Interested in this career but have questions.

[Azreal16]

Hello and thank you to anyone that reads this ahead of time.

I have been reading anything I can find on this career for about 3 days now and I keep getting hopeful and then coming back down to earth. I have some questions that I am hoping someone can answer.

1.) How long is the wait to get a job after your done with your initial training?
2.)What can stop you from getting the job altogether IE psych tests, eye tests etc etc.
3.)How often do Pay bands change and if they go up after I am signed in am I stuck in the band system I signed into?
4.)Truthfully does the way scheduling happen stop me from being there to see my kids grow up IE baseball games and all that.
5.)How rewarding does it actually feel?
6.)How soon are they going to stop doing OTS employment if they do at all?

I think thats all I have for now but who knows maybe those will lead to more Anyways please help me out if you can I am trying to find a career not a job that I hate going to everyday.

 

[Ceiynt]

1) Average wait from app to work is about 18-24 months. If by training you mean OKC, you're an employee at that point, training is your job at that point in your employment.

2) Being crazy, horrid uncorrectable eye site, color blindness, high blood pressure, can't hear, seizures, multiple other types of medical conditions.

3) Pay bands will change based on how many and what certs you have. When you are a full CPC, 100% trained, you're in the top pay band. You will get raises, and if min pay goes up and you're at the bottom, your pay goes up.

4)The schedule rotates, 2 day, 2 evening, 1 mid, with changing days; or something similar to that. It's based on your facility management, seniority, stuff like that.

5)No clue.

6) I think the OTS posting are done, they are flooded with thousands of apps for less openings. It's early, but a lot of facilities are done with FY09-10 hiring, all slots filled or 1-2 open pending transfers or some such.

 

[Azreal16]

1) Average wait from app to work is about 18-24 months. If by training you mean OKC, you're an employee at that point, training is your job at that point in your employment.

2) Being crazy, horrid uncorrectable eye site, color blindness, high blood pressure, can't hear, seizures, multiple other types of medical conditions.

3) Pay bands will change based on how many and what certs you have. When you are a full CPC, 100% trained, you're in the top pay band. You will get raises, and if min pay goes up and you're at the bottom, your pay goes up.

4)The schedule rotates, 2 day, 2 evening, 1 mid, with changing days; or something similar to that. It's based on your facility management, seniority, stuff like that.

5)No clue.

6) I think the OTS posting are done, they are flooded with thousands of apps for less openings. It's early, but a lot of facilities are done with FY09-10 hiring, all slots filled or 1-2 open pending transfers or some such.

That clears some things up but the pay band thing I kind of meant do you sign a contract for so many years or do you go into a system and if the pay goes up for the next generation your just boned. Also I ask if this job is satisfying because many people around here seem to be upset about the state of the job. I dont want to get into something that is in a state of turmoil or anything like that.

 

[KRE1983]

You aren't locked into a specific salary. For example, I interviewed and got my tentative offer letter for employment with my starting salary listed on the contract/letter. After getting a slot at the academy I got my firm/final offer letter and the starting salary listed on that letter was $5,000 higher. If the pay rate increases so does your paycheck.

 

[Urge 80]

1) Average wait from app to work is about 18-24 months. If by training you mean OKC, you're an employee at that point, training is your job at that point in your employment.

2) Being crazy, horrid uncorrectable eye site, color blindness, high blood pressure, can't hear, seizures, multiple other types of medical conditions.

3) Pay bands will change based on how many and what certs you have. When you are a full CPC, 100% trained, you're in the top pay band. You will get raises, and if min pay goes up and you're at the bottom, your pay goes up.

4)The schedule rotates, 2 day, 2 evening, 1 mid, with changing days; or something similar to that. It's based on your facility management, seniority, stuff like that.

5)No clue.

6) I think the OTS posting are done, they are flooded with thousands of apps for less openings. It's early, but a lot of facilities are done with FY09-10 hiring, all slots filled or 1-2 open pending transfers or some such.

I spoke to my hub manager who is one of the people who goes to OKC and does the selecting at the pannels. He said they didnt have any plans as of yet to discontinue the OTS program. Anyways, thats just what I was told but he has yet to steer me wrong.

 

[oh4corolla]

How quickly do you move through the pay bands/training? It seems like ATC is a great paying career once you get through this.

 

[Azreal16]

This career seems to not have the answers that I want anywhere lol. I think it would be a good thing for me but this whole waiting to get a job and then I might not even get one scares me. I am 21 years old and if I do the CTI thing I would be 24 or 25 then add the 2 year wait I was told about and Im 27...then I have 4 years to get a job? I am kind of confused and having a hard time understanding the hiring process right now. I guess I should give it another read and make sure Im not being stupid.

