ATCO DJ Smith's Air Band Radio Handbook (Haynes Publishing), although aimed principally at spotters and airband listeners, has a detailed overview of UK ATC. Popular opinion says that it is a much better "read" than Mr Duke's book.

Hi,
I have used shl to do practice tests.
I was wondering from anyone who has done the stage one selection tests, are there any questions you need to use a calculator on/allowed to use a calculator on? One of the tests on shl would be more or less impossible to complete without a calculator in the given time period. :ugh:

Thanks. x

Does the current structure of the first stage selection include a 'learning styles questionnaire/test'? or is this incorporated into the personality questionnaire or motiviation test.

The latest PDF I downloaded from NATS Website states 'selection tests' and 'motivation paper'. Where does the personality questionnaire and or 'learning styles' come into this?

This much I understand:
Selection tests: - ie. basic checking, diagrams, spatial - any others?
Personality questionnaire
Motivation test.

Calculators
 

I am afraid, no calclators will be allowed at all, you have to use your brain, no doubt human brain is much more superior than a calculator...! ;)

Of course... think i'll go cry now :sad:. haha.

Thanks for that. x

Hi all,
just wondering has anyone recently been throught stage 2 of the application process? ive been through it all before but didnt get through, but since then it has all been changed.
Just wondering what the structured interview consists of? last time i only had the 1 interview but now apparently there are 2!!
Thanks

Stage 2
 

I did my stage2 in mid November and there was only one interview then, which was a HR interview.

It was pretty much as you'll probably remember, lots of 'tell me a time you felt pressured', 'give an example of how you coped with stress' etc etc....

The rest of stage2 is computer tests, motivation paper and security/medical paperwork.

Stu

There are 2 interviews now...I have my assessment on the 25th of Feb...But recently I was talking to one of the ATCO Trainers, there is an interview on the day of your second assessment with an HR officer...But then later down the line...when you go for you full day assessment...you need to have an interview with an HR officer and an ATCO (Some kind of manager)...This is when you will give the reasons you feel you should be employmed by NATS etc...

My first on assessment on the 25th...Should I be Nervous!?

The Psychometrics etc I think will be fine...The Cubes though...I'm a wee bit more worried!!

G

You throw insults around on your first post???????

:E

In fact, most of us ATCO interviewers are 'normal' ATCOs, and not managers.:ok:

HahaNot an insult at all...To be honest I wasn't aware of how I should refer to heirarchy...but I do apologise! So it will just be a 'normal' ATCO? That sounds good...I was visiting Edinburgh's Tower on Monday and they ATCO's there were a great laugh...Got on really well with them all so I'll be looking forward to that interview. So Gonzo...What do you guys look for in a canditate? A good friend of mine has recently starting at a unit...I won't name names...but on his course...he told me there were alot of people who walked in and didn't know the first thing about ATC?? This is a bit worrying...I don't believe it to be honest but thought I'd bring it up...see what people think of the statement.

NATS ATC Career
 

Hi all!

I'm new to the forum and found it as i need some help!

I'm 18 in 3 weeks and will start applying for a career with NATS as a controller! hopefully it will go ok!

I just need to know what i can expect from the aplication process? will there be interviews and if so what can i expect from them?! what things should i know aswell? for instance what questions can i expect to answer in the interview?!

I match the educational criteria and will have 2 A-levels aswell so thats ok just need to work on the other side! If you are a controller with NATS please reply or if u have been through the application process please reply aswell :-)

Regards
Simon

Simon,

My best advice is to trawl all the threads on the ATC issues section. There is a wealth of information on there inlcuding all the latest on what you can expect from assessment days/interviews. There's also plenty of current applicants going through the process that you can get chatting to and they will be able to guide you through it all.

To regurgitate it all on here would just be repeating what has already been written elsewhere.

Best of luck with it all though!

Regards,
DS

Greg,

Mis-read the original post, sorry.

There is one interview at stage 2 - Hr only interview, then one interview at stage 3, HR + ATCO interview. Don't know what it was like for anyone else, but my stage3 was HR guy first, then ATCO with the technical Q's and pickups on a couple of my HR answers.

