Author Topic: Job market...  (Read 34163 times)

Offline atc_nc

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« on: September 13, 2004, 10:50:23 AM »
Didn't know if anyone would know what my odds are of getting hired as soon as I'm out of the military? I know this probably isn't the place for it but I come here everyday and just thought I'd throw it out there. I'm getting out January 15th '05 and hopin to get in shortly there after. Only rated in the tower, but would die for some radar. Thanks for at least readin this.



Offline AmericaWestCMH

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« Reply #1 on: September 13, 2004, 12:36:17 PM »
Not too sure about now, but in the next several years many of the replacement controllers after the PATCO strike are up for retirement.

Offline atc_nc

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« Reply #2 on: September 13, 2004, 01:00:29 PM »
Quote from: AmericaWestCMH
Not too sure about now, but in the next several years many of the replacement controllers after the PATCO strike are up for retirement.


See, I heard there's going to be a mass hiring starting at the beginning of this fiscal year on through '08. Rumor has it that the FAA's gonna be hiring something ridiculous like 1000 controllers a year. If that's the case then everyone and their mother is gonna be getting hired.

Offline AmericaWestCMH

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« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2004, 01:06:14 PM »
You should be in good shape then.

Offline jester115

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« Reply #4 on: September 18, 2004, 09:22:12 AM »
Yeah, what you talk about the mass hiring is definitely true.  I have read MANY articles from the FAA and such talking about the labor shortage and what the govt. is trying to do about it.  Go to this site....it's the National Air Traffic Controllers Association webpage.......they have all kinds of articles, press releases, etc on the labor issues going on with ATC's.  Iim sure you'll find the answer's you are looking for.  

http://www.natca.org/mediacenter/natcaheadlines.msp


By the way, how many years of military did you do to train/certify ATC?  I figure most people that dont go to Embry-Riddle or some other fine ATC school would choose the military route for a couple years to get their training/certifing out of the way and make money while they do it.  I personally would take that track should I make that move.  Give us your take on it.

Offline atc_nc

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« Reply #5 on: September 18, 2004, 10:09:18 AM »
Yeah, I went to NATCA's page and read all about them going to congress for more money to hire 1000 more controllers each year, for the next three to four years. There's also a section in there showing which facilities are really hurting for manning and why they are. Crazy, ya know?

I spent 8 years and some change in the military and it's definitely time for me to get out. I went to college thru Embry online, just trying to beef myself up. Air traffic in the military is just so different though. I wanna be on the other side of the coin and start a regular life. No more going overseas, no more training if I don't want to. No more little additional duties, no paperwork. I guess it all comes down to stability and predictability. FAA is stable and with a union at your back, how can you go wrong?

Offline Cetacea

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« Reply #6 on: September 18, 2004, 09:52:42 PM »
GET OUT!  I only wish I could.  I cross trained late in my career (7 years in the AF) to ATC and by the time I got fully rated, I was over the 31 age limit.  It is too late for me to work for the FAA now unless I do the full 20 years in the AF.  So I am stuck for another 10 years!  If I could get out tomorrow, I would do it in a heartbeat.  I can only hope that the FAA will still be doing some sort of hiring 10 years from now.  

If you are under the age of 31, I would definitly get the heck out of the military and take advantage of the hiring about to start in the FAA.

Good luck.........

Offline atc_nc

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« Reply #7 on: September 18, 2004, 09:59:21 PM »
Thanks man, I'm definitely jumping ship. I've been in a little over 8 and I've had enough. You know EXACTLY what I mean. Only thing I'm worried about is will the FAA have enough money to hire all these new controllers? As of now, no. I'm keepin my fingers crossed. I definitely feel ya man, if I could leave tomorrow, I would.

Offline jester115

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« Reply #8 on: September 19, 2004, 10:41:17 PM »
what is the deal about the military to FAA/controller conversion?  Are you able to just do military time to the certification point taking you X amount of years to finish then leave for the real airports? or do you have to have X amount of years in service to be able to be certified by the FAA?   What's the process you have to go though?  I mean, will the FAA let you be a controller for them even if you have no attended college for specified degrees with ATC emphasis?  I'm only 21 and will graduate before im 22, so that gives me 8 full years of open space to work with.  Let us know what is going on.

