student88
 

hey there,

please check your PM!

nwalsh011 and noroll,

Congratulations nwalsh011!
I was there too last Friday, heard the news today and I'm through too! (I was number 5!)

Any news noroll?

Not many at all... 12-15 perhaps, that sort of figure.
I'm hoping I've scraped through on the diagramming. Last year I remember having similar problems and I got through. So there's still a chance.

Hello everybody!
 

Hi there, to anyone who has sat stage 1 tests recently! I'm about to re-take my stage 1 tests in February, & would really appreciate if you could confirm aproximately the No of questions in each test & also the time limits, just to have a clue of what to expect & if anything has changed... Could you also recall in the diagramming test, how many Q's with a diamond attached at the bottom symbol were there (which alters the whole figure & presents the column in a different order)? Thanks a lot in advance, & special thanks to everyone who has contributed their valuable info to this forum, good luck to all those waiting for their results fingers crossed & good luck to all new applicants!

rexell - glad to hear it mate, I will see you in training then, I was number 3 btw!

I passed stage 3!
 

Got the congratulations email yesterday! Absolutely gobsmacked and so happy!

Congratulations to everyone else who has just passed - I did stage 3 last Thursday, did anyone else from that day pass too?

Thank you to everyone - particularly Pat42 - who has posted helpful info on here, very much appreciated!

basilsauce
 

wohooooooooooooooo, nicely done! I told you so! :ok:

And congrats for anyone who's just passed :]

Passed stage 3
 

Rexell & Nwalsh011

I was there on friday 2, i also passed.

So well done guys, i was number 6. (Chris scottish 1 lol)

Whats your actual names?

Can't think who numbers 3 & 5 were lol

Congratulations everyone who has recently passed stage 3 and is through. well done to you all.

Cavokay...
I recently did stage 1.. to be honest cant remember a lot of the details however i do remember the ATC paper was 20 mins long. And that in the diagramming it was the ones towards the end that had the diamong order things. This was about 25% of the paper. hope this helps a little.

Loz x

Finally got my medical through today - I did stage 3 in September! Anyhow all is well so I imagine I'll be on the August area. I have never posted and only found this site just before my stage 3 but it was very helpful so thanks everybody.
I saw some posts a few pages back looking for advice on prep work. I have no history in aviation and have been out of education a few years so I think I need to get my brain warmed up! Does anyone have any pointers for me?

Stage 2 - 26th Jan
 

Hi,

Is anyone else here attending the Stage 2 Assesment on 26th Jan?

Ian

some advice
 

Dear esq,
I am an ATCO in Iran. I came across the NATS vacancies the other day on the Internet. I had to choose a date for the interview but I could not risk since I am not sure about getting visa. I really feel frustrated because they do not send me an invitation.
I was wondering if you could help me with your information.
I remain, yours,
Kurosh

Kurosh, I think you would need to approach them as an experienced hire rather than through the trainee ATCO route. I don't know about how you would get a visa, but you would need to be authorised to work in the UK and pass security vetting. Best to contact NATS directly rather than using the online application process I should think.

Kurosh,

As Jonathan says, the best thing to do would be to contact NATS directly. You'll be able to find contact details on their website.

If you are already an experienced ATCO and they are interested in hiring you then they may well be prepared to discuss alternative routes into the company. Obviously there will be a certain amount of requalifying to do to convert your licence to one that is valid in the UK, but it might be possible to make that conversion without going through the entire training process from scratch (which is what you will have to do if you continue through the normal application process).

If you do have to go through the usual application process then normally you'll get invited to attend one of a selection of test days which are usually no further than about a month or so in advance. Obviously this doesn't give you a lot of time to sort out visas and flights, but a conversation with NATS might enable you to book a course further into the future. If successful at stage 1 you'll get invited to the next stage, and then if successful there you will be invited to the final stage. It can take several weeks for NATS to process your results at each stage, and then another few weeks before the next available test date, so if I were you I'd either be prepared to be making quite a few trips to the UK or to come and stay for quite a prolonged period of time (once you've factored in medicals the whole process can take over 4 months). I should also point out that you will need to ensure that you have eligibility to live and work in the UK and have secured any necessary permissions required to do so before you apply, NATS won't usually offer you any interviews until after this is all sorted.

Good luck and I hope you manage to get it all sorted :)

Hi all,

I am due to (finally!) start at the college in May and have a quick question.

At what point do you start working shifts? I know that the college part of the training is 'office hours' type of working but does this continue after you are posted or do you go onto shifts before validation?

