They’ve expanded the CTI programs to the point that they aren’t properly screening candidates for the agency. Back in the early 90s, CTI programs (like 6 total) did a very good job of screening candidates. Now, you have places like Mount Sac or Miami Dade that are hot garbage. Some of the worst controllers I know went to CTI school or controlled in the Chair Force. The OTSers or Marines, on the whole, seem to do the best.
Don’t forget Vaughn in NY. One year course mostly online ?. Multiple choice CTI!
You were required to have a Bachelor’s Degree for OTS hiring (from as early as 1981 until roughly the mid to late 2000s). Then (OTS path), you took the OPM Controller aptitude test in which you had to score a 90 or higher to be “top candidate” with all applicants scoring above a 70 kept on file. Most regions wouldn’t take applicants with less than a 90; however, 1/3 of New England hires between 1986-87 scored less than a 90 and ALL candidates in the Southwest Region in late 1987-mid 1988 scored less than a 90 due to lack of top candidates. Then, you waited, on average, 11.5 months to report for an 11 week class in OKC. In the early 90s, the agency even required CTI graduates to take the aptitude test and score well enough to be hired.
Everyone should be lumped into the same hiring pool, take the same pre hiring aptitude tests, pass the same FAA academy, and then report to their facility. Too many military “controllers” are garbage from say SEALORD yet they get a pass to being hired over potentially better candidates because they are a “controller.”
As a Marine, I can attest to that
Hey bro don’t talk shit about Mt. Stuck, I’m much smarter because of my time there!
Trust me I’ve seen a helo “controller”, some ugly stuff
Hey! Don't let your ground controlling skills be forgotten. You had to be a too notch ground guide in the motor pool I bet.
My class had 12 people and all the CTIs passed towards the top and 3 OTS failed.
An OTS person in my class set the record for the worst local run ever. Not sure if that’s true but It ended up being lower than -400. We also had an OTS finish second behind an army controller. It’s all a crap shoot.
As others have said if you pull out the UND, UAA, beaver, Etc. that had real simulators you’d find a higher pass rate than the general no knowledge candidate.
Glad they didn’t do that then or I would have been screwed
i think it more had to do with the people that wanted the job and were the most interested applied for the ctis. Back then it was literally the only way to get hired
Requiring a Bachelor's degree or military ATC would be an awful move. One of the main draws to this job is that it requires no college degree and no experience. College is a huge waste of money for a job like this.
Should say college should be cheaper
Should say college as it's current offering is watered down with unnecessary general education and pointed political agendas instead of providing skillsets in critical thinking and the ability to form an opinion.
I didn’t have a problem with gen eds, nothing wrong with being a little more well rounded
