Best bet to become an ATC with Covid?

Johnny

Member
Messages
14
Hello everyone, I have recently stumbled upon becoming an ATC for a career. My problem is that I’m 28 turning 29 in April 20201. I wish I would have come across this earlier in my life for a better chance at such a great opportunity for a career. Now with Covid , the training has come to a slow roll and I fear by the time I reach 30 the amount of hires they need will be very low and very competitive to achieve. Does anyone have any thoughts on if they will have a new hiring bid for the public for December or January? I know that Covid has put a halt on training, but I also think of the folks who will still be retiring regardless of Covid and that the FAA will need bodies to fill those positions creating more of a demand especially with the lack of people making it through training at a normal rate. If their is no hiring bids for the public in the near future or if their is and I just don’t make the first cut, is their any other way to accomplish this goal? Is their an alternative that I could do before I reach the age of no return?
 
Despite COVID the FAA will still hire, as long as you age out after the expiration date of the bid posting and get accepted you'll be fine. The entire process was, is, and will be extremely competitive to get in so not much will change there. As far as the hiring bid timing it's always in the air, best bet is to monitor a forum like this one to see if people get news or when it actually posts, you can also make an alert on USAJobs for 2152 postings that'll let you know.

The best alternative would be joing the military to get a rating, the top age extends out for military veterans who were ATC and it allows you access to both open bids and prior experience bids while making you more competitive in open bids.
 
Military is an option, just like Shikaka said in their post. I'm 21 currently and in school for the CTI program, since I have a few years. In the case you haven't studied your stuff on the hiring or maybe haven't seen it yet, CTI is the Collegiate Training Initiative, which is a college program the FAA granted to a few schools around the US to teaching Air Traffic Control. It's not a guaranteed hire, but in 2019, they passed a law that CTI and Veterans get picked up first in their scoring bands on the ATSA. You're a little late to go the CTI route, so personally, I would recommend military (Air Force, Navy and Army offer ATC), which I believe you have until your 38th birthday to get into the FAA then.
 
Don’t set all your hopes on it. Just keep living life and apply if the opportunity comes around. If it does, then you can make a decision whether to pursue it or not depending where you are in your current career. CTI gives you no advantage so don’t worry about that. To go to the military and then have about the same amount of time after service to be eligible would make no sense. Best bet is to apply when a bid opens.
 
Don’t set all your hopes on it. Just keep living life and apply if the opportunity comes around. If it does, then you can make a decision whether to pursue it or not depending where you are in your current career. CTI gives you no advantage so don’t worry about that. To go to the military and then have about the same amount of time after service to be eligible would make no sense. Best bet is to apply when a bid opens.
What do mean with “have about the same amount of time after service to be eligible “
 
Go to AATC in GA, spend $50k for a cto, get hired on at one of their towers to build time, apply for serco after 6 months for pay raise, faa after 52 total weeks.
 
Go to AATC in GA, spend $50k for a cto, get hired on at one of their towers to build time, apply for serco after 6 months for pay raise, faa after 52 total weeks.
I thought about putting that in my response but didn't. Glad to see someone else say it lol
 
Hello everyone, I have recently stumbled upon becoming an ATC for a career. My problem is that I’m 28 turning 29 in April 20201. I wish I would have come across this earlier in my life for a better chance at such a great opportunity for a career. Now with Covid , the training has come to a slow roll and I fear by the time I reach 30 the amount of hires they need will be very low and very competitive to achieve. Does anyone have any thoughts on if they will have a new hiring bid for the public for December or January? I know that Covid has put a halt on training, but I also think of the folks who will still be retiring regardless of Covid and that the FAA will need bodies to fill those positions creating more of a demand especially with the lack of people making it through training at a normal rate. If their is no hiring bids for the public in the near future or if their is and I just don’t make the first cut, is their any other way to accomplish this goal? Is their an alternative that I could do before I reach the age of no return?
Training is still happening, it is just very limited. Both at facilities and at the Academy. Age will definitely be a barrier but, as others have posted above there are still a few routes you can take to bypass that. I expect with these delays, there will be a GREATER need for more trainees in the pipeline. Good luck.
 
Back
Top Bottom