One thing I console myself with from time to time - as we wait longer and longer to go through the interview process, the waiting list to start is getting shorter and shorter.... :ok:

sambatc: That's precisely why I asked my q'. Do you really think it's just a matter of getting rid of the backlog?, in which case, yeah, you're right, time is in our favour. But I dread to think that there is more to it...

I spoke to a member of staff at whiteley and she informed me that the applications are expected to re open by the end of this month.

**** yeah !! :)

doesn't quite tie up with a review in 2 months time but I'm willing to be an optimist for now :D

Damn it!! Now they've pushed it forward to 1st May 2012, so annoyed

cricman92 I was quite confused then for a second when you said you had spoken to member of staff at Whiteley and they said it was due to reopen end of the month..when the statement had already been released saying May 2012. Must of only just seen it.

Unfortunately I presume this is the case and will continue to be the case for quite some time now. I had been told by people down south that they had been hinted by more senior people that it was due to reopen this month. I guess the company just can't take the risks at the moment and want to try and get all those from the college fully licensed at whichever aerodrome/area position they have been sent to.

I have a feeling that the aerodrome side is on full halt. Having spoken to someone at MAN, they said NATS had told them not to expect any people coming through the system in the 'long future', I guess they mean the aerodrome side because I know some people have continued who are on area courses.

This is a big downward statement for us all but I guess we just have to wait and hope we can pursue our career ambitions with NATS at a later date.

They will be waiting a long time if they are going to wait to get everyone fully licensed before reopening applications.

Well, according to my calculations and in my humble opinion, if they have planned to keep the application process closed till they get everyone lincensed, I don't think they would have announced reviewing the selection in May, since it woulnd't be till later on in the year that they would have everyone fully qualified.

EDIT: besides, it does not make much sense. But of course, this is just an opinion founded on no real evidence. A mere speculation.

I'm sorry chaps, but how many arbitrary dates have NATS HR given us over the past 18 months? I fear they don't really know what they want to do with us, or when, and are throwing arbitrary dates at us in the mean time.

All I want to do is work my socks off as an Air Traffic Controller and it seems that my socks are going to have to stay firmly on. I honestly don't expect to have moved any closer to the CATC in May than I am right now.

I hope I am wrong. Gosh I hope I'm wrong!

Phil

Personally, I believe that NATS knows perfectly well about when they'll be re-opening. At least the senior one's anyway. I get the impression they are just kinda playing around and giving us crap. All these vague dates they've been giving us for well over the past year they've done on purpose. Just keeping us on hold.

Have to agree with PhiltheReaper, that's exactly how I feel, I would love to work my socks off for NATS knowing I'm in a career that I could get up at any time of the day to do.

Been speaking to a few controllers tonight and it seems i've gathered more information/opinions. I got told quite some years ago that now was the perfect time to start applying because roughly now would see a huge increase in the amount of ATCOs retiring. It just seems that HR don't see this retirement stage being a big problem in the future.

Now, this is not fact, not even a strong rumour...but i've heard suggestions that even NATS Scottish Area Control Centre (SCACC) might not be recruiting until, well lets just say 2012 is a VERY long way from when they might position more people there. I think that because there are a lot either waiting to start at Prestwick/Swanwick or even the airports themselves, also people waiting to finish courses and loads waiting to start the courses, it could be a very long time before they are all through and the recruitment from the stages begins again.

I myself still feel like it is my dream to pursue a career in ATC, but increasingly more off putting for the moment with all of these delays. I will continue to pursue a different career in aviation, yet will always have my passion for ATC if it becomes available.

I want to ask again.
Does anyone of none UK-citizen entered NATS?
I'm from Ukraine, and want to find out, if it's possible or not...they need just to be eligible for work, nothing about citizenship or permanent resident specified...

It's just as it says on the website, you need to eligible to work in the UK. I'm not a UK citizen and I got accepted.

As Crazy Voyager says you need to be eligible to work in the UK.

That generally means you need to be a citizen of the UK, Switzerland or a country in the European Economic Area although there are a few other ways in which eligibility can be gained.

Initially, you should have no problem to work in the UK. If you are no troublemaker and have had no grave judicial problems in Ukraine, there is nothing to worry about.
And yes, there are plenty of non UK citizens working at NATS.

If you are from Ukraine and need a work permit to work in the UK you probably aren't eligible however unblemished your record is. Qualified air traffic controllers no longer qualify for entry under the UK government's point system so unqualified ones certainly won't.

As longer as you passed the selection process hence the training, I didn't think there would be any problem in being awarded with a working permit...

I suggest anybody who would need a work permit checks with NATS that they are prepared to sponsor them. In the past NATS had a policy of not selecting those who would need a work permit and I'm not aware that it has changed.

You need to be eligible to live and work in the UK before you apply.