Yes, NATS CTC is the only place you can do the area course, but they don't decide what route you go down until you are some way into your course (at the end of the basic course I think). So if they decide you're best suited for area control then they would send you to CTC after doing your basic course even if you did the basic at Global. They are sending a number of people to Jerez in Spain for the basic course and then following that they have to come back to the UK to CTC or Global to do the following courses, so I don't imagine they have any qualms about changing training locations after the basic course.

Hiya been watching this forum for over a year but never posted!

So a little more than a year ago I had my stage 3 and sadly failed. However, in September I got an email from them saying

'Unfortunately though you were not successful on this application attempt, you however you did come close to the role requirements and therefore we would like to invite you to re-attend in 12 months time and allow you to progress straight through to the Stage 3 Assessment Centre. '

It goes on to say they'll email me 12 months from my original centre date, but I'm yet to hear anything!
Has anyone else been in a similar situation? I'm worried they've just forgotten about me :)

Caged_phoenix - I think someone in my Stage 3 forgot their passport and only had their driving license - I think they were ok but it delays the security process maybe? Worth calling them to check, just to be safe.

Mattb88 - Correct, there isn't any prep you can do for FEAST/DART!

I'm going to be joining the July course at CTC, anyone else on here doing the same? I've found a nice 2 bed flat to rent on the Portsmouth side if anyone is keen to share?

I forgot my passport to my Stage 3, but I did have to send it in the post afterwards when I was offered a place. I'd get in touch with recruitment if I was you and ask for alternatives.

yux5 - Did you ever get a follow up regarding this?

ATCkmmbbh1 - Congrats on your course date, man. How long after the Stage 3 Assessment did you get your confirmation? Also quickly did you get booked into the medicals and security clearance? I also heard that there are two medicals: the NATS one that is a precursor to see if you will pass the Medical 3 Certificate. Is this right?

Finished my Stage 3 a while ago and just waiting for the outcome! Ahhh!

For me it was two weeks, but other peoples accounts were 5 days to a month.
Took a week to book the medical, medical was about 3 weeks after that.

Thanks BARRY_SCOTT. 15 days has passed for me but sadly not 15 *working* days. Blast that term haha. Good to know about the medicals.

Congrats! Hope all goes well for you. It took me 10 days to hear back and then I got a medical date for about 6 weeks time. There are 2 medical forms to fill in, one the NATS use to judge whether they think you will pass the medical and the other official form you need to take to your medical with you.

Alright folks, just signed up to the forum.

I have my Stage 2 in July. Of course I have a long way to go but was wondering a couple of things for those successful in Stage 2 and Stage 3. Obviously as has been said many times, it is up the them where they put you, but if you end up on the area control path you will be in either 1 or 2 places, Swanick or Prestwick, is that correct?

Does anyone have any idea how often Trainee positions become available at Prestwick? Being from Glasgow this would be ideal for me so I'm hoping if I am fortunate enough to make it to the stage of being offered a position I would end up there.

In terms of the training plan, it's 8 months at a training centre(s) then you are placed in the work environment, if I am reading things right? If you were to be placed at Prestwick or Swanick after 8 months does that pretty much mean that is the centre at which you will be employed?

Any info much appreciated!

[QUOTE=chips1;

As I'm led to believe, basic training is in either Swanwick, Gloucester or Jerez and lasts two months or so. Then for area control, yes, either Swanwick or Prestwick.
As for how often training positions become available in Prestwick, I personally do not know the rate of recruitment for Prestwick; I regret to say the answer is probably "in line with the demands of the business". On that note, I was told by a NATS employee that once, a group of trainees completed their area control training and then right before they were to be posted, NATS needed more tower controllers, and so they ALL retrained to become tower controllers. Based on this, your guess is as good as mine when it comes to recruitment rates.

After the basic training (2-3 months), and the specific training (area: +9 months / aerodrome: +5 months / aerodrome/approach: +8 months), you then have 12-18 months of work placements. I do not believe that where your work placement is is always where you'll be posted once you validate. For example, if you were a tower controller in Heathrow on your work placement, at the end of the placement once you become validated, there may be a need for a tower controller in Aberdeen. Off to Aberdeen you go! (Everyone seems to hate Aberdeen, haha, I'm not entirely sure why but it gets scapegoated a lot!) However, it is probably very likely that those who train as an Area Controller in Swanwick will probably then validate and continue to work in Swanwick. From what I've read and people I've spoken to, that seems to be the case. I imagine it's probably very similar for Prestwick. Finally, while the demands of the business take priority, it is not unheard of to have your preferences accommodated for: on youtube search for this "NATS TRAINEES ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS PART 1 ASKNATS.

I tried to post a link but the forum wouldn't let me.

Hope this helps! Good luck with your Stage 2!

When you validate somewhere you are only validated for that specific sector of airspace, if you then move somewhere else you need to validate all over again. Therefore I think it'd only be in extremely rare cases that they'd send you somewhere else after you've validated.

At least that's my understanding!

Hey everyone, I'm new to the forum, I have my stage 3 coming up soon and was looking for some advice. I've just graduated from university so have little work experience outside of part-time work so I'm a little nervous about the competency part of the interview. If there's anybody here who's passed stage 3 was just curious to know what sort of backgrounds you came from.

