Good luck to all the other applicants.

@Pat42

In regards to your question about preparation for the competencies for stage 3. Its quite hard to think of an example for Spatial awareness and everytime I have discussed this with interview experts they seem to think that any example - however you percieve it as weak - is a strong one. Can you think of any times (personal or at work/school) when you have had to build a mental picture of things to make something work? Parallel parking requires a lot of spatial awareness, unless you do it by stickers in the window like I was taught! You can apply the same logic to the other examples that are harder to think of. But whatever you do, make sure you tell the example from personal experience because this being a competency interview, they are sure to delve deeper into the situation and ask you specific questions about it.

Anyway best of luck Pat!

The new owners already employ Nats to run London City so I wouldn't worry and besides that if they did decide to get rid of Nats it would them cost a fortune what with there not being a radar room at the tower for starters. And Nats being as it is at the mo would probably strip the Tower and airfield of it’s equipment and maybe leave the kettle!

Possibly ..... but they may just offer you up to the new operator if you agree

The flexibility within Nats it not like it used to be. A move between units can take well in excess of 2 years if at all and that is in both NSL and NERL.

course start date
 

Hey guys, just had my 'congratulations' call from HR.Courses are fully booked until April/May time now, just to let everyone know. I was hoping for February but nevermind eh,lol xx

Congrats leanne, Just did my stage 1 this morning found it to be not too bad and will hopefully hear soon about results :-D

Good luck Reefie, am sure you will be fine xx

:ok::ok::ok::ok::ok::ok::ok::ok::ok::ok::ok::ok::ok:

Thanks leanne, I really hope i have done well :)

Apologies if this is a really stupid question, but I cannot fathom it out!

A few times on this forum I have noticed that people have said that NATS don't mark negatively - what does this mean? My poor little blonde brain is very confused!

Negative marking is when you get a question wrong and a mark is subtracted from your total. If it's not negatively marked, you get zero for a wrong answer.

google.com is your friend:

"Negative marking, or formula scoring, means that some marks are deducted from overall test score for each wrong answer. This contrasts with right scoring in which nothing is deducted for a wrong answer."

S88

stage 1
 

well, stage 1 over with! ouch my head is sore!! really cant tell how i done, so suppose i will just have to wait!! as long as it isnt the full 15 days!! good luck 2 everyone who sat today. x

Couldnt agree more with the person who gave everyone a reality check...You can read these forever....Trust me it wont make you a better candidate. What really counts is whether you can cut it at the college and ultimately on a sector......thats where the pressure really counts.....

Had a very welcome call from NATS HR this afternoon informing me that I'm in!! Had my Stage 3 on Monday, so an impressive turnaround time!

I'll be starting in April 2010. I told them that Aerodrome was my preference, though obviously realise I may get transferred to Area depending on their finer needs.

Off to book my Medical now, best of luck to everyone!

HeyI have my stage one on 30th Oct @ NATS Corporate & Technical Centre 4000 Parkway Whiteley Fareham.I live in Egham, Surrey and it should take me about 1 hour 15.Would anyone recommend me staying in a hotel or driving? Is it easy to find with a tom tom? When you get to the industrial area is it pretty easy to spot?

kitkat, I'm in Woking and just drove it. Putting the postcode into Google maps gives exactly the right building.

excellent, thankyou!

Hello All,

Quick Q. I'm an ex-mil controller considering whether or not to apply to NATS. Problem is, having done Area, and plenty of it, I really want Terminal. I understand it's 'their decision', but has anyone heard how the slots are working out Terminal v Area? I've heard Terminal places are full for the forseeable future. Is this true do we know?

Cheers!

hey guys and girlies again.Since being invited for stage on I've been practising s/d/t questions like theres no tomorrow.But am I right in saying there is only one or two s/d/t questions and they are in the motivation paper?

Kitkat, there's a new paper specifically for S/D/T questions but they're pretty basic. Just read the question thoroughly and I'm sure you'll do fine :). The impression I got from others on S1 was that they got confused as a few of the questions were in nautical miles per hour but you work them all out in the same way as mph or kph.

