Books
 

Hi
Just seeing if people found using ATC books to be helpful to prepare for assessment day? Eg ATC prep by Mattson

In the book it has questions on speed dials etc.

Anyone have thoughts they would share?

Cheers

Meldisira - it won't be of any help.

Can't give away what assessment day is like, but there really isn't any preparation you can do going into it besides perhaps thinking about what your answers to standard job interview questions will be and your motivations for wanting to be an ATC.

Just make sure you are as mentally sharp as you can be on the day.

Bennett - I realised you'd posted earlier in this thread and I was on the Monday's AC too! I'm Maurice :)
Yeah, it does look like we could be in for a long wait. I assume at this stage, no news is probably good news since we should probably have received an email of decline by now if we were unsuccessful.

All the best to you and any one else out there who could be waiting!

Thanks Anon, unfortunately it seems my referees have not been contacted as yet (it's been 3 weeks now) but your timeline is certainly encouraging for me to be patient and wait it out -- definitely feels different from corporate environments where no news after 2 weeks almost definitely means it's dead in the water.

Could it be possible that we're delayed at this stage because the start of the next course is still a while away and they're still accepting and interviewing applicants at the moment to fill the next course?
(UPDATE: Just spoke to HR and they're still waiting on more prospective candidates before they start contacting referees)

@meldesira -- I personally just used some "brain training" apps to keep myself sharp for the day, and did some basic background research into the ideal characteristics of an ATCO to help fuel my interview preparation. All the best for your AC day! Just remember to be positive on the day as it's really very casual and you're not put in a position to be competitive against the other candidates - so above all, have fun.

Sam.Irwin - I'd like to know this too. I start in around 6 weeks.

......characteristics of an ATCO.....

ATCO seems to be a UK term or you may hear it in the military. Here in Australia they are called Air Traffic Controllers, often shortened to controllers or ATCs.

Snikeron, as far as I can gather, if they ask for you to confirm referee details, then you have passed the AC. If you did not pass the AC, they decide that on the day and I believe contact you within about a week. As they stated on the day, they are not concerned about filling a set number of positions, rather they accept anyone who fits their criteria.


I believe it took about 3 weeks for my referees to be contacted, but as I said, that was about 5 months ago now, and I still have not been formally offered a position despite having completed the medical and all the other stuff. The wheels of ATC HR grind exceedingly slow.


On a positive note, apparently the Federal Government are planning on combining civil and military air traffic control by 2021. This means that as a tower controller, you will also have Darwin, Townsville and Point Cook as possible locations.

Point Cook?

RAAF Williams.


RAAF Williams - Royal Australian Air Force

I'm pretty sure fujii knows where Point Cook is. I'm also pretty sure there is no ATC service there. Which was probably the point...

That's right. No ATC for at least 25 years.

Well, there you go. I didn't know that. But "Point Cook?" is a strange way of saying "Point Cook no longer has ATC and hasn't for many years." Very easy to misinterpret.

Well, I guess that's a bit like people who might easily misinterpret your post as being known fact, when actually it was something else?

p.s

Anon E Mouse, we'll be getting a combined system i.e. using common equipment. It doesn't mean the RAAF will be ceding any facilities to civilian control.

Anon E Mouse

The towers are not getting Onesky which is an en-route/TCU system. Towers are being fitted with INTAS, a NavCanada system. There are already four INTAS towers. Two more in 2016 and the rest to follow. Onesky only has to provide the data to the INTAS equipment where it is processed for display. The last I knew is that the RAAF had not made decision as to what tower system they will get although they had looked at INTAS a number of times. As le Pingouin says, Airservices and the RAAF will be sharing common equipment and data, not personnel.

@Snikeron - Just had my boss text me and say that he was contacted by airservices. His exact words were "Just did your reference. Looks like you'll be working with me forever after the !!!! I gave you. Muhuhah."

And current status has been updated to: 'Reference Check Complete'

Hopefully we will get an email soon asking us to do our medicals :)

Long time lurker - first time poster :} Thanks to all for the information in this thread, it helped me make the decision to apply mid-2014.

Was fortunate enough to do an assessment centre day in Brisbane last week, found it quite enjoyable overall and will back up others who have said in here that if you get that far there's not anything specific to do to prepare other than be well rested, mentally sharp and approach it with an open mind and open ears. Now the proper waiting begins...;)

I'm wondering how others in established careers & positions handled their references and the timings around referee contact and start of training? Any tips you can pass on? In an ideal world my existing employer could be managed considering how long I've been with them, but you never know!