Cheers and good luck,

Steven

As soon as you get posted you'll join a watch, and so join their shift pattern for training.

Hope that helps.

Thanks paperclip for the quick response

Fumbles88
 

Congrats on getting through!

I'm due to start on Area in August too and am from Darlo - have you had any thoughts on accomodation etc yet?

Fun & Games - Accident Claims A gentle game for you all to try (Click on the ATC game)

Hi, I applied online and have 1st stage interview in Prestwick on 29th Jan. I'm just wondering what my chances are of getting through stage 1 (never mind all 3 stages) actually are!! Do alot of people apply for this? I know nothing of aviation but will try my best to learn the given information. This career path was reccomended by a friend of my parents as I have been out of work (with my degree) for 3 months and I'm at a total loose end!!!

Amy

Finally received confirmation of my EU Class 3 [UK Class 1] from the CAA today! I am completely ecstatic!

Will fax NATS HR my certificate once it arrives in the post and will hopefully be starting in Bournemouth later this year!

Supersonic89
 

Hi
I'm starting college on 3rd Feb and I can't tell you your chances of getting through as I have no idea but I can tell you I was in the same boat just over a year ago when I started on the journey, it was suggested to me by a friend who is training now, I had no previous interest in aviation and still do not have a great knowledge other than what I've been studying for the course.
So I would say, no keen interest in aviation is required, the material they give you at stage 1 has all the info required to allow you to pass, there is a question on motivation at stage 3, I can assure you if you get to that stage it will feel like the most important thing in the world to you so it shouldn't be to hard to answer it.
Any questions, give me a shout :)

HI thank you I appreciate your reply!! So it takes about year after applying (providing you pass) before you get to college!!! Hmmm so I'm still gonna be unemployed!!! Where is the college exactly? And do they pay while you train??

Supersonic
 

I applied originally in December 2008 and I start college on 3rd Feb 2010, but I had work commitments to get around etc, I think it could possibly be done quicker but other people would probably be able to tell you from their own experience.

People passing stage 3 just now are waiting 6 months to start so I would expect that it's at least 7-8 months but again I'm not 100% on this

lol - I made my post at the same time as the one above which makes mine look a bit rubbish, so the one above probably answers all you need answered :)

Thank you both that was most helpful!!! I'm not sure how I feel about having to move to Bournemouth but I think if I pass I'd be stupid to turn it down!! Already done 3yrs at college/uni and I wasn't wanting to do anymore! Anyway only at 1st stage on 29th at Prestwick so fingers crossed. Thanks again :)

hey guys, my first post here so hey all... getting to the point, i applied for a stage 1 NATS interview last year down at swanwick, i stayed over in bournemouth with my girlfriend, the next day i travelled by train to southampton on my way to swanwick where my train was cancelled, and the 2nd train delayed thus causing a hault to my travels. I phoned NATS and told them of my problems and they told me i was able to reapply online without a problem (even though i thought they'd try make me wait a year) however, having reapplied online i have yet to hear back as to when and where i can sit a stage 1 test (preferably in prestwick now, as my family home is ayr). Can anyone confirm how long it should take for me to hear back? i applied about 2 weeks ago..

any response would be great, cheese

When I applied it was a Sunday night and I had a response on the Monday morning!

thats so strange, i've been through the rigmarole of writing down referees and stating my interests and why i have such interests before and it went through fine and in that case promptly, i have an email saying they will be in contact but I have yet to hear back. I have subsequently emailed them and left a voicemail with them so if i don't hear back soon i may try my luck at eurocontrol! booooo! cheers for the info dude, and best of luck!
get some DS brain training or brain challenge on xbox live on the go, its fun and keeps your mind active along the same lines as RAF and NATS psychometrics!

I hope you hear back soon!!! Keep pestering them! I have brain training so will give that a go along with the practice stuff they send!!

PS I'm not a dude :-P

Hi all,

I have just registered after reading the forum for quite a bit now, and got some questions to ask. Hope you don't mind.

At first, just wanted ask is there any different way that NATS looks at overseas ppl? I'm from poland, and just being wondering whether I'm on the 'lost position' straight away or not.

I recently applied for TATCO and I have been invited to attend Stage One and to do the SHL online Test. I'm having the S1 on 5th Feb, 12.30. Would be great to know if any one from here is attending it at the same day.

Revising to the SHL Test, I didn't found the numbers checking test difficult at all, though the calculation seemed to be quite tricky, and I wasn't really prepared for that. Im wondering now does it affect the result of S1 at any point?

I have always dreamed to become an ATCO, therefore I'll do my best and try to get through this strict selection. I'm sure loads of you here understand that feeling!

I'm just about to read the thread throughout, I'm sure I'll find enough stuff to prepare for the S1.

Regards.

Hi Tooomek,

As long as you meet the entry guidelines and have the right to live and work in the UK for an unrestricted amount of time you shouldn't face any trouble with being chucked out because you're Polish. If anything, it may help you! NATS are very keen to employ people from other areas outside the UK, especially people of different cultures and faiths (assuming you pass S1,2 and 3).

If it's your English you're worried about, well, you write better English than posters here who have lived in the UK their whole lives!

Good luck, let us know how you do.

Not too sure about your S1 enquiry but I'm sure someone else will be able to help you out.

S88

Hi Tooomek,

As Student88 says, as long as you have the right to live and work in the UK, and provided your English meets the required standards (which from your post It would appear that it does), then NATS shouldn't look at you any differently to British nationals.

Obviously NATS will be making a considerable investment in you, so they might quiz you a little about your long term aspirations etc. if you are lucky enough to get through to the interview at stage 3 - they'll want to know that you intend on moving more or less permanently to the UK and won't be planning on heading back to Poland or elsewhere after only a few years.

Other than that the only thing I can imagine is likely to be any different for you to any other candidate is the security clearance, which may well take quite a bit longer and be more thorough than for British nationals.

Good luck at stage 1 :)

The online tests before stage 1 are mostly just for data collection- so don't worry too much about them. My computer crashed as i was half way through the maths one, so i didn't even get to finish it- but i still passed stage 1 and got invited to stage 2. Just make sure you read the NATS information provided and really take it in before sitting your stage 1.

Hi all, thanxs for your replies.

Obviously I have got the rights to live and work in UK as Poland is in the EU, so that shouldn't be a problem (I'm currently working). Just being curious whether an invitation to S1 is a sign, that the invited person meets their requirements (education etc.), or they checking it all at any point in between stages or so?

I'm not really worried bout my English, I'm able to speak and write fluently. Anyway I'm awared that I'll have to put much more effort into learning than people with English as they native lang, but I'm ready to cope with that as the ATC is something I always wanted to do!

I'm just gonna prepare myself for the S1 and go for it. Whatever will happen next, at least I have tried! I'll keep you all up to date how the things are going. (if anyone is bothered, ofc)

Barrold2480, as to do with the initial test, I was the same as you. First few questions were alright, but when it came up to multiplying and dividing it became really difficult. I wasn't prepered for that and I hope it doesn't affect the result of S1.

tooomek,

I am certainly interested in your progress so keep us up to date!

On a scale of 1 - 10, how would you rate the job security of an ATCO at present and in the future?

I'm not an ATCO nor do I work for NATS but I'd say that it's pretty much 8,9 or 10. It's certainly a career for life.

hey guys, im still waiting to here back the results of my stage 1,but like a said i don't feel i did extremely well. As i would be definatly be applying again next year if i was not successful this time, i was wondering if any one knew any info on air traffic control assistants? Is there posts for these at every airport? And how do you become one? As i think becoming an assistant will give me an insight and experience about the job, which will hopefully help my application. If anyone knows any info on these i would be really grateful.

Thanks
Loz x

Question
 

I have my stage 1 interview tomorrow, i have learnt most of the information given to you in the email but am struggling to learn te plane bits at the end. Was just wondering how exactly they are used in the interview and into what sort of depth. x

charstar,
firstly i had my stage 1 a couple of weeks ago, its not exactly an interview. They are a set of tests testing your basic skills, if u read this forum then it will tell u what the tests are and it goes into detail of each test. One of the tests does involve the ATC paper part that you have received. All i will say is do your best to learn the paper and do not worry yourself too much if you can't remember it all all you can do is your best. The questions are multiple choice and are based on the document you are given.

Hope this helps

Loz x

LOZ4085
 

Thank you very much loz4085, I think i'm a bit over worried about the diagramming test as I 'd failed on that one last time:ugh: anyway I'll try & keep that in mind. 25% is something like 10-12 questions out of 50 i presume, including these :mad: diamonds attached. I might as well leave them aside if I don't manage & do the remaining 75% of questions. Best of luck to you & to all candidates of course awaiting for results :ok::ok::ok: & good luck to all new applicants !!! I'll be joining shortly ;)