Rontux
Well-Known Member
First off, I know this is CTI based, but that forum is dead, and I know there are a lot of CTI-college guys on here, and I wanted to at least share some of my opinion. I graduated from Purdue University in August. I am still waiting to hear back from my school. The FAA does not have my information, and I was told it may take up to 36 months to get hired. Perhaps.
-A LITTLE BACKGROUND-
From what I have researched (I was NOT taught this in school), the CTI program originally was implemented to help the FAA cope with the mass-exit of controllers that was supposed to occur around now; the Reagan era guys. When you think about it, that makes plenty of sense. Never before was the workforce in such a weird state; nearly everyone is the same age. The FAA was worried, so they wanted a way to find a ton of new people to hire. They decided, well hey, this is not a bad career, and quite frankly, I am sure some people would actually pay their own money to train for it. Keep in mind that prior to the CTI programs, it was ALL government paid training (think Oklahoma City. I will call that OKC). After all, doctors, lawyers, professors, or whatever, need to pay for their education too. Pilots, too, of course. So that was the FAAs bottom mission statement for the CTI program: Let the students pay for their own training to be air traffic controllers in the USA. While they would still need to be check/trained by a federal agency, there would be a significant benefit to these kids, since they would have had prior experience in the training.
In addition to this, the CTI schools were also kind of 'proxies' for the FAA, making sure people were qualified; both mentally, physically, and academically.
So on paper, everyone wins. The students pay for their education to a great career. The schools make extra money. The FAA finds its replacements. Life is good.
However, that is not really how it works. First, schools are businesses. They like money, like everyone else. Why would they turn down people form the CTI program? Second, there was never any guarantee for positions. And third, the FAA STILL requires people to do their training. So, the CTI program is a complete failure; at least, when compared to it's original purpose.
---------
Here is my $.02; and most of this stuff is simple:
Things to consider.
1) Why does the FAA wait until senior year (sometimes even later) to get check of citizenship, medical, and employment clearances. It is simply absurd. One should have this checked The first year of school, and I would even argue BEFORE being accepted into the school in some cases. Suppose someone had a medical condition (i.e, vision/hearing problems), got a CTI endorsement, and then found out they were not medically qualified. The school wouldn't check. Now, bear in mind, the student could STILL get a CTI endorsement, though. That realization has lawsuit written all over it. In fact, people have pushed this into court (Google it up). Another classic one is perhaps anti-depressants and/or ADD/ADHD. Lots of people are on some sort of medication that would disqualify them from being ATCers. I know people who are on Ritalin/Adderall and they would not qualify to be controllers under a normal medical. However, they are 100% (probably even above 100% with the drugs!) capable of the mental ability required to control. Yet, since the schools do not have the RIGHT to ask medical information to this degree, the kids can screw themselves. And how would they know? Nobody EVER mentions the medical requirements of controllers in the class; something that is extremely strict with this career. Something is NOT right about that.
2) Why is there no contract that the CTI students sign? This is a big one. Suppose that the FAA knows it will need X amount of employees at Y date. If they contractually bind trainees, wouldnt that be better? On both sides, the students would have a slot, and the FAA would have employees.
3) WHY IS THE FAA CONTINUALLY ADDING SCHOOLS to the CTI roster, into an industry that is severely over-saturated as it is. In other words, nobody is currently being picked up into OKC, so why should the FAA certify new schools into CTI? Last time I heard it was up to almost 40. When I started it was around 20 or so. I realize there WILL BE a mass exit of controllers eventually, but keep in mind that people who DO attend CTI programs typically will have SOME sort of other degree. And people beyond a HS diploma typically find other work. So the paradox is, when the FAA calls up to go train for minimum wage, there is a good chance these kids will have already found better things to do. (This is what I call the mass exit/hiring paradox. There are so many people looking for jobs, that when they finally do need them, they will have all found other things to do)
4)THE CTI SCHOOLS NEED TO DO THEIR JOB. They are supposed to help train controllers and specficially, give an edge to the people who will be applying to be a controller. Most of the programs suck. I don't have to tell you this; most of you know that after you graduate CTI, you still have to attend OKC academy. What is the point of that, then?
5) There is no guarantee of employment. See #2
6) The ATSAT is a joke. Nearly everyone will pass it, yet at the same time, it is not administered until a student has already been accepted into a CTI program. In other words, while the score becomes an important part (arguably) in getting a position, people do not even know their capability to score well on it in the first place. Why would you want to continue spending incredible amounts of money on a career in which, quite frankly, you may not even be good at. Lawyers practice the LSAT, doctors practice the MCAT, and what have you. But we do NOT have a definitive test. The study guides are laughable. I scored a 99.3% on the test, and I have no idea what the hell I did.
I could go on.
