This is the biggest aviation downturn since 9/11 so it's unlikely that recruitment will continue as normal. Preserving current jobs would be a good start.
However as far as I am aware, no official communication has been made yet.

Yep, I just had my Stage 3 assessment day cancelled for tomorrow due to the Virus. Anyone else in the same boat? I wonder what date they will reschedule for...

I don’t think they’re cutting anything back yet. Just placing people on hold and slowing the training process down. NATS are know as much as most of us and are waiting to see how things pan out.
Those of us OJT won’t get any done as there isn’t any traffic to train with.

Assessment day
 

Anyone else assessment day cancelled ?? Due to the virus. I just received an email

Has traffic really dried up that much?

Do you have stats to show how much traffic has reduced from the 6000 daily flights through the airspace?

JH

Yeah me too. I had just boarded the plane when the email came through this morning. I was lucky they let me off the flight.

check Eurocontrol Twitter feed for daily updates.
UK shows down 30% ish at the moment (feels more than that at work). However many routes are still winding down. There will be a lot less traffic next week.

Hey, when did you attend your stage 3?

Yes it has. I don’t have any stats but as mike says check the twitter feeds. Where I am it has gone really quiet to the point I’m just studying at home with a part 2 until I get a call. Towers only want operational staff at the moment to!

Mine was Jan, haven't heard back yet. I guess there won't be any news for a while now. How about you?

Got the call!
 

I had my stage 3 a week or so ago and got the phone call today to let me know I’ve been successful!

I was a little surprised to get the call given the current state of the industry, but over the moon to have made the cut!

They did say I probably wouldn’t hear anything further now for a little while until things play out. Is anybody else in the same boat? Hope to see some of you in a few months time for training!

Congrats.

Strange that you were last for the assessment and yet got the call before the December people!

JH

Congratulations! I had the same call yesterday, and exactly the same thoughts yesterday, so pleased. Hopefully see you for training!
(I had my Stage 3 in Jan, fingers crossed for everyone still waiting, good luck).

[QUOTE=Martmart;10718928]Yeah me too. I had just boarded the plane when the email came through this morning. I was lucky they let me off the flight.[/QUOTE


Ohh damn was you going to the Heathrow one too ??

hopefully they reschedule soon, I was looking forward to it

All external recruitment has now been suspended.

[QUOTE=Krissy9;10723399]I was going to fly into Gatwick then get the train down to Fareham. Someone from NATS phone me later on that evening to make sure I got the email, they said we would still stay in the same pool of applicants and were hoping to reschedule as soon as possible.

April 27th course has been postponed, I found this out last week. Not surprising at all. The email suggested a summer start but i am skeptical... this mess doesn't look a quick one to resolve unfortunately.

Fingers crossed we hear more soon. Handed in my notice last week and i am now without a job - although i am certainly not alone in this boat right now.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news to all the prospective new ATCOs, but there’s not going to be any courses for a long time!

The industry is on its knees. Traffic numbers will not return to previous levels for a number of years. There’s likely to be many voluntary redundancies offered.

We also need to factor in the number of UK expats in the middle and far east who will, very soon, be returning to these shores looking for jobs. A unit will always try to take a previously valid controller over an ab initio. Especially in the financially crippled future of civil aviation.

I hope I’m wrong, but it would be wise to keep your career options open if you’re relying on a NATS cadetship.

I understand this - but a phone call from NATS two days ago suggested otherwise? They also offered people jobs two/three days ago also - so is this a hunch from yourself or have you categorically been told that courses won't be happening 'for a long time?'

The only official notice is that all external recruitment is suspended. Well, there’s lots of other cutbacks too but not for discussion here.

I’m just speaking from many years experience in the company. We’ve seen multi-year stoppages on ab initio training before, and not for anything nearly as bad as this!