 

[genot]

As far as the CTI hiring is concerned it isn't as drawn out or as questionable as the OTS process. They are two seperate processes for getting the job. From my personal experience as a CTI grad I gratduated in a December, once the school administration came back over winter break in mid January they sent my letter of recommendation to the FAA. On Febuary 13th I recieved a call from the FAA asking if I was still interested in the position. I recieved an email 2 weeks later with a choice of dates for my PEPC (the screning/interview/clearance recieving/etc.). I had my PEPC In early April. 3 weeks later I recieved a package in the mail with my OKC start date of mid June. The CTI openings are constant whereas the OTS openings are on an as needed basis and the process is extremely streamlined. Part of the carrot so to speak of getting schools to offer CTI programs was the draw that if you graduate you get hired. As far as getting or not getting the job as a CTI grad unless you fail the medical, psych or ATSAT you have the job. Out of roughly 80 CTIs I know of one failed the ATSAT, two were color blind and thus failed the medical. The other 77 are employed air traffic controllers.

As far as what I did in the 6 month wait to get hired by the FAA, I went to the local airport authority, interviewed for a position as an airport / airfield supervisor at a major international airport. My CTI degree got me the job.

I'm definately not saying the CTI route is for everyone, but it certainly is a viable option. It wouldn't be viable if after graduating you had to wait two years to get hired, the CTI schools would be in arms after the influx of jaded grads came back in anger.

Its definately a route I'd consider if I didn't yet have a degree and was going to get a degree regardless. In the meantime I'd apply OTS and see how the chips fell. Maybe I could get hired sooner. I know plenty of people would have a problem with getting such a narrow focus degree though, but in this day and age, unless you have a degree in something like computer science or nursing you'll be fighting for the same jobs anyway.

 

[SIUav8er]

This career seems to not have the answers that I want anywhere lol. I think it would be a good thing for me but this whole waiting to get a job and then I might not even get one scares me. I am 21 years old and if I do the CTI thing I would be 24 or 25 then add the 2 year wait I was told about and Im 27...then I have 4 years to get a job? I am kind of confused and having a hard time understanding the hiring process right now. I guess I should give it another read and make sure Im not being stupid.

I hear ya! It is a convoluted and confusing hiring process. It seems to be more about luck than anything else. I know several CTI grads that werent hired (both mid 90's on at-sat, clean records, perfect health, etc) while off the street applicants WERE hired! Of course they are still in the "pool", but why hire off the street if there is a pool of qualified CTI grad? thats one of many mysteries to me lol. It makes no sense what so ever, but read all you can here, apply to the next PUBNAT, and maybe think about CTI in the mean time. Its worth a shot! keep planning your life as if you wont get the job though... thats what I am doing.

 

[Azreal16]

As far as the CTI hiring is concerned it isn't as drawn out or as questionable as the OTS process. They are two seperate processes for getting the job. From my personal experience as a CTI grad I gratduated in a December, once the school administration came back over winter break in mid January they sent my letter of recommendation to the FAA. On Febuary 13th I recieved a call from the FAA asking if I was still interested in the position. I recieved an email 2 weeks later with a choice of dates for my PEPC (the screning/interview/clearance recieving/etc.). I had my PEPC In early April. 3 weeks later I recieved a package in the mail with my OKC start date of mid June. The CTI openings are constant whereas the OTS openings are on an as needed basis and the process is extremely streamlined. Part of the carrot so to speak of getting schools to offer CTI programs was the draw that if you graduate you get hired. As far as getting or not getting the job as a CTI grad unless you fail the medical, psych or ATSAT you have the job. Out of roughly 80 CTIs I know of one failed the ATSAT, two were color blind and thus failed the medical. The other 77 are employed air traffic controllers.

As far as what I did in the 6 month wait to get hired by the FAA, I went to the local airport authority, interviewed for a position as an airport / airfield supervisor at a major international airport. My CTI degree got me the job.

I'm definately not saying the CTI route is for everyone, but it certainly is a viable option. It wouldn't be viable if after graduating you had to wait two years to get hired, the CTI schools would be in arms after the influx of jaded grads came back in anger.

Its definately a route I'd consider if I didn't yet have a degree and was going to get a degree regardless. In the meantime I'd apply OTS and see how the chips fell. Maybe I could get hired sooner. I know plenty of people would have a problem with getting such a narrow focus degree though, but in this day and age, unless you have a degree in something like computer science or nursing you'll be fighting for the same jobs anyway.

Was your Degree a 4 year degree for 2 year? The only one in my state is 4 years.

 

[Ceiynt]

How quickly do you move through the pay bands/training? It seems like ATC is a great paying career once you get through this.

