Pilot / Air Traffic Control careers

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DS is looking at aviation as a possible career route. To become a pilot competition is stiff and the the fees are high. Would he need to do a degree first or train to be a pilot straight after A levels? Would a 20 yr old pilot without a degree be employable?

Pilot training fees in Canada are about $48,000, as opposed to £80,000 in the UK. Are the qualifications transferable?

Again, you can become an ATC at 18 yr old post A levels, but will there be a glass ceiling if you do not have a degree?

So confused about advising him degree/not degree and the cost implications with the different routes.

Advise would be so welcome!

Specifics.

When I was going for it it once fully qualified with shift pay it was about upto about 80k-100k capped at £120k that was on the Isle of Man.

Nats details are here. www.nats.aero/careers/trainee-air-traffic-controllers/benefits/

Op I am just reading this a few minutes after a phone call from DS18 - he has just failed an ATC test at NATS HQ at Swanwick, after passing 2 online tests. Out of 12 doing the test this morning, 4 went through to afternoon test session.

There are 4 or 5 stages of tests before interview, this was the 3rd, for each 25 accepted into training, a few thousand will have started first testing stage. So if your DS wants to apply, great, but get him to look up the statistics and go into it with eyes open.

During his research DS found a scattergram of age on entry to ATC training and not many were under 20. He said only one of the other 12 doing tests with him today was around his age. They can apply 3 times, with 24 mths between applications.

I am sure DS will be disappointed when he gets home later, but he knew it was a hard admissions procedure and 'nothing ventured, nothing gained'. He has Uni offers for this sept to study a science, so will now go to Uni and apply again afterwards (if he still wants to).

Is there a reason you dont want him to do a degree? I actually prefer DS to do a degree first, even though not needed for ATC, as I think Uni is a great life experience in itself.

Hi Kath6144. Thank you for your message. I am sorry your DS had disappointing news today. It was good of you to share his journey and the process.

I am a great believer in things happening for a reason. I went to university as a plan B and met my husband during Freshers week. I totally agree university is a great life experience. We are looking at all routes and wanting to get as much advice as possible. Sadly, with the price of a university experience/degree it is no longer a given. I would hate any young person to have a 50k debt when they could have used that money to gain more relevant qualifications (such as flight school, if being a pilot does turn out to be his career path).

This is some advice my DS recently received from another young person about ATC careers and may be of interest to people reading this thread:

^Firstly, Uni is not a requirement at all for a career in ATC or Operations based roles, of course, it certainly looks good on your C.V., however It isn't an essential criteria (I've actually only got GCSEs and two AS Levels).

You've a number of options to start or embark on an ATC career;

First option is to apply to the Military (either the RAF or Navy) and get your training through them, and upon leaving you'll need to convert your military licenses to civilian licenses (which is costly, but if you're offered employment this could be bonded over a few years and paid back in increments)

Second option is to apply to NATS via their Trainee Air Traffic Controller course, NATS is incredibly competitive, however show the right stuff and there's no reason why you can't end up at the top of Heathrow tower :-).

Third option is to try and start off how I started, try and find employment at your local airport as an Air Traffic Control Assistant, which again is incredibly competitive, but you come across keen and have a passion for Aviation, so it will stand you in good stead. Sadly, Assistant vacancies are becoming rarer, but they do still pop up.

Fourth option is to self fund, this is expensive, but takes you from the very beginning and works you up to get your licenses so you can apply for controller jobs - a good website to look at is a company called Global ATS who are based in Gloucestershire Airport, I've been there myself and it's a fantastic organisation. The courses range from £8,000 up to £40,000 so it is pricey.

Of course, I don't want to dissuade you from attending Uni. Study what you would enjoy, get good grades and then aim to start applying for a controller course with NATS.

However, as I say, a degree isn't necessarily required for a controller position. ^

My dads a pilot and my friend a helicopter pilot, both don't recommend it

My dad said this article is very true, have a read of it

www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/10761957/Want-to-be-a-pilot-Count-the-cost-first.html

I know somebody who is self funding himself. He's been doing the first part of his course in Coventry and has now just moved to Southampton to the next stage.
I believe it"s costing in the region of £80,000.

My DD is at Uni and has joined the University Air Squadron. He recently took his aptitude tests for RAF pilot and passed them all. (There were 9 categories I think). They are valid for a year and if he passes the other parts of the application process, the RAF will hold a pilot vacancy for him for when he finishes Uni.

Might be an alternative route for your DS?

The op's ds is unlikely to pass a military medical for pilot as he wears glasses.

If he gets through the interview he would train at the NATS ATC college in Southampton. He would be paid while doing the training. There is an annual medical which my ATC friends tell me is quite strict. I am told its stressful but I am a software engineer and worked at NATS Prestwick and they never looked that stressed in the Oceanic Ops Room.

Lots of holidays and time off. Most ATCOs can tell you which shifts they are working every day for the next year.

NATS also supply ATC expertise to many other countries so there are opportunities to travel.

There is a discounted travel club. The staff restaurants are highly subsidised and are open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in between. Good food as well - my favourite sandwich of a lunchtime was crayfish and rocket with lemon mayo.

NATS is active in Eurocontrol so there are opportunities there as well.