Life after the ATSAT

avi80r

avi80r

New Member
I graduated from CTI school Dec 2012 and took my ATSAT this April 2013. What happens next? I have heard from some people I need to fill out a profile on usajobs.gov and apply to an atc opening when that happens. Other classmates seem to not think so. I made a profile anyway. I am also curious if CTI students can ever retake the exam to get a better score? I have also heard if you do not get an offer after 3 yrs and/or turn down offers for 3 yrs, you would have to retake CTI school. Is there any truth to this? At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if the wait is 3 yrs. Any help (preferably from someone who is further along in the process than I am) would be greatly appreciated!
 
These things change so often I can't keep track. I'm pretty sure you have to have a usajobs profile now though as that is where they list the jobs. You'll be eligible for CTI openings only obviously.

For CTI students the ATSAT score is good for 3 years. You cannot retake it until after your score expires. I know this first hand as a friend of mine scored Qualified over 3 years ago (which may as well be a fail such is your chance to get hired on a Q score anymore) and was only able to retake this month.
 
Well, right now there is a hiring freeze that will likely last until October (if not later). As mentioned above, you really need to get a WQ score (85 or better). If you PASS (above 70) then you cannot re-take it for 3 years. If you fail then you can re-take it after one year.

If I were you, I would anticipate a lengthy wait and have backup plan -- does your school do dispatching? If so, that might be a good thing to get and you could always work as a dispatcher while waiting on the FAA. Unfortunately, it's a terrible time to be in the hiring process and it really disgusts me that CTI schools don't answer the questions you have. There is absolutely no reason why you should have to come to a public forum to find answers to such basic questions that your worthless CTI administration should be able to answer.
 
Genot-Thanks for the info. I am pretty angered at the waiting game, as I originally went ot school for teaching, and that too, was a waiting game. Now ATC is even a longer wait.
*sigh* but I feel that if you really love something, you won't give up. I really love aviation, so I am not giving up.

Spades- You are completely right. I have inquired several times at my school with various professors. Here is the problem though. The professors are now retired controllers and when they went through training it was completely different. Other professors...well they were never really controllers. Very few people have gotten hired with the FAA from my school because the school did not start offering ATC courses until 2007. Therefore, most 4 yr bachelor's degree graduates did not graduate until 2011, and are only now getting hired. The aviation department is lucky if they even ever hear from their graduates, so honestly, no one REALLY knows what is going on. And forums like StuckMic- in my opinion- are a mess of rumors.

As far as my school offering dispatch-yes, they do! And I just so happened to have acquired my dispatching license this past July. The next day I was hired with an airline in Illinois (where I am from and have lived my whole life). Unfortunately the airline declared bankruptcy in January and I lost my job. Dispatch was always a back up and I never really wanted to move out of state for it. But now I am at a point where I am thinking I almost have to, especially from hearing horror stories of getting hired with the FAA. I assume you work in aviation. Can I ask in what capacity you do, and how you got where you're at?
 
avi80r said:
I assume you work in aviation. Can I ask in what capacity you do, and how you got where you're at?
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I'm a D3 at Memphis Center and should CPC sometime this summer - I have four more R sides to go. I originally graduated from college in 2006. I tried to get in through PUBNATs beginning in 2008 and it didn't work out. I did CTI in 2009 and finished in 2010. I was very fortunate in that I was hired very quickly afterwards and went to OKC in the summer of 2011. I was also very fortunate with how I didn't have to wait very long for D school or R school.

Good luck. I'll answer any questions you have to the best of my ability but unfortunately, it's just a terrible time to try and get hired right now.
 
Any news on if positions opened up in the academy? Anybody that took and passed the ATSAT the past year been called in?
 
CLS63 said:
Any news on if positions opened up in the academy? Anybody that took and passed the ATSAT the past year been called in?
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Nobody. The open slots are for people who have had offers for a year or more now. Its pretty grim. Depending on your age there are alternate or in the meantime careers out there though.
 
It is looking as though there is going to be an OTS bid around February '14. If that is so, those in a similar position like me (CTI-grad, AT-SAT taken, and waiting for a panel) are more than likely to have to apply and possibly take the AT-SAT again. Fun times.
 
Yeah there is news that the CTI program is going away all together. The FAA wants everything OTS.

Derek
 
dhood84 said:
Yeah there is news that the CTI program is going away all together. The FAA wants everything OTS.

Derek
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I would be surprised if they did away with CTI. Their auditors just told them to use it better. As I understand it, the only reason they're having an OTS application is they lost a lawsuit. Don't get too crazy until facts come out. The FAA doesn't want to pay for any CTIs to take the ATSAT again.
 
I don't know if anyone else has seen anything like this, but on CEDAR today I had to review a change to our local training order. Long story short, new hires enter the building at D1.

Just another change in the constantly evolving abomination that is the FAA hiring process.
 
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