You are expected to be a CPC within about 2 years of starting at your facility. This can be shorter or longer, depending on how many trainees at your facility, your initiative to be trained, how well you train and how quick you are. I would imagine that if you're not CPC by the third year without good cause, they start looking at releasing you.

 

[Azreal16]

hmm I seem to have fallen into an age old question about which is better and for that I am sorry. I am just trying to get a general feel for if this job is going to make me as a person happy or not. I think the work sounds interesting but Im not sure what to do right now or how to do it lol. I guess I have to wait until the next PUBNAT for now since its only a couple months away.... I hope.

 

[rherrick]

You are expected to be a CPC within about 2 years of starting at your facility. This can be shorter or longer, depending on how many trainees at your facility, your initiative to be trained, how well you train and how quick you are. I would imagine that if you're not CPC by the third year without good cause, they start looking at releasing you.

There isn't an expectation of 2 yrs to FPL. It can take anywhere from 1.5 yrs to 5yrs with all the variables that you have stated. I know of some people who were hired 3 yrs ago and still not certified. They are not looking to release these people, everyone trains at a different pace. It is very hard to "release" someone after their 1yr probation...lot of paperwork.

 

[genot]

Personally my CTI degree was a 2 year. I had a BS in political science going into the AS in CTI. Actually my alma mater for my BS was a CTI school which offered only the 4 year, but the AS at a new school was the shorter route. I quit my job and moved to another region for the school, this was before OTS. There is no difference in the FAA between a 2 or 4 year CTI degree. The 2 years certify or hit the road is purely (no offense intended to the person who posted it who I'm sure had good intentions) unfounded. NOBODY checks out at a center in two years as a first facility for example. Even for a fairly busy, but not crushed up down (combined tower and approach control) 2 years is a stretch. At my facility new hires have checked out in just over a year to just under three years. Thats where I'm at now, your mileage may vary. I could even go the opposite route and tell you I know people certified in small towers that were their first facility in 6 months. The training times are geared individually to the facility. Some come with the assumption that you have previous FAA experience to dare tackle some of the busiest airports in the world. Thats the one caviat.

 

[GeorgeM]

ERAM has slowed down training for new hires at ZDV. We had to sit around for months waiting for the CPCs to finish ERAM training in the simulators. D1 is just coming into range for me after a year here. Not that I'm complaining, but that raise along with the FY2010 pay scales in January will be great after AG pay.

 

[Azreal16]

Personally my CTI degree was a 2 year. I had a BS in political science going into the AS in CTI. Actually my alma mater for my BS was a CTI school which offered only the 4 year, but the AS at a new school was the shorter route. I quit my job and moved to another region for the school, this was before OTS. There is no difference in the FAA between a 2 or 4 year CTI degree. The 2 years certify or hit the road is purely (no offense intended to the person who posted it who I'm sure had good intentions) unfounded. NOBODY checks out at a center in two years as a first facility for example. Even for a fairly busy, but not crushed up down (combined tower and approach control) 2 years is a stretch. At my facility new hires have checked out in just over a year to just under three years. Thats where I'm at now, your mileage may vary. I could even go the opposite route and tell you I know people certified in small towers that were their first facility in 6 months. The training times are geared individually to the facility. Some come with the assumption that you have previous FAA experience to dare tackle some of the busiest airports in the world. Thats the one caviat.

I value getting a degree but Im not sure if 4 years for a job that may not be there once I finish is a good idea. The closest place to me with the 2 year is probably Beaver Creek and thats still 2 hours away.

 

[genot]

If you mean the Community College of Beaver County thats where I went. We had a person or two concurrently take classes for a four year degree at Geneva College just down the road. I believe the two schools have an agreement with one another for CCBCs aviation students. I really don't see the job not being there in four years. The entire post PACTO hiring wasn't done in just one or two years and I'd doubt if it happens this time.

 

[Ceiynt]

There isn't an expectation of 2 yrs to FPL. It can take anywhere from 1.5 yrs to 5yrs with all the variables that you have stated. I know of some people who were hired 3 yrs ago and still not certified. They are not looking to release these people, everyone trains at a different pace. It is very hard to "release" someone after their 1yr probation...lot of paperwork.

I wasn't totally sure on the time frame for CPC. I got my figure from looking at the 2009 staffing, and only seeing "trainees" listed under three years. It looked like from that that everyone gets CPC within about 2-3 years. Well, everyone knows what happens when one assumes. :crazy:

 

[mattrix2428]

Go for it, give it a shot

 

[ATC RET 2003]

... 5.)How rewarding does it actually feel?

When you get to where you can do this job well, there's no feeling in the world like it.

Also, when you have those "not-so-good" days (and you WILL have them)... there's no feeling in the world like that, either.

I agree with the post above.