Offline Cetacea

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« Reply #9 on: September 20, 2004, 06:06:06 AM »
It all depends, on what I am not sure.  I have known some people that have done 4 years of ATC in the military, then moved on to the FAA without going through the FAA school in Oklahoma.  I have known others that got hired, but had to go to the school in Oklahoma.  It is still not a bad deal though, the FAA pays you while you are going through the school, and the school is easy because you already know how to work air traffic.  All military rated controllers are rated as far as the FAA is concerned.  There is no conversion of any sort.  In fact, if you have a CTO (certified tower controller) for a military tower, it is an FAA certification.  The military is not a bad way to go if you can get in as an air traffic controller, do your 4 years and get out before you turn 31.

Offline jester115

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« Reply #10 on: September 20, 2004, 07:05:11 AM »
That is really good to hear.  My father has been in the air force for 22 years now, he's about to retire full Col.  I knew many pilots that flew the B-2 and F117's, and I was able a few times to go up in the tower when they were flying and listen to the convos.  I'm just not sure 4 years in the military is my thing.  I would LOVE to become a controller and skip the schooling, b/c I definitely know I couldn't do "education" college wise, to become an ATC.  

Interesting that you talk about the one guy not having to go through the OK school....how did that happen?  I thought that was a govt/FAA requirement to attend the OK school for X amount of time?  Maybe since the military is govt and you train for the govt, that the FAA passes you on schooling b/c you're basically working for them in a sense.  Would you say that most HAVE to attend the OK school out of the military after 4 years?  What is the most common track people take?  I know 4 years of military work wouldn't pay as much as I'd earn in the first couple years working directly for the FAA, so you can see why im interested in finding the quickest way to get certified and into a real airport.

Thanks for the great help w/ this job stuff.  It's a definite career potential since I've got an 8 year gap still.  Get back to me on some of those issues i talked about above, or anything else you might have insight on.  Thanks alot.

By the way.....you are Okinawa control right?  for Naha and Kadena?  I flew into Naha from Guam about 3 years back, you possibly had my plane on scope.  Small world!

Offline IndyTower

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« Reply #11 on: September 20, 2004, 04:12:28 PM »
Quote from: jester115
 Interesting that you talk about the one guy not having to go through the OK school....how did that happen?  I thought that was a govt/FAA requirement to attend the OK school for X amount of time?  


I have a friend who graduated from the academy in Minnesota that specializes in center.  Apparently with that program, graduates do not go to Oke City for training...they go straight to the facility they are placed at.  They are trained there...but that's the case with any new hire once they are placed and begin work at their first facility.

I would guess that the case is similar with those who have prior experience with the military.  They may skip the training in Oke City and just train at their facility.  However, I've been at Purdue for almost 4 years and will still be required to go to Oke City for that initial training...even though I will have been exposed to it.  My friend went to the school in MN and will be training at Indy Center next month after just months of schooling.  Granted he didn't get a Bachelor's in MN.  What can I say?  It's the government.

Offline jester115

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« Reply #12 on: September 20, 2004, 08:45:05 PM »
My whole deal now is that I'm in college for business and finance...I want to use those once I finish up my tour in the tower/center/etc.  I just dont want to have to go to any more college to become a controller.  Like i said in a previous post, i have an 8 year window left, but i dont think additional college and then post-training would fit that time frame too well.  I may be wrong, but a short stint with the Air Force wouldn't be a killer at all.

Offline IndyTower

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« Reply #13 on: September 21, 2004, 08:09:30 PM »
Just to add to this...just found out today that the before mentioned school in MN for ARTCC's is being shut down.  The FAA prefers that all trainees go through training in Oke City.  Ironic that it was decided when we're talking about it!  Therefore, I would guess that the FAA would have military controllers go through the FAA academy.  My ATC prof said the FAA wants EVERY new hire to go through it, regardless of background.  Here's a link.  

http://www.minneapolis.edu/airtraffic/

Matt