NATS has sent the odd person or three to one of the private ATC colleges before, I can recall it being done as far back as late 80s/early 90s.

Back in the days of 75,76 and 77 course in the early 90's half of each was sent to Bailbrook ( SERCO/IAL's) college to complete the Area Procedural and Area Radar courses.

So theres nothing new in the CAA/NATS/NERL/NSL or whatever set of initials they pick next subcontracting ratings training courses

^ - the difference being the reason; back then, Hurn didn't have the required capacity; now it has, but rather than use it, courses are cut...

Worrying, though very interesting.

Could the current situation result in NATS going so far as to withdraw offers!? Or is it more a case of a long wait for course start dates.

Maybe the Single European Sky initiative should speed up a little and enable NATS to post trainees to colleges up and down the continent. :)

Huh? They already can. The problem seems to be that they don't need/want the trainees coming through the system right now.

Or maybe I misunderstand the smiley?

The smiley was meaningless to tell the truth.

I realise they CAN post trainees to colleges abroad, but is this something NATS are actually doing, or might start doing to a greater degree?

I would have thought a large point of having a Single Sky would be to enable the influx of successful applicants (from ANY country's selection process) to be shared out among ATM providers across Europe as and when/where they are needed.

There were 15 students who passed 219 ADI - 4 went to (or will eventually end up in) London towers, 6 were put 'on hold', and the remaining 5 were put straight onto the next approach course.

I had a phone call yesterday saying that although i had been confirmed on the Feb area course they were moving me back to the area course which will start in the first week of May. This is to make room for people on the cancelled aero courses.

I'm absolutely gutted but can understamd that there must be a fair few people who had their hopes on doing an aero course only to be told they cant.

Gutted, you should be pleased, believe me NSL really isn't the place to be in NATS.

DIAF
 

DIAF, I have been bumped from the Feb Area to May Area. I certainly wasn't asked to volunteer! All I got was a call saying that as a lot of the canned Aero people now want to move to Area and have been waiting to start at the college longer than me, I have been bumped back 3 months.

My problem is I'm currently working as a temp with my contract running out mid Jan! I'm trying to see if I can extend it but I'm not holding my breath...so it will screw me over financially as I can't see the chances of finding another job just for 3 months with the climate the way it is...

I said all this to HR and was told, 'a note of it has been made'.

I can understand why I've been bumped (as in why others should have priority, not why the Aero courses have been canned) but it doesn't do me any favours.