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ATC recruitment with IAA

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 208 ✭✭Poloman


    Nice one see you out there so :)

    Feel free to PM me or anything I got loads of details that I needed about the future. Course details are in the post to us.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 103 ✭✭eoin95


    Hey,

    I have just been invited to attend the preliminary interview for an atc student program. Any ideas of the questions that might be asked at this interview?

    Cheers


  • Registered Users Posts: 78 ✭✭BollickyBill


    eoin95 wrote: »
    Hey,

    I have just been invited to attend the preliminary interview for an atc student program. Any ideas of the questions that might be asked at this interview?

    Cheers
    Well done. The preliminary interviews will be mostly general but you may be asked some very general questions about aviation. They will be just trying to get to know you and find out about you. Speak up and don't have them to drag the answers out of you. Engage with them. These people are current ATCO's who went through the same thing as you in their day. You'll find that they are not out to catch you out on anything. As ATC is essentially a team based job, if you have any examples of where you were part of a team then prepare them. If you have ever been a team leader them even better. Being a team player is essential in ATC. See my posts in the ATC jobs thread.
    One very important thing that I would strongly advise you to do is to arrange a visit to either Shannon or Dublin ATC. The numbers are in the phone book or phone IAA HQ at 01 6718211and ask them if they could help you out. Please do it. At the very least it will show that you are interested.
    Best of luck with the interview and remember what I said above.
    Regards,
    BB.


  • Registered Users Posts: 78 ✭✭BollickyBill


    Poloman wrote: »
    My 2 cents.

    I guess at the end of the day its not rocket science. The job would get very repetitve after a short amount of time but what job is not repetitive to some extent. People need to be smart and be able to concentrate on the task and work quickly and basically pass on a message.. not much more to it than that if you are being honest.

    Some people are saying its unfair but how do you go about being completely fair? If some people did not have to do the aptitude test how would that look on the IAA? Personally I would take it that people who got the wild card had favourtism and they cant be seen to do that.

    Its a tough one to approach but I cant understand if someone has prior experience in this role why would they be applying for this position? I'm very happy I made it this far it just seems that from our experiences in the final interviews we didnt blow them away. Dont get me wrong I answered everything that was asked of me but I felt the first interview was actually harder than the last interview, which is strange as we had the same amount of time in the first interview as the final one.

    If I dont get it I will honestly, honestly be gutted after trying so hard but then again so did many others. If I get it great, if I dont life goes on and it wasn't meant to be. I'll get over it eventually. I do think people replying on this who have got this far seem like good people so I would wish them the best of luck.

    And EI573 its nice to actually see someone who cares about his job and wanting to work with strong people. To be honest I am sure 12 good people will be picked so I wouldnt be thinking that they picked 12 names out of a hat. As things stand it wont be any of us anyway ha ha. Sounds like the IAA werent happy with any of the last 40 the way you are putting it.

    Edit: And I have disagree and say that a year is a long time if you actually study hard for it. And just because someone is offered the training position does not mean they have the job. They still have to pass examinations and get credited for their study. Everyone has to start from scratch at some point.

    ATC is one job that does not get repetitive. No two days are the same. The aircraft just keep coming. Over time you should get good at it but there is absolutely no room for complacency. Complacency is dangerous. That's when you will get the s**t scared out of you. Remember each aircraft may have anything up to 400 people on board and you are responsible for them getting to their destination safely. ATCO's work as part of a team and each team member is relied upon to do their job properly.
    From what you say in your post, you really don't know much about ATC.
    The reason that an experienced controller would apply to the IAA could be that they are looking for contract controllers quickly who could be up and running in a very short time after conversion training and simulation on Irish airspace. A number of "direct entry" controllers are already working in Shannon and Dublin.
    Regards,
    BB.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 722 ✭✭✭urajoke


    Poloman wrote: »
    My 2 cents.

    I guess at the end of the day its not rocket science. The job would get very repetitve after a short amount of time but what job is not repetitive to some extent. People need to be smart and be able to concentrate on the task and work quickly and basically pass on a message.. not much more to it than that if you are being honest.

    Well done on using the one word that could never be used to describe ATC. No two minutes are ever the same even in the Simulator.

