Cheers! Thanks for all that! I'm just about to sit my Highers (A levels) and intend on going back to school for another year. I think I will go for Uni and once I turn 18 apply to NATS. If I make it though i'll more than likley drop uni, or whatever is the best option. As for Eurocontrol, I am looking to become an Area Controller, Idealy at Prestwick but I am up a move to the Netherlands. I have visited Edinburgh tower and am in the process of organising a visit to Prestwick Center. Anymore advice will be much appreciated but thanks for all the help!!!

HammerThrower

(As for the name I am a Hammer thrower as in the Athletic event)

I wish you all the best young man in your pursuit to become an Air Traffic Controller but my tuppence worth is a degree will not make you an ATCO. I went through NATS 20 years ago and most of the students with degrees failed the course/OJTI. They assumed that the 'college' was just like Uni, pissing it up against the wall every night and cramming before an exam, it does not work. Of course you need an ability to do the job but if you have that and serious determination you will make it. Good luck! :ok:

It worked on my course :ok:

I concur :}

You guys are obviously special ;) most of the Uni graduates on my course failed miserably, perhaps you are just a different breed from them, you are not aliens are you??? :ok:

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but my tuppence worth is a degree will not make you an ATCO.

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Concur, but a degree will help you get a decent job if you ever have to something other than controlling.
Depending what class of planet you come from, being an alien is an added advantage.:p

Outside NATS
 

Just wondering if anyone is or know how to become an ATCO at a non NATS airport such as Prestwick or Newcastle? I'm just wondering who provides the ATC service and how you go about working for them? NATS ofcourse seem's the obvious choice though, but just looking at other options.


Cheers

Applying for NATS
 

This is my first time posting i have recently applied for nats and am looking for some advice about the first selection of tests that i have to take. Are they difficult, what type of questions are going to be on the test etc. any advice would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

Nothing wrong with knowing what you want to do at an early age - I chose ATC as my career when I was 14 and joined at 19 ( the age limit then) with no degree.
The advantage is that you have no debt and a long career ahead if you're successful , the disadvantage is listening to all your pals at uni going on about about how much fun and booze they're inbibing while you're swotting first at the college, then at your final unit training!
Go for it - if it doesn't work out, then still go to uni , and reapply

ScoobyDon't, I think that you used to need a degree in the 60's and 70's unless you had previous experience. It was only in the 80's it was dropped to having passed 2 A levels then in the late 80's was downgraded to only needing to have studied 2 A levels.

Patto118 - use all available clues and your initiative dear - check out the "sticky" threads:ugh:

louby

I think some of you are missing the point. It's not about the degree, it's about the life experience University brings. I think you should definitely attend University first, I feel you may regret it later if you don't.

In my personal experience including 30 years providing OJT, I found students with degrees the worst types to attempt to train; they had an 'attitude' problem of not accepting anything the mentor said, claiming that 'at the college we were told xxxxxxx etc'. I got fed up of saying 'this ain't the college, welcome to the REAL world' and gave up OJT.

You echo my feelings, T.

In my experience street-wise spotters straight from school with a bit of maths and physics were the easiest. Those with an 'A'-level scrape or two in a maths and/or a science usually meant that they were self distracting seventy percenters which often meant they had a great spare capacity and greater ability to scan and rapidly resolve. Plus they just got stuck in and seemed to enjoy the learning.

I found u/ts (and I've had a few....) with any sort of further ed very hard work. One doesn't need to be very clever to do air traffic. The decision-making is very binary!

Us three sound like 'Grumpy Old ATCOs' maybe we should do a TV series.