Also, is there anyone in Brisbane training currently who could provide insight for likely timings for the next Brisbane courses? We're lining up things to be ready to head to Melbourne but with fingers crossed for a potential Brisbane course coming up shortly(ish).

Good luck to all with their application process, no matter what stage you're at.

Airservices Australia Phone Interview
 

Hi Everyone,

I have a phone interview on thursday morning with Air services Australia.

Does anyone know or have an idea as to what questions they will ask?

Any tips and suggestions to help me prepare for it would be greatly appreciated! :)

Cheers
Darren

Darren 93 - Honestly it's just like any other phone interview you'd have when screening for a job before getting offered a proper interview.

Just prepare for your standard interview questions like what are your strenghts/weaknesses, why you want to be in the job, describe a challenge you've come up against and how have you dealt with it etc.......

Starting Enroute 13/04/2015
 

Hi Ant,

Just wondering if this is also your start date as your name resembles an e-mail address CC'd in the ATC 106 Joining Instructions e-mail.

Cheers

Edit: Any others starting Enroute 13/04/2015 - Feel free to PM me. Otherwise see you there!

Was advised a few weeks ago shortly after my first post a few posts back that I had passed the assessment centre day, and referee details were requested.

Hopefully they are contacted soon! Both have advised that nothing has been heard as of yet...fingers crossed for this week.

Hello All, ! was at the brisbane assement centre during this week ! finished it all up and hoping its good news soon, i havent recieved the not pass email and havent had the application thing updated to not successful or whatever.. im hoping these are both good signs !!

atc enroute
 

hello everyone ,, can please some help me need bit of information . i applied at atc as a enroute trainee . i got my email on friday saying my online test in on friday 24 .. do they send the practise test or sample. like how your online assessment going to look like.. where i can practise my test ? any tips for the test ..

thank you all

regards

Now have assessment centre completed on my application.. not sure if that is a good sign or a bad one? i was hoping i would go to referee check like a couple of other people on here have suggested would be the next stage,, hoping this is just an intermittent step and doesn't mean i have failed :S

Ricky711 - they will send in the email a few links to ?SHL? (the company providing the online test services) and those links will have practice questions.. also within the test itself at various stages there are example questions prior to the main batch of questions.. just read through everything you recieve thoroughly and you will find them ..

Best of luck !!

Biga800, as far as I can remember, that is just a temporary step after the assessment day has been completed. If you were unsuccessful there, it will change straight to 'Application Outcome' and the news will follow via email soon after. If you have passed, then it will go on to the referee checks.

Good luck!

I was unsuccessful on my application last year and have an application sitting at Application Outcome status. If sign in, i can see the application and it even still has the withdraw option. Does this stay there for 12 months until that period is over or it this a glitch and it should be gone already? Any ideas?

Experienced controllers
 

Hey all!

...---...

Thanks! :ok:

Hey all, patience is the name of the game. My application has stated that my application is under review since December last year. I have been given a start date but still no formal offer. Last phone call indicated that they are rather busy so keep your chins up and keep waiting.😁

Hi ricky711, just wondering when you initially applied?

From what I've read on this site it takes a very long time for applications to go through the system.

Good luck for tomorrow btw!

@ Capedoctor
 

...---...

Cheers!

NotDave,

I submitted my application in late February and have also been invited for the online test as of last Friday. It was about 4 weeks from when applications closed to receiving the the online test invite.

Thanks BBird,

Hope the online tests go well for you mate.

Hey everyone, first post here on pprune after having read back from the most recent to around page 115 now and all the insightful information and experiences of others going through the process.

I have just received my invite for online testing which is open to me until 17 May, about another 3 weeks. The email from ASA directed me to the SHL site for testing preparation practice and I have so far completed Numerical, Verbal and Calculation practice tests. Anyway, these tests a pretty challenging and I am finding that I am only getting a little over the 50% average in comparison to others who have completed the online practice tests. Obviously these practice tests are completed by all sorts of people from around the world and I was wondering what sort of scores other ATC applicants had been achieving because I would think a little over 50% for this sort of thing would be well under the benchmark.

I think it will be worth making the most of my remaining 3 weeks to do the online test by completing more practice rather than rushing in to get it done sooner.

JBAC vs Civilian
 

Hey everyone :)

I have been following this thread for quite some time and decided I needed to join in the conversation.

I, too, have testing for Airservices Australia as of 24 April 2015. I am currently 10 weeks away from being an admitted Solicitor... but I don't think law is the career for me. I threw my hat into the ring early February and received the email for the additional testing last week.

I also applied for the Air Traffic Control positions open in the RAAF. I have completed the additional testing and up to the Assessment Day stage - very exciting.