I am extremely confused and concerned with the current CTI curriculum and the way it is being implemented. Perhaps someone can give me some insight, but I think this is a joke. Bounce some new ideas off of me here. I am lucky I went to a state school; some people have wasted well over $300,000...
__________________
-A LITTLE BACKGROUND-
From what I have researched (I was NOT taught this in school), the CTI program originally was implemented to help the FAA cope with the mass-exit of controllers that was supposed to occur around now; the Reagan era guys. When you think about it, that makes plenty of sense. Never before was the workforce in such a weird state; nearly everyone is the same age. The FAA was worried, so they wanted a way to find a ton of new people to hire. They decided, well hey, this is not a bad career, and quite frankly, I am sure some people would actually pay their own money to train for it. Keep in mind that prior to the CTI programs, it was ALL government paid training (think Oklahoma City. I will call that OKC). After all, doctors, lawyers, professors, or whatever, need to pay for their education too. Pilots, too, of course. So that was the FAAs bottom mission statement for the CTI program: Let the students pay for their own training to be air traffic controllers in the USA. While they would still need to be check/trained by a federal agency, there would be a significant benefit to these kids, since they would have had prior experience in the training.
In addition to this, the CTI schools were also kind of 'proxies' for the FAA, making sure people were qualified; both mentally, physically, and academically.
So on paper, everyone wins. The students pay for their education to a great career. The schools make extra money. The FAA finds its replacements. Life is good.
However, that is not really how it works. First, schools are businesses. They like money, like everyone else. Why would they turn down people form the CTI program? Second, there was never any guarantee for positions. And third, the FAA STILL requires people to do their training. So, the CTI program is a complete failure; at least, when compared to it's original purpose.
---------
Here is my $.02; and most of this stuff is simple:
Things to consider.
1) Why does the FAA wait until senior year (sometimes even later) to get check of citizenship, medical, and employment clearances. It is simply absurd. One should have this checked The first year of school, and I would even argue BEFORE being accepted into the school in some cases. Suppose someone had a medical condition (i.e, vision/hearing problems), got a CTI endorsement, and then found out they were not medically qualified. The school wouldn't check. Now, bear in mind, the student could STILL get a CTI endorsement, though. That realization has lawsuit written all over it. In fact, people have pushed this into court (Google it up). Another classic one is perhaps anti-depressants and/or ADD/ADHD. Lots of people are on some sort of medication that would disqualify them from being ATCers. I know people who are on Ritalin/Adderall and they would not qualify to be controllers under a normal medical. However, they are 100% (probably even above 100% with the drugs!) capable of the mental ability required to control. Yet, since the schools do not have the RIGHT to ask medical information to this degree, the kids can screw themselves. And how would they know? Nobody EVER mentions the medical requirements of controllers in the class; something that is extremely strict with this career. Something is NOT right about that.
2) Why is there no contract that the CTI students sign? This is a big one. Suppose that the FAA knows it will need X amount of employees at Y date. If they contractually bind trainees, wouldnt that be better? On both sides, the students would have a slot, and the FAA would have employees.
3) WHY IS THE FAA CONTINUALLY ADDING SCHOOLS to the CTI roster, into an industry that is severely over-saturated as it is. In other words, nobody is currently being picked up into OKC, so why should the FAA certify new schools into CTI? Last time I heard it was up to almost 40. When I started it was around 20 or so. I realize there WILL BE a mass exit of controllers eventually, but keep in mind that people who DO attend CTI programs typically will have SOME sort of other degree. And people beyond a HS diploma typically find other work. So the paradox is, when the FAA calls up to go train for minimum wage, there is a good chance these kids will have already found better things to do. (This is what I call the mass exit/hiring paradox. There are so many people looking for jobs, that when they finally do need them, they will have all found other things to do)
4)THE CTI SCHOOLS NEED TO DO THEIR JOB. They are supposed to help train controllers and specficially, give an edge to the people who will be applying to be a controller. Most of the programs suck. I don't have to tell you this; most of you know that after you graduate CTI, you still have to attend OKC academy. What is the point of that, then?
5) There is no guarantee of employment. See #2
6) The ATSAT is a joke. Nearly everyone will pass it, yet at the same time, it is not administered until a student has already been accepted into a CTI program. In other words, while the score becomes an important part (arguably) in getting a position, people do not even know their capability to score well on it in the first place. Why would you want to continue spending incredible amounts of money on a career in which, quite frankly, you may not even be good at. Lawyers practice the LSAT, doctors practice the MCAT, and what have you. But we do NOT have a definitive test. The study guides are laughable. I scored a 99.3% on the test, and I have no idea what the hell I did.
I could go on.
I am extremely confused and concerned with the current CTI curriculum and the way it is being implemented. Perhaps someone can give me some insight, but I think this is a joke. Bounce some new ideas off of me here. I am lucky I went to a state school; some people have wasted well over $300,000...
__________________
