Yeah, you should be alright I think! Good luck! :)

@flyingblinduk,

I wore smart casual to all the stages apart from stage three which was the actual interview. The invitations you get to attend CTC detail the dress code for each stage.

It took just over a week for me also.

I appreciate the response Jof. Thank you. You never want to be over dressed (tuxedo) or under dressed (naked) so I thought it was worth asking :)

Just got my email confirming that I passed the intial tests.
Now onto the Spatial Reasoning and Diagrammatical Reasoning.
Anyone got an tips/ information on these tests?

I feel like crap now. Just failed Stage 1. Can't believe it... I finally managed to arrange a tower visit at Luton as well. :\

Is there anything I can do? They said in the email that I would have to wait two years but that's far too long..

@FlyingBlindUK sorry to hear that buddy! Were the stage 1 tests difficult? What did it involve?

I thought I did okay. Spatial you just have to look for shapes that stand out and pick them. For diagrammatic you are given some symbols and have to work out what the command means. Search it online it's the same.

I've just got the email I expected. I failed stage 0.

24 months is a long time to wait! I've got no idea what I want to do with my life now, I've only just finished Uni and got a bit ahead of myself with becoming an ATC.

Good luck to everybody else.

Ah man even with a degree they didn't take you. Tough customers. I'm looking into alternative routes at the moment and it seems this is another one:
Contacts | Air Traffic Control Training ? Global ATS Limited

Thought I'm not sure how to apply or what sort of salary you could expect. The website isn't as organised.

You don't get a salary while training with global ATS. You also have to pay a substantial amount of money for the courses and assessments. They also have no funding/financing schemes, meaning they expect payment upfront. Your also not guaranteed a job upon completion of the course.

Price list - http://www.global-ats.com/wp-content...rochure-V1.pdf

Thank you for the link Famzy. Unbelievable... looks as if my days of becoming an Air Traffic Controller are over. I can't afford that. Well now I'm lost.

Completed Stage 1 tests.
Don't think it went too well :ugh:

Fingers crossed though :)

That's how we all generally felt buddy. The questions were generally easy but it's the time limit that trips you out. Luckily spacial and diagrammatic reasoning are both more lax when it comes to time. Personally however diagrammatic got considerably harder to the point where my brain just switched off and left me wandering if this was real life.

Flying Blind if you are dead set on Air Traffic then there are still some options open to you.

In the civilian world you could try Eurocontrol because you are still young enough to try them. I think their recruitment process is very similar to NATS though.

You can also try the RAF or Royal Navy and then after a career with them try NATS but with the ATC experience you have gained. This is the route I have gone down and it worked pretty well but you have to be the type of person that will thrive in a military environment for this to work.

Good luck with which ever avenue to take.

Stage 2 / 6th June
 

Hi.

I'm going to Swanwick for stage 2 on the 6th June. Anyone else going on this date?
I'm gonna go on the 5th . Know any good and cheap hotels nearby?

Anyone aware how long the bond is with NATS on completion of training or validation?
It certainly didn't used to be any length of time but I have since read 3 - 5 years? Can't find anything on NATS website

3 years after validation

see above...

Thank you, Joff. I appreciate the information. In fact I applied to the RAF a week ago. Their response will likely take up to six weeks total so we'll see.

JackFloyd
I'm going to Swanwick for stage 2 on the 6th June. Anyone else going on this date?
I'm gonna go on the 5th . Know any good and cheap hotels nearby?

Mate, check your dates. Stage 2 is on the 5th, in two day's time - if you go a day early, you'll need to go tomorrow.

As for hotels, the cheapest is the Premier Inn near Swanwick train station, which is the closest you'll get to the CTC, given the Solent is fully booked on the 4th (I wonder why).

Thanks for the heads up, but my date is definitelly on the 6th...!

So how are people finding the new and improved stage two?

word on the street is that this lot are very well organised and always come out looking good against competitors. www.resourcetraining.co.uk hope that helps enjoy.....YSB.

new process ?
 