One tip for the 3rd stage interview, just in case. Try and remember as much as you can about what you were shown at Edinburgh. At my stage3 I mentioned I'd visited Birmingham, great until you consider the interviewing ATCO was a BHX watch manager:{

Fortunately I had an answer to 'tell me something specific about Birminham's airspace then'. :)

Stu

I suspect your friend is quite correct in saying that a number of people joining the college didn't know very much about ATC. That's kind of the point of the college !

As Gonzo, among others, has said a number of times the point of the interview process is to pick out those who have the right core skills to be able to be trained as ATCOs. If you already knew everything about ATC we wouldn't need a college we could just give you a headset and send you to a unit.

As for what the core skills are there are masses of clues all through this and other threads but the key (as with any interview process) is to be yourself and allow us to worry about the criteria. Our Interviewers (well most of them anyway) are good at choosing those that match up and if you try to be someone you're not you'll usually be caught out. Worse still you might get away with it and end up with a short unhappy career in ATC.:E

Phew! Thank God for that. For a minute then I was freaking out and thinking I had slipped through the selection process net without really knowing anything about ATC at all. I mean I "know" things about ATC, but I know bugger all compared to a trained ATCO....

I had visions of me turning up to CATC in July and being asked to do some super-duper thing on the first day. My mind has been put at rest now thanks. Thank God the word "college" at NATS still means a place of learning, like it does in the rest of life!

haha thanks for all the comments guys! they have all been superb!

This forum is a little god send in itself!

Stage 3 interview seems a bit scary! Fingers crossed. I will try to remember as much as possible...I'm just going to keep going over the things again and again until they are second nature!

Thanks Guys!

Manchester visit
 

Hello, has anyone managed to arrange a visit to Manchester A.C.C recently? If so would you be able to let me know who you contacted, cheers.

Has anyone successfully got through stage 3 without having visited anywhere beforehand?

I'm waiting for my results from the level three interview. I found it's pretty free ranging and I got the feeling the interviewers like to focus on any grey areas in your employment and education to find out what actually motivates you.

So as well as prepping with the NATS materials I'd advise practicing some run of the mill HR type questions because I think only about 20% of my interview was based on the NATS reading materials.

Although it seems the interview may be different for everyone based upon their background and experience, the very least preperation you should do is to learn the provided reading inside out.

I'd also strongly recommend some further reading (eg Graham Duke) which will help fill out your knowledge a bit, and visit at least one towers or a control centre.

If you're challenged with a question and you don't know the answer, avoid the b*ll!!!!! and own up. Favour safety conscious answers, and stand your ground, unless it has been pointed out that you've been barking up the wrong tree, in which case take it on board.

3rd Stage
 

I too have just very recently went through my 3rd stage interview. The day was made up of a small group exercise in the morning and then the interview afterwards.

The interview was pretty much what I expected. To start the HR person asks you some questions eg "Can you tell me about a time when you were heavily scrutinised?". As long as your up front and honest, these questions are ok. Don't be drawn into blabbering on and on though. The HR part lasted about 25 minutes. Then the ATCO interviews you. I was given some situations and asked what I would do. The ATCO will try and make you change your answer but stick to your guns throughout. Why would they employ someone who cannot stick to their guns?

I would also say that it is very important to get in a visit or two. I visited Glasgow tower and Prestwick ACC and it gave the ATCO and myself a good talking point.

I'm still waiting to see if I have been successful so fingers crossed.

If anyone has any questions about any stage, just PM me
:ok:

That would depend on the situation!!

e.g These 2 a/c are going to hit each other because of my plan, but hey I'll just stick to my guns :}:eek:

Fair point I suppose. What I was trying to say was that you should not be indecisive and the ATCO will try to put you off your original decision by adding in little snippets of info.

Thanks for picking up on that though, you must lead an exciting life, sifting through threads pulling people up for the content of their comments:D

I was only trying to give Greg an idea of what the interview is like, guess I'll think twice before leaving a post in future for fear of retribution.

Kev, I hope you've been successful at the last stage.
However, I hope you can take a little more criticism when you're down at the college and when you get to a unit!