As for the technical portion of the interview is it mostly based off of the information pack? Will I be required to memorise all the plane statistics?

Would appreciate any info!

.
 

Thanks GreenATC

NATS time to re-application?
 

Congrats to all successful with the NATS selection.

I recently failed the 2nd section of online tests (drat!!!) Can anybody say for certain if there is a required waiting period before reapplying? I can’t find any info from NATS regarding this. Thanks

It's definitely 12 months I'm afraid.
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Stage 3 Assessment Day
 

Hi Cameron_95.

It depends on whether they'll ask you to the eurocontrol assessment or not. At our Stage 3, we did not do the eurocontrol assessment because they weren't doing it at Prestwick interviews so they wanted to maintain consistency among all the applicants.

Thus, our day was as follows:
- Arrive at 10:00am and go through checks and screening
- 10:30am we were taken to what seemed like a common room and were given the chance to ask questions to a a guy who has done the job for many years
- You'll probably be in pairs and one of you will be collected first to the interview; if you are waiting, someone else will come and collect you for yours
- Interviews are with two people; you'll undergo a competency interview first where you're asked about your competencies in certain areas; think of challenging times in your life
- After the competency interview you'll undergo the technical interview; make sure you're on form when it comes to knowing the info in the book; you'll be quizzed; then afterwards there'll be some great questions about certain scenarios in the air. Just relax, there's nothing wrong with finding it difficult and take your time. They prompt you if you get stuck and they are rather friendly.
- At the end there'll be a brief personality profiling which is relatively harmless.

It was a pleasant day. I'm now waiting for the outcome!

Good luck!

That's interesting GreenATC as I thought all the assessments were done at Whiteley. It also makes you wonder if the computer test counts for anything if some people aren't doing it.

GreenATC still waiting for the outcome? That's tough... Reading the last messages it would probably be more than a month waiting for you? Did you contact them?

Hi everyone!
I just registered here.

I took the FEAST and DART tests last 7th June.
I passed FEAST, with other 2 our of 5 people there, but, after 2 weeks of long waiting, I was notified I did not pass DART.

All the official information I had was: 'once you have applied, you can not apply again', then I read somewhere that you can apply after 2 years, and they I just read again that is 12 months. Someone can clarify this? I understand that whenever I apply again, I should retake FEAST again too even if I passed this time, am I right?

And what about applying in other companies/countries? Can I apply now lets say in Ireland if I just failed the DART test in NATS?

Anyone can help?

Thank you!

Back in March?! Sounds like something has gone wrong on their end. On their website it says you'll hear within 30 working days from the end of the week of your assessment so that pretty much gives them 6 weeks to get back to you. I dunno what you can do other than contacting them though.
I'm currently waiting to hear back from a stage 3 that was over a month ago now as well.

I've been trying to email them about the process after the final stage, and this was 3 weeks ago. No response since then. Have they all gone on holiday at NATS? :}

Yeah, they were holding some assessments in Belfast as well and weren't doing the EuroControl so neither did we. As for how much they matter, it's anyone's guess!

Hi TaelS,

Yes it's now been over one month since I did my Stage 3. We were told we'd hear back within 15 days yet nothing so far.

I emailed HR one week ago; it was the same person I had contact with previously and it was their direct work email address rather than an [email protected] for example.

Bizarre and a little disappointing really. It takes a lot of effort and commitment to prepare and actually get down to the interviews and for them to not reply within their own 15 working day timeframe is somewhat unprofessional, particularly after sending a follow-up email.

Mickmac2018 - I can empathise with you! No idea how they haven't responded to you. I did my Stage 2 in May and heard within 5 days. Something isn't quite right within NATS' recruitment.

Timpsi - I'm with you, man.

Cheers,

GreenATC

UPDATE: Received a phone call to tell me that they had a problem with their computers or something and they are going through the applications again. They said that is why no-one has apparently heard anything. But good news, I've been given a conditional offer :D

Yeah agreed, it's a really poor show from NATS to be honest. It feels like my life is on hold while I wait on them to get back as well since it's really awkward trying to arrange things for later in the year if you might be moving to Fareham at any moment.

I was told at my interview that there aren't enough controllers right now as well so you'd think they'd want to get folk started as soon as possible.

Good to know, but strange that we don't receive any kind of information about this one might think. But it's a waiting game now then, I suppose!:}

Stage 3
 

I have my Stage 2 on the 6th - my main worry is the learning of the document they sent!

I received it yesterday (passed stage 0&1 early last week) but I could only do the 6th as I am unable to take time off of work over the next couple of months!
Anyone have any tips with this, are there for definite areas I need to learn 100% or would a solid 75% of most be ok?

Just really worried as I reckon I have all the other areas down, my only concern is the document learning :(

Just wanted to wish good luck to anyone doing their stage 2 tomorrow! I'm just hoping I at least pass the first part, we'll see how it goes..

I've found out I'm on the July course at Global. If anyone is looking for a flat mate feel free to PM me.

Technical interview
 

hi, I’ve asked a few times already but worth one last shot.
For the interview process at stage 3 is there anything outside of the box I could potentially look at? I’ve got mine this Wednesday.
I know the document inside out but have been trying to expand on that with other research to show how keen I am to grab this!
thanks