Finally back from Australia now. Absolutely shattered but can't wait for the 10th for my S3! Is there anyone else out there doing S3 on the 10th??

Liz :)

Kitkat
 

There is a whole maths based paper, so you'll have to answer about 25-30 if I remember correctly. They are mostly SDT questions, though they throw in a few others like working out compass headings as well. Most were very straight forward, though some were a little more complicated (either due to slightly awkward division, or because they flood you with info you don't actually need in the question to try and confuse you a little bit).

Don't worry too much, none of these were hard mathematically... but the time limit on this paper was very tight so the quicker your mental arithmatic the better.

Hi RingDobi1

Some people have been posted to TC relatively recently so I don't know how much truth there is in what you've heard. Also, in the time it'll take while you're applying, waiting for a course and getting trained, all sorts of things can happen (timescale is more than a year for all this to happen), so it's almost impossible to predict the availability of a particular posting. All it takes is you to fail a course at the college, get recoursed and therefore take longer to get posted, or someone to fail to validate at TC and them require another trainee for everything to change.

Don't set your heart on anything, but it's hard to rule anything out at this stage.

Hope that helps a bit.

RingDobi (!!) check your PM's

KitKat,

Check out Premier Inn's website for prices at their Fareham hotel. It's literally 5 mins from the CTC and if you don't get a good nights sleep you'll get your money back.

S88

Thanks, and my stage 1 experience
 

First of all - thanks to paperclip810 and student88 for answering my query about negative marking, and sorry for late reply but my computer wouldn't let me log in over the weekend!

Had my stage 1 this afternoon, and just thought it might be useful to do an update on what the most current format is, as I couldn't find anything on here that reflects what happens now, apologies if someone else has posted this already!

We had 4 tests, all multiple choice, in the following order - motivational paper (20 q's in 15 mins), cubes (40 in 20 mins), diagramming (50 in 20 mins) and then finally S/D/T (20 in 15 mins), and that was it, over and done with! No idea how I did, definitely found the cubes the hardest, only managed 27 of them, and doubt they are all correct, I felt the other tests went ok, but I guess you never really know do you?

This thread has been a great help in many ways, but for anyone new to the site, I would just say don't get too intimidated by it - I was incredibly nervous this morning, and it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be, as everyone else has said, read the document thoroughly, and practise S/D/T questions. With the diagramming questions, don't waste time learning the specific commands that are on the test questions on NATS website - the commands in the actual test paper are different symbols, so learning the test ones won't help.

Good luck to everyone on here, whatever stage you're at, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I will make it to stage 2 - watch this space...!

does anyone know about the SHL tests that I have been asked to do after stage 2?
Thanks
Aileen

Many thanks paperclip.

SHL test after stage 2 isn't actually a test it's just a personality questionnaire. Just be honest and you'll be fine. It does ask the same question more than once so it will try to trick you so beware of that.

hey,im currently going through the selection process and have stage 1 in november. does any1 know hoe frequently the courses start?

loudspeaker,

Approximately every 3 months or so - courses in Oct/Nov, Jan/Feb, April/May, July/Aug. As far as I know, Jan/Feb 2010 is already full.

Hey guys!!! Thanks for some helpful info!!!

Im at Fareham tomorrow for stage one tomorrow aft!!!
This week: I have split up with my boyfriend... been unable to sleep as a nerve in my tooth is touching a filling and unable to get a dentists app until weds next week! And just now... decided to put my interview clothes in the wash (they didnt really need washing but just as they had been in wardrobe couple of months a refresh) and the washing machines broke with them stuck inside!!!!
What can I do but laugh!!!!! :ugh::}

XXX

Kitkat86
 

So sorry to hear about all the grief your having - don't worry about the tests, they aren't as bad as you are probably thinking! (Having said that, I will probably get the rejection email now!)

Painkillers for the tooth, any smart/casual clothes will do, as long as you look presentable, and as for the boyfriend - its his loss!

Good luck!