I have searched everywhere online and believe this is the best thread for this post. Has anyone in here applied for both? If so, why would you go for civilian over JBAC or vice versa? The money seems to be on par and, for the most part, seem as if they use the same systems and interact with each other?

I am further along with the Defence Force than I am with civilian. I also feel that the RAAF route is quicker to complete than the ASA route... why would I turn down the RAAF if a job is on the table?

Thanks in advance :)

Hey Torqs,

Your position sounds similar to my own. I completed Law last year but the two factors of not being incredibly passionate about it and the extremely tight employment market have led me elsewhere.

I have applied for both RAAF and ASA but am still currently tied up as an existing Defence member have to get processed through the lengthy transfer process. My view is that I will be happy to accept whatever comes up first, should I be fortunate to receive an offer.

I raised the question of which is the better choice with a mate of mine who currently works for ASA and he said that they have the better deal in terms of higher pay and more leave. My understanding is that the pay is similar initially but ASA employees will continue to be eligible for increases beyond most RAAF JBACs. Leave in Defence is typically 4 weeks a year as opposed to ASA's 6 weeks. That said, RAAF also has benefits through heavily subsidised housing, home loan deals, medical etc. Probably doesn't equate to the dollar value of ASA but I think they are both competitive in that aspect.

Another consideration for me is that the RAAF is a large and diverse organisation, so if one day I decide that ATC is no longer for me, there may be options available such as bouncing over to Legal in the RAAF to utilise my exisiting qualification. RAAF JBACs also have the opportunity to work in more diverse roles outside the traditional ATC such as attachment to Special Forces units. However, limitations may exist in the variety of actual ATC functions when compared to ASA.

Consideration must also be given to the terrible RAAF JBAC retention rates and what that indicates in terms of job satisfaction. People have to deal with the deployments away from home and obligations and responsibilities of military life which can be quite restrictive in comparison to ASA.

In terms of which route is quickest to attain the qualification, I don't think that's really an issue when committing to a job with the intention of establishing a long term career.

Practice Tests
 

Just sent you a private message Russell Bell 15.

Testing
 

@Russel Bell 2015

Hi,

All they are aiming for with any of the psych testing is a pass of 50% in all areas. I believe the biggest thing people fail is the Simulator on the day of testing. I went through the process in 2013. If you have any q's pm me.

Cheers

Thanks for the response, Russell Bell 2015.

I have to agree with the Law profession at the moment, the market is not looking good and with the ever-growing amount of students graduating, it seems that there is going to be plenty of lawyers for the next 20 years! Coupled with my lack of passion for the profession, I think it would be best for me to consider my options elsewhere; hence why ATC seems viable.

I would think the low employment retention would almost be directly related to military life in general. As a JBAC, you do get the qualifications that an ASA ATC acquire; being in your early 30s (assuming you have completed your degree in your early 20s and taking into account the period of service) the possibility of stability in a civil environment would be ideal- especially if you are in a committed relationship etc. Of course, the idea of moving around and working in a limitless organisation such as the RAAF may be enough to keep a few, but I could see why people would leave.

You are right in respect of your last paragraph; I was referring to deferring an opportunity that may arise in the RAAF until ASA complete their procedures. This is, of course, living in an ideal world, if I was to get an offer for RAAF would it be wise to defer until I got told a yes or no from ASA or just take it straight up. Is there something different that is so major between the two that would make me consider deferring. By the sounds of it, probably not.

In any event, I am looking forward to going through the testing for ASA! I don't mind the psychometric testing, I seem to do OK in them. Have you had your additional testing for JBAC yet?

Also: if there are any ATC in ASA and JBAC's on this thread, I would be interested to hear the reason why you took one over the other (if you were fortunate enough to get offers from both) or any reason whatsoever.

I guess even if 50% is the benchmark, its obviously in the individuals best interest to perform at the highest possible standard across all tests. I completed the practice test again last night and achieved a better result through not trying to work some answers out accurately and in entirety but deducing what were incorrect answers to speed the process up and cover more questions. Still more revision required though.

A friend of mine went through the process but failed the interview because he hadn't sat one for so long, was not prepared and didn't meet the expectations. He said that the sim component was really easy for someone of his background as a keen computer gamer while others struggled to get their heads around how to operate the basic controls. I've logged a few hours on Microsoft Flight Sim 2004 (and many hours on many other games), so hopefully the sim won't be too much of an issue for me.

But one step at a time - get this online testing through first.

Anybody on the forum also on the International Tower conversion couse starting on the 1st of June? (Conversion course 428)

Hello everyone!

I have a phone interview with Airservices Australia this week and was wondering if anyone know what to expect or what I should do to prepare for it?

Thanks.