Hi Everyone!

Would someone please be able to give me detail of the new process as I took this test back in 2011 and after reading many posts it seems like a lot has changed since then. I am hoping to apply by next week!

extra reading
 

Hi Guys,

I've just been notified about my stage 2 assessment and I have opted for June 21st, just under 2 weeks away.

Can anyone suggest useful sites for extra reading on the airline industry? I would like to familiarise myself a bit more with the industry before I turn up at NATS headquarters.

Thanks.

Dan

If you are really bored check this site, sections 1 to 4.
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP493P...4April2013.pdf

Enquiry
 

Hello mate,
Really gald to hear that someone has made it through to the course. I'm invited to the assessment day I'm learning everything they have given me to read it. I'm really interested in joining the course and I'm confident about the test paper but in doubt about the FEAST and DART test as I have never ever heard about it before and I don't have a slight clue of what to expect. Could you please please help me with it. Like what sort of computer test is it going to be what did you do in your time.
Thanks mate

Thanks Risky.

level 2 finished
 

So I had my assessment day yesterday. Really enjoyed it. I got a real buzz and thrill from completing all the tests... and there are lotttts!!

Only 5 people in our group and only one progressed to the afternoon DART test... me!!!

I think I did ok but I will find out soon enough if I am selected for phase 3.

Wish me luck!

Apologies if this has been covered but I couldn't find it.

I'm looking at timescale, essentially my employers are very understanding and flexible, and will accommodate me going to the assessment days etc, assuming I get that far.
But hypothetically if I get through all the assessment phases, what sort of time frame is there between the "congratulations we would like to offer you a place at the college..." Email and actually starting the training? Ie how long do I have to give a decent notice at work?

It all depends on when the next space on a course is. It could be a month, to 6-12 months. It all depends on that mainly. NATS are fairly accomodating if you say you can't start on Course X, but I can start on Course Y. It's nothing to really worry about to be fair.

I am waiting for a start date and have been told the next course will be in Jan 2014 if that helps.

Great thanks guys. So it's worth going through the process, and then at least you know whether you're in or not!
And what about security checks how long does that take? And what's involved? I guess anti terrorism checks etc? And a crb? I gather there's three different types, basic standard and enhanced, which type do they do as I'm sure that will have an affect on time too?

Security checks can take a while, but they will allow you to start your training conditionally until your checks come back. I think mine took about 6 months, and I'd been at the college for just under that! Yes, there is a CTC involved. It's the medical that's the important one; as long as it doesn't throw up anything that could cause problems you'll be allowed to start, but you can't start without a valid medical certificate. As has been said, the time between and acceptance is dependent on when the next course is, and how many spaces they have left to fill. They will probably ask you when's the earliest you can start, and it's best to be honest because they will take you up on it if they can!

Hi all,

I have in the last 10mins done my stage 1 online assessment. I loaded up the diagrammatic reasoning test and on the first page caught my track pad making the page go back! I didnt even do the example questions. Does anybody know anybody who has done this and if so was their test reset?

I have emailed the support email address and will ring first thing tomorrow morning.

Obviously at the minute I am just absolutely gutted!

Any advice would be great,

Cheers,
Sam

start date
 

I completed stage 2 a week ago and was told the same as Jof, currently recruiting for a january start date. Hoping to hear this week if I passed the DART test.

Strange that it says on the NATS site that places are still available for October?!
TriniDan and Jof - was Oct ever offered to you folks at all?

Bigmac,

I passed my interview last October but I am in the military so I had to serve a very long notice period. I had a direct email from HR telling me that there would not be a course in Aug or Nov like I expected. It then said that the next course was in Jan so I should plan on starting then.

TriniDan,

Good luck with your result for stage 2.

Jof

Thanks Jof, I got my notification today that I passed stage 2! So I'm now waiting to receive dates for stage 3.

bigmak, January is what I was told by the invigilator at stage 2 when I asked her about the start date. Perhaps if I pass stage three I might be given more options.