All helpful stuff, in my interview though I was given scenario, told to make a decision and explain it, then given more and more information until it made sense to me to change my original plan. So use common sense and don't be afraid to change your mind if needed or stick to your guns as has been said before and you won't go far wrong.

I'll put it down to a hard day at work and already being on tender-hooks waiting for the results of my final interview.:confused:

Thanks for the support though!

Its true though about some of the people on this forum...some people come on to just give it mouth while some of us are genuinely looking for info...like myself...yet someone on another thread actually came out with...'Why does your name contain ATCO when you clearly aren't'? I've since apologised to Surgeon (Not his real username, But accuracy was EVERYTHING to him)...my username was just a username, Greg was taken unfortunately...Had I pretended to be an ATCO I wouldn't be asking questions! I've now changed my name to 'Here2BroadenHorizon'...as usernames are so EVER important...I changed it to give a more accurate representation of myself for the picky bunch (you know who you are)!

I think the American ATC slogan: "Make a plan and make it work" says it all. In other words, decide on an order of priorities and fine tune it as you go along.

Vercingetorix - are you saying the Dash 8 is RVSM approved in your last post??

"when you post using a title with the term ATCO most respondents on here would initially assume that you are, in fact, an ATCO. However the content & manner of your posts reveals that you couldn't possibly be. i.e. Dash 8 not RVSM approved." ---- Your right in saying I am not an ATCO...as I have previously posted, I also posted that I wasn't aware you guys had usernames which signify your position, which is fair enough. However...you used the example about that Dash 8 as if I was wrong in what I was saying, so I'm sorry in advance for being a pain...but can I clarify the situation. Wether the Dash 8 was RVSM approved or not doesn't matter because it can't fly at such an altitude that it would ever need to be? Am I right? Reason I'm checking is because your post is addressed to someone who would understand all the abreviations and Acronyms. I'm not quite there yet! Thanks

Greg,

You are coming over as being very confrontational (not a good talent to display at a stage 3 interview). Chill out a bit, and take on board some of the advice given.

Misinterpretation NeoDude...I wasn't trying to be confrontational there...I was genuinely asking him to clarify the reasoning behind the scenario because I never understood fully what he meant. I'm very appreciative of the advice given and promise you it is being taken on board. I can't see what was confrontational about my last post as I'm listening to what vercingetorix is saying and asked him to elaborate. I'll take your comment on the chin as I don't want to be arguing about it. The bit at the end of my post about abreviations and acronyms did sound a bit cheeky...it was supposed to be a joke on my part because I don't understand them all as yet, but I never took into consideration it may be hard for someone reading the post to see that. Sorry...yet again! This forum is hard work...it seems anything confrontational sparks people into a keyboard FRENZY! I thought it was fun and games and a chance to get info!? Unless you have 40 years experience and know Nats inside out it seems being wrong or inaccurate is a definite No No! I'm chilled and Im having fun understanding bits and pieces from you guys...I think alot of others need to be more 'relaxed' about the forum and it's content. Lets be honest, if you read something on this which contradicted your working practice withing the workplace, would you change your working practice because of what you read in the forum? Thats why instead of beating the !!!!! out of people with verbal punches, lets just laugh...then correct them! that includes me!

Fair enough. I apologise in that case.

I think the point he was making was that as the Dash 8 doesn't fly high enough there is no point in even discussing it's RVSM capability.

Where abouts in Edinburgh are you btw?

It's all good Neodude...I'm just having a bit of fun...!Where about in Edinburgh am I? What...like my address??? ha I live outside edinburgh. Yourself? And about the Dash 8...yeah that's what I said in my post...I was trying to find out if RVSM wasn't applicable because the Dash 8 can't fly high enough anyway...but you have just answered it (if your right)

Post stage 3 medical
 

Can I ask anyone recently placed to the college - did any of you have your course date prior to the medical? If not, how long afterwards did you hear about courses?

I had my medical at the end of last week and it all went fine, but I'm on a very long notice period, so may end up having to give my notice before hearing whether I'm on the July course or not:uhoh: (I want to have some time to get settled down south before starting at the college).

