I'd also be interested to know this. Also, for anyone who has done stage 2 recently and made it through all the tests, how long did it take? I know the email said done by 17:00, but earlier in this thread I think people were saying it could be a lot quicker than that.

stage 2
 

Hi Saisay and 0880,

Stage 2 has three parts, every one is knockout.
1.- Test about the document you got by email ( about 20 minutes plus time to check it) If you pass then
2-.- FEAST ( about 2 hours, 2'30 hours)
If you pass, you have a little break, maybe a snack, if you don't pass... go out, time more less 12:30, 13:00....
3.- DART ( about 1 hour, maybe 1'30) Every one has to finish the test, so you will have to wait there, so .... between 16:00 -17:00

They will send you an email telling if you have pass or not.

Good luck!!!

MegaMC
 

Hi could you check PM's please?

did it!! :ok:

Friday
 

Good luck to anyone on stage 2 Friday

New Stage 3?
 

Hi all,

Found this thread today and I have a question. Stage 3 seems to be described by everyone as just a competency interview, but I'm attending in August and my email says the day will consist of a Competency based and Technical Interview; a Personality Profiling Interview and a EuroControl Computer-Based Assessment. Where did these two extra activities come from?!

Can any recent Stage 3ers shed any light on this?

Thanks!

Is anybody going to the Stage 3 this Wednesday? (27th July)

Just cramming up on the airline details now (surely we don't need to know specific seat numbers for obscure Embraers etc, do we? Anyone who's done stage 3 already care to comment??) and going over all the terminal control area names etc as well as the various technologies.

Getting nervous and hoping I've done/will do enough prep!

S3
 

Makehimfly - I think they mean the personality based questionnaire at the end of stage 2 forms the basis of your personal interview - i.e. they taylor it to the responses you gave.

S3
 

Shaft - ...and the "EuroControl Computer-Based Assessment"?

I thought I'd finished all of that with FEAST and DART at stage 2!

Tomorrow is my stage 3! Managed to get that booklet inside my head in time! Anyone booked for tomorrow?

Hey guys, I've been invited to a stage 2 day but can't decide if it's worth going because it's right at the bottom of the country and will cost >£200 to get there and back (and if I pass, that amount again for stage 3, and again for the medical bit). It's a shame they don't reimburse expenses because it limits a lot of potential candidates.

Would you say in your experience that people have decent odds of being offered a place? Especially a student without much work experience. Imagine it's a great job but can't decide if it's worth that much with a chance of failing, plus I suck at big interviews XD

HotshotJacko, the odds are not decent at all. When I did my stage 2, only 1/3 made it to the end of the day. I haven't done stage 3 yet, but based on the infographic on the NATs website I imagine an even smaller fraction will make it through that.

That said, if it's something you want to do you might regret not at least trying. You could always wait a few years until you are no longer a student and have a job, that way the money won't be as big of an issue.

Chloe
 

Check PM's

Well that's me out at DART - might have another crack in 2 years as I think I know what I did wrong and bloody kicking myself now.

Hi Chloe. The only preparation I did was learning the material they send you. For FEAST/DART, everything is well explained before starting the tests. I don't think there is much you really can do to prepare, especially for the DART. Good luck with your stage 2.

Now waiting at the airports for my return flight to Portugal. Looks like my stage 3 yesterday went OK and was enough to earn me a ticket as an Air Traffic Controller Trainee!!! I'm so happy that this Ryanair flight os going to feel like an Emirates flight!!!!!!!!!

Yuju Congratulation MNAsantos!!!!

Ahh enough lurking.

Somehow managed to fail Stage 1 on the diagramatic and spatial tests.

This was really quite a kick in the teeth as i'd always considered spatial awareness among my strongest abilities and part of the reason for applying.

Apparently not.

Those who passed Stage 3 and WON'T be on august's course can contact me, as I'm interested in sharing a house!

S3
 

Congratulations MNA!

I'll hopefully join you! Got my stage 3 in a few weeks.

Did you have two different interviews and another computer test, like my email invite says?

Stage 2- Feast and Dart Tests
 

Hi I've gotten through to Stage 2 of the application process and I am in the process of learning the booklet for ATC knowledge test but could someone who has just passed this stage beable to enlighten me as to what the FEAST and DART test entail and how can I revise for them?

Thanks guys 😁

Congrats MNAsantos! I knew on the day that you'd get through. Young guy clearly switched on logically. Nice one!

Hi there guys
Just want to say first thank you to everybody on here, have found the information very useful, and congrats to all who have made it through.
I have my stage 2 tests upcoming, and am in the process of studying the provided booklet to best prepare myself. I have a couple of questions if anybody would be able to answer them, the first being how many people (if any) fail at the first testing stage? (which I understand to be based on the information we have been given to study) and if so is there any areas of the document that warrant particular attention?
And the second is simply whether there is anything I can do to better prepare myself for the FEAST and DART tests - I am aware it more of a 'you have it or you don't' scenario but if there is anything somebody could PM me it would be greatly appreciated.
Kind regards
J

Hey J if you find out anymore info could you give me an insight also?

Thanks
Nic

For stage 2 you don't need much preparation. Make sure to study that booklet and play some tetris just to wake up some parts of your brain.
Answering to that question regarding the failure of applicants in previous stages, yes there are people failing, but that will only remind you of how lucky you are reaching stage 2 and that you need to invest time in this, if this is what you want to do!

I haven't booked a date yet too scared cause I don't know how long the preparation is going to take 😓..

How long from receiving the booklet did u book ur assessment date?

Thanks
Nic

What sort of questions were there on the ATC test and what was FEAST like? Any pointers at all would be fab!

And congrats on passing stage 2 😁

Nic

Giving out any details would kind of defeat the point of the tests. Other than learning the information they send, you are supposed to go in blind. The tests are well explained before starting so you shouldn't have problems understanding what to do.

Well they only give the dates around a month or so in advance so you would assume that is sufficient for learning the material. I understand it is more a test of your commitment to actually learning provided information, although I could be wrong.

Yea I suppose that's true I'm just feeling the pressure and don't know how long I should give myself before booking the test. Any pointers on how much detail is needed on learning the different planes? That section seems slightly in depth.
Thanks
Nic

The time frame given if you booked now (i.e. three-four weeks probably) should be more than enough time. Learning the details of a couple of aircraft a day is definitely manageable.

Hi NicFrances90,

can you send me a PM?

MC

My, possibly percieved by some to be harsh, opinion.
If you need more than a week or two to learn a booklet of, what is it, 10 pages? Then you will not pass the courses.

You will, in particular for the first few weeks, be bombarded with information. I believe the pace is 7 lessons per day (average might be slightly less but expect at least 5 a day for an average of 6). You will be tested on it and although formally you don't have to, most people learn large chunks of manual verbatim.

ATC luckily is not that theory intensive compared to many other things (I used to study engineering and that was a lot worse in my opinion). However there are phases (beginning of a rating course and beginning of validation training) when you will have to absorb a large chunk of material in a very short space of time and apply it in practice. If you need weeks to learn a booklet, you're not going to like learning large chunks of an ATC manual verbatim. In particular not while juggling other subjets as well.

Might seem harsh but that's my take.


TL;DR
Two weeks is by far sufficent to learn the booklet, in all likelyhood one week would do but I realise people want to prepare meticulously so give it two weeks for a bit of margin.

The booklet in question is about 30 odd pages now, it was smaller when I went through the application process although that was 14 years ago now. That said, it's very easy to learn it, if you really want to.

Crazy Voyager has it right with the rest of it though, you will get absolutely bombarded with things to learn in the first few weeks and if you're concerned about your ability to learn a few basic facts from the booklet then you will struggle.

Well, I get frequently get asked about FEAST, DART, ATC Knowledge, MULTI-PASS and Interviews, so once again I will give some tips.
For FEAST, DART and MULTI-PASS you don't need preparation, just play some games like tetris and it will me more than enough (the tests are hard, but remember to remain calm even if you think you are gonna fail.
For the interviews all I can say is that you should have that normal interview preparation. Think about what they can ask you and why are you applying for the position.
Finally, for the ATC Knowledge test you only need a week to learn the booklet. The test is fairly simple for those who study a fair amount of the booklet.

I know I live in Portugal, but I believe that some worry too much about studying the booklet that they forget about essential stuff, for example, how to arrive on time.
Public transportation can have delays, so never catch the last minute train! In my case, I stayed at an hotel near to Southampton Central Station and at 6 in the morning I got the train to Swanwick (I may sound like an old man that likes to arrive one hour before the test, but in the end I get to do the test and those who laugh and manage to be late will not be doing the test, harsh but pure truth).
Remember that IF YOU ARE LATE, YOU WILL FAIL THE STAGE!

I hope I helped those in need and hope to have someone joining me as an Air Traffic Controller Trainee :D

Thanks for all the info guys hopefully I make it! 😁

Nic

They gave me dates which were a week later from sending the booklet but I've waited for other dates as I thought that was too soon. Good luck btw 😁

Nic

Hi I'm not 100% on how to send PMs on this.. You can email me on [email protected] if that's any easier.

Thanks
Nic

Thanks so do I.. I have been wanting to do this job for forever!!

Nic

Stage 2
 

The only prep other than learn that booklet I could give is play the NATS games esp the Runway and Gateway ones.

Paying for anything is a total waste of time.