Stage 3
 

Hey All, I've been following this thread since I passed my stage 0+1 but haven't posted yet. I'd like to say a thank you to everybody who's contributed because it's really helped so far. And a congratulations to those who have made it through!

Last week I took my stage 2 and I have been successful, A bit over the moon as I thought the couple of errors I made on the DART might have been my stumbling point.

I'm booked onto my stage 3 on January. Competency based and Technical Interview; a Personality Profiling Interview and a EuroControl Computer-Based Assessment. The interviews I understand but can anybody shed any light on the computer based one? It says to study the same pack as as Stage 2, therefore is it ATC knowledge based again? And any general tips for the interviews would be awesome, thank you.

Hi guys, has anybody starting on the January course been told whether they are aerodrome or area route yet?

Unless it has changed again since I was there it doesn't work like that anymore. You will all do a basic course and after the basic course everyone who passed is allocated a stream, you don't know when you come to the college what you will do.

Ok thanks Crazy Voyager. I believe it is still done this way too but have also heard stories of whole cohorts being put down a particular route from day 1!

Anybody else on the April course?

Hey,

I'm also on the April course (or what was the February course). Looking forward to starting!

I was on August 25th Stage 3 Assessment, anyone else from there?

Will in the end have taken me just under a year to join since applying in May last year.

Yes, Aprik for me too. If anyone is looking to for someone to share a place, please email me!

Hey, I passed my stage 3 on 25th August too. Failed my medical unfortunately but still keeping an eye on things because I was told the medical requirements may be changing in the near future.

Nice to know someone from our group made it through, good luck with the course.

Gutted to hear that saisay. I'm not sure it'll make you feel any better, but I had a torrid time with my medical, with a considerable amount invested on further testing to in the end, get me the certificate. Was touch and go from September till just before Christmas. Fingers crossed that those requirements change sooner rather than later.

Santos I'll be renting but am hoping I'll get a place to myself, if that's too ambitious I'll be sure to drop you a message. Feel free to drop me one.

Could any veterans advise on whether there is any guidance provided by NATS in regards to getting somewhere to rent? Or are we assumed to be big & grown up enough to sort ourselves out? :D

@Tiddy11 MNAsantos - excellent! Good to find some other people on the course too.

Perhaps we should setup a fb group?

Yes! PM me and I will give you my facebook!

If anyone else is in the April 2017 intake & would like to join a Facebook chat group. Then please drop me an e-mail (click on my name to the side) with your Facebook address and I'll be sure to add you in.

Thanks and good luck to all those still applying!

Has anyone else recently passed their stage 1 and looking to book their stage 2?

Hi guys
Would you be able to shed any light on how to revise for the diagramatical and spatial reasoning tests?
Thanks !

There is no way you can study for those tests. Remember to be organized and concentrated during the test!

Freddie - I passed those tests today. The spatial one involved picking the odd shape out, out of 4 shapes. The examples only help so much as although you can keep doing them, they are the same examples.

Some shapes fairly easy, some not so as they are rotated and not uniform. Some I just guessed.

Diagrammatical one you have an input-output type diagram that has 3 parts, with one of the parts missing which you have to pick out of 4 possible options.

Again some were easy but they became a lot harder, and I had to guess a few.

With both tests the problem is time. On quite a few questions I ran out of time.

Passed though!

They each take about 20 minutes.

Remo - Yes I have just passed Stage 0&1 and have booked a Stage 2 day in February.

ijeffery, Glad to hear, Well Done!
Thank you for information, much appreciated :)

Hi I submitted my application and have just received a link to stage 0 tests. I was wondering if everyone that has been successful in your different stages would you all consider yourselves to be A/A* standard in education?

I'm fairly good at maths but never great at English. I took grades too long ago for them to mean anything now.

All you need is C grade in 5 GCSE's, be fluent in English, have a bit of luck and the determination to not throw in the towel.

Good luck!

Pagee - not an A/A* person here as such but degree level eduacated and being a Maths teacher (previously ) probably helped here.

Tbh the fact I have always been good at tests has helped me get this far. If you are good at those generic IQ Mensa type tests you should be fine. It's the time factor that I think is the worst bit.

Intakes
 

Hello,
Just to say, This post is amazing and has really helped me through my interview process so far!
I am looking at booking my stage 2, and NATS is encouraging me to book it for within the next two weeks (so i can possibly start in March), however, I would like to study more and prepare myself.
Would you all advice me to wait and book at a later date, or should I go for it and possibly start in March? I'm not too sure on what to expect, and not sure on how much preparation I will need, does anyone have any top tips?

Also, If i was not to start in March, how often are the intakes? I don't want to wait forever to start!

Thank you
Hannah

I would just go for it. You can't really prepare for Stage 2 anymore than you can for Stage 1, with the exception of the written test; but 2 weeks is plenty of time to prepare for that.

Edit.

How long did it take you to hear back after your first online assessment?

I timed out on some questions, not a lot though. Very fast paced, but hopefully got a lot of the answered questions correct!

Hi folks,

Long time lurker, first time poster. Recently passed stage 2 so thought I'd offer a couple of tips from my experience.

I'd say the most important thing to bear in mind with the aptitude tests is that they are designed to break everyone, you may feel like you are failing even if you are doing well. I thought I had thoroughly screwed up in parts of FEAST yet still passed. Do not panic if you feel its starting to look dire.

Without giving away any unfair advantage, the motivation paper is pretty simple if you put some time into studying the booklet. I probably spent about 10 hours in total learning it and I felt confident answering all but one question on the test.

.
 

Hello all!
Has anyone got their stage 2 next Saturday?

I'm starting to panic about not knowing every detail of the document that we have to access online!

Also does anyone know the typical wait between passing stage 2 and receiving an invitation to book stage 3?

Hi, I'm currently prepping for my stage 2 on the 4th of Feb.

The written test is worrying me a little bit, is it a multiple choice test, how long is it etc? But also- do I need to know every single operator and every example listed? Do I focus more on the first section of the booklet than the second (the aircraft types)?

Much appreciated.

(feel free to send me an email via this website, as posts can take a while to appear on here!)

Hey everybody,

I'm considering applying for ATC. Was hoping you could point me in the direction of some good practice resources.

Want to make the best attempt I can cos' two years is a long time to wait for re-application.

I've come across the Jobstestprep package, is it worth buying or are there better resources to use.

Any and all advice welcome.

Hello guys,

Just passed this morning the initial S1 online tests, currently waiting for a Stage 2 Assessment Day, anyone around in this situation? Good luck to everybody :)

Stage 3 feedback.
 

Anybody on yesterday's Stage 3 heard anything yet? Haven't stepped away from my phone 😀

Sort of - passed Stage 0/1 last week, booked onto Stage 2 for 21st Feb

Hi everyone, I have my Stage 2 in a couple of weeks, the study text is quite detailed, especially the end section!

Not getting my hope up right now, had laser eye surgery about 5 years ago (still at 20/20) and not sure how strict they will be if I do get to the medical stage!...?

Good luck everyone!

Stage 2
 

Hi everyone,
I've got my stage 2 assessment on Monday the 6th. just wondering if any of you who passed stage 2 can tell how much of the airplane detail you've been asked in the exam?
Many thanks

Hi everyone,
I've got my stage 2 assessment on Monday the 6th. Just wondering those who passed stage 2 "how much of the airplane detail" you've been asked in the exam?
Thank you

As a NATS controller, you guys and girls need to be learning any info given to you as thoroughly as possible, this is the tip of the iceberg - our manual of air traffic is a monster with some sectors worse than others. Get on the internet, watch some videos, listen to some ATC tapes even if they are from the USA and at least learn your name phonetically.

We are not out to get you at the interview but at stage 3 you need to have MULTIPLE real world examples of problem solving, how you've coped with high workload etc. Think Uni, jobs, exams, driving tests etc.

From my memory of aptitude test, they are looking for accuracy - the speed we can work on later. Make the planes miss, worry about the rest later, but concentrate on consistency not speed. They are designed to beat you but don't give up. In ATC you can never give up, it just isn't an option!!

Good Luck, you'll need a bit!!

I wonder how many potentially excellent ATCOs NATS have missed out on, due to their initial reliance on 'aptitude tests'?

Did you fail the aptitude tests ZOOKER ?

I think NATS may be missing potentially excellent ATCO's by making applicants travel to CTC for interviews and London for the medical. If you live in, or north of the central belt of Scotland and you are successful, you will have ended up paying between £1200-£1400 for T&S.
If only there was a NATS unit with spare rooms, a training section and medical facilities available in Scotland that would be quite useful and I honestly believe NATS would get more applicants.
Rgds
AyrTC

Possibly, GRUNT, I can't remember offhand.
I took them back in 1978.


Ayr, I thought they had recently opened a medical facility at EGPX? Or is that just for renewals?

NATS booking for stage 2
 

Hi guys,

I am very happy to invited for stage 2 assessment for ATCO but got a little problem, according to e-mail sent by NATS, I should book and attend within 7 days. but I have seen people on this forum booked their stage 2 process after a month as well.

Please if someone can guide me on that it will be much appreciated