I spoke to HR and they said I'm in the pool, and they cannot tell me yet.

Any advice greatfully received.

Stu

Stu H,

I have been at the college since Sept. The medical has no bearing on whether, or when, they give you a start date; many people do not have their medical (CAA CL1) until they have already started college.

With regards to your notice period at work, I fell upon the same problems; which resulted with me handing in my resignation on the basis that I had passed the medical. There were a good few of us who resigned without the slightest whiff of an employment contract.

I can't offer any more insight than that I'm afraid, apart from to try HR again and explain your problem.

See you around.

Post stage 3 medical
 

Stu H,

I'm in exactly same position as you - had medical v recently, not heard about start date yet and am on 3 months notice - argh! Am v tempted to give notice in soon though so can ensure have some time off before if it is July - if it's Oct I don't know what I'll do! Little nagging voice in my head keeps telling me to wait till employment contract surfaces - dilemma eh?

As for you, HR cannot tell me when I might start. Let me know how you get on!

Hi everyone,

Got some good news yesterday saying that I passed the stage 3 interview and I'll hopefully be starting the college in October!!!:ok:

I'm delighted, its been a long process though, I applied on September 4th 2007 and to be honest I'm glad all the interviews and testing are finished with!!! Roll on the college course...hehe

For anyone going through the process just now, read this thread back to front, there is some invaluable info on here which will stand you in good stead for every stage of the process.

If anyone has any questions just give me a shout:ok:

Hi 1967kev,

I've PM'd you - I think!

Cheers :ok:

Hello all,

A quick google search has sent me over to this corner of the net, basically I’ve just been accepted to take part in stage 2 of the selection process for trainee ATC, and I’m trying to get my head round what to do next.

I have a couple of questions which I hope someone here will know the answers to, first off I’d like to apologise because I no doubt it’s been answered in this thread ten times already, I started reading through everything yesterday and got to about page 6 before I realised the posts were all 3years old!

1) Interview: Is this a case of dusting off a copy of “the 100 most common interview questions,” and planning an answer for every eventuality, or will the questions be something more specific/obscure than that?

2) Computer Tests – Is it just checking you can handle technology, or is it more horrible aptitude style tests as per stage 1, but on a computer? Can you revise for this section or not?

3) I skim read a lot of posts at the start of the thread suggesting people visit an ATC unit before the interview. Is this still a good idea/is it expected of me? And how would I go about it, is it a case of just grabbing the yellow pages and asking around till you find someone who can lend a hand?

4) What level of background knowledge should I aim to have? Of course I’ll look at what the job involves and the details surrounding it, but should I go away and learn things like aircraft type/specifications textbook style or is that not expected of me at this point?

Many thanks in advance.

EDIT: One last thing, whilst looking around online I've found no end of flashy books & software for sale, all of which claim to be a complete guide to the selection process, are any of these worth purchasing? Can anyone recommend any?

Novas,

You are absolutely correct, the answers to all your questions are on here at least 10 times !! :)

The fact that the threads are 3 years old and still used reflects the fact that all the information on the preceding 40 odd pages is still very relevant. My (obvious) advice would be to read through as much of it as you can and then fire off any unanswerred questions you still have.

In answer to the ones you asked though :

1. No ; Yes

2. No ; Yes ; Not Really

3. Yes ; No ; Read through the threads, identify people from units you want to visit and ask nicely ! :ok:

4. " A level commensurate with your previous experience but that shows you have put some background work in". I.e work on improving your knowledge from where it currently is but don't waste your time learning the thrust to weight ratio of a 747s engines (don't laugh I've seen people who have! ) Because I (and most of my collegues) don't know the answer and am therefore unlikely to ask the question at interview.

None of the above is intended to be facetious or put you off asking questions. In fact is shows that you are keen to learn which already gives you the jump on some of the people I interview ! I mean simply to point out that the answers are already out there if you're prepared to look hard enough.

Argh!!
I have just failed the Personality test!! Does this mean i dont have one?.. haha. Was ridiculous!! But hey.. who am i to comment.

Looks like i'll have to re-apply next year. I just have 12 months to pass now :ugh: