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BunkerF16

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Hey all,

Brand new here and just throwing my line in the water and hoping to get some bites. I'm a jetBlue pilot, have been for the last 19 years. This request isn't for me. My 20 year old son isn't looking to go to college and while he's tossed around the idea of flying himself, I'm not sure that's in the cards for him right now either. But a buddy of mine told me to check out the ATC world. Obviously with the recent news, I know there's a shortage and also know there's a current hiring window, but I don't think there's any way he's prepared to apply right now. I'd love to set him up for success, and see if this is something he might be interested in. I asked what he thought and he sounded excited.

I'd love to get the advice from the experts in here as to how a 20 year old kid goes from 0 to ATC job offer, then ultimately succeeding in the training and real world operations. Appreciate any thoughts you all are willing to provide. Thanks in advance.

Rick
 
It's a long process for most. Some might say to go to a CTI school but I wouldnt waste time or money in that. An OTS (Off the Street) bid comes out once or twice a year and is posted on the USA Jobs website. It's open for 3 days. If selected, he will be asked to take (and pass the ATSA). After that, background checks, medicals, etc. Then off to OKC for initial training.

After successfully passing the Academy in OKC, he will be assigned a facilty to continue training at until CPC. Hopefully he gets his dream facility right out of the gate because the transfer policy (referred to as ERR or NCEPT) makes it nearly impossible to transfer anymore. Don't listen to any of the older controllers who say it's easy to ERR. Because it is NOT anymore. The policy changed in 2016 and it makes it extremely challenging. Most of the old timers have never had to deal with it.

It's a fun job and a good career but I'm not so sure I would recommend it. Long work schedules and lots of shift work and time away from family. Staffing at most facilites is really bad and you can expect to work a lot of 6 day weeks. But the pay is good at the high level facilities...and governement job security/benefits are nice.
 
I believe the current hiring window for "off the street" is closed. It's usually a very short window and I believe it only comes once a year, usually around May (someone can correct me if I'm wrong these days)

Without going the military route or pursuing his bachelors, he needs at least 3 years work experience. Any job works, I work with plenty of people who only ever worked at Target or Lowes before becoming a controller. That's where I would start at the bare minimum, find him some work, continue to research the job together and once he meets the minimum requirements, apply away and hope for the best. If he currently has no work experience, 3 years is obviously a long time and things change quickly. No point in getting into the weeds right now.

https://www.faa.gov/be-atc has a lot more information as well. Feel free to PM if you'd like anymore info
 
BunkerF16 said:
Hey all,

Brand new here and just throwing my line in the water and hoping to get some bites. I'm a jetBlue pilot, have been for the last 19 years. This request isn't for me. My 20 year old son isn't looking to go to college and while he's tossed around the idea of flying himself, I'm not sure that's in the cards for him right now either. But a buddy of mine told me to check out the ATC world. Obviously with the recent news, I know there's a shortage and also know there's a current hiring window, but I don't think there's any way he's prepared to apply right now. I'd love to set him up for success, and see if this is something he might be interested in. I asked what he thought and he sounded excited.

I'd love to get the advice from the experts in here as to how a 20 year old kid goes from 0 to ATC job offer, then ultimately succeeding in the training and real world operations. Appreciate any thoughts you all are willing to provide. Thanks in advance.

Rick
Click to expand...
Hey Rick, there's a few different routes for ATC and it's really more down to the person than their background or education.

There are some technical schools and colleges out there that offer ATC programs and certificates which you can use, especially if you want to apply for federal contract towers, but prices will obviously vary depending on the school. Some good CTO programs are Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) and Advanced ATC, but there's no guarantee of a lasting job offer or progression with these programs which is a bit of a downside.

The 4-year colleges offer a CTI (Controller Training Initiative) program which the FAA developed some years ago, but hiring favor