    You might also need to go educate yourself about ATC if you got an interview or you're about to seriously embarrass yourself.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 103 ✭✭eoin95


    Hey,

    in regards to the shift work and roster, I seen the post that detailed the 5 days on 3 off but I was just wondering what happens...

    when a bank holiday comes up, i know you won't get it off but do you get extra for working it even if it is just how your shift fell

    and

    On christmas day is there any atc services? i did a ppl ground school a few years back and the tutor said that on christmas day there isn't any airspace restrictions. Is this the case, do controllers have to work on christmas day? If so is it them all or just skeleton crew? Is it all airports and ballycasey?

    Cheers


  • Registered Users Posts: 23 irish atco


    Dublin ATC is closed, and the ATC staff are on standby, in case of emergencies.
    Shannon Airport is open, just like any other day.
    Ballycasey Centre is open, and there is quite a number of scheduled services overflying. Its not unusual to have 3 High Level sectors going during Christmas Day.
    As a shift worker, Bank Holidays are normal working days, there is a premium for attending on one of those duties


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 103 ✭✭eoin95


    thanks for that, so i guess christmas is just another day...

    the iaa website has detailed the training but i was just wondering a few things...

    If you add up the weeks they detail it is only 61 or so, what about the other time in the 2 years or do they just spread those weeks over 2 years with breaks in between? How much or the 2 years is 9 to 5 and how much is shift.

    The group is split after a few months and sent to either dub, cork or shan. Do you get input into where ya go.

    Likewise for the on the job training after this, do ya get any input into this.

    And finaly i read somewere that the chances of getting a position in dub after the trainging is zero, is this actully the case or whats the probability of getting a place at dub


  • Registered Users Posts: 69 ✭✭Binder


    Good post eoin95,

    I'd like to know the answers to the exact same questions


  • Registered Users Posts: 23 irish atco


    eoin95 wrote: »
    If you add up the weeks they detail it is only 61 or so, what about the other time in the 2 years or do they just spread those weeks over 2 years with breaks in between? How much or the 2 years is 9 to 5 and how much is shift.

    The group is split after a few months and sent to either dub, cork or shan. Do you get input into where ya go.

    Likewise for the on the job training after this, do ya get any input into this.

    And finaly i read somewere that the chances of getting a position in dub after the trainging is zero, is this actully the case or whats the probability of getting a place at dub

    In the main, the Training Centre aspect is about 14-15 months. This is almost all on a 9-5 basis.
    Once all the course work is done, then the SCP goes on OJT (on-the-job training) in the live, shift environment.
    There are minimum training hours required in the live area - about 200hrs for an initial ICAO Rating, this is hard to define as a time frame, as it depends on getting adequate traffic for the training hours, but generally takes 10-12 weeks.
    So training takes, from day 1 to shiny ICAO Licence about 18 months or so.
    The training contract ends when a full time contract is issued and signed.

    The group will stay together in Ballycasey until they start rating courses. At Ballycasey, the group will be split into subgroups of (eg 6 SCPs) following the Theory phase. These groups will rotate through modules on RADAR, Non RADAR, and Tower skills. Each module takes about 4-5 weeks.

    The location of the Rating course is determined by the rating being taken.
    Generally you do not get a choice where you go.
    SCPs do not have a choice in which rating that they will undertake.

    Previously, SCPs (most recently was 10 people from SCP7) have been sent to Dublin for Ratings and these vacancies are filled on a first come, first served basis. If it is oversubscribed, then seniority comes into play - this is determined by your overall position in the recruitment process (and also maybe the results of the theory??? - someone maybe to confirm this!)
    If it is undersubscribed, then SCPs are sent on a reverse seniority basis.

    Transfers are available inter station after 5 years with your Licence, and currently that is done on a seniority basis.

    These are the facts, now some more facts and some speculation...
    • There are currently 300+ ATCOs in the IAA
    • Upwards of 80 ATCOs will be at retirement age in the next 3-4 years
    • The bulk of these retirements will be Shannon ATCOs
    • The SCP program is geared to replacing these ATCOs
    • SCP8 are all earmarked for Shannon, and will commence rating training in the new year
    • SCP9 are all currently earmarked for Shannon
    • The above may change depending on retirements
    • Any prospective SCP9 trainee should assume that they will be Shannon based, until eligible for an inter-station transfer
    Hope this is helpful


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  • Registered Users Posts: 119 ✭✭the beerhunter


    scp7 seniority was based solely on the recruitment process, nothing to do with how ballycasey went (for fear of punters scuppering each other, supposedly).

    so message to next week's interviewees is to wear your shortest tie and make sure your skirt is straight.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,503 ✭✭✭adamski8


    Anyone have any idea if there will be another batch of SCP places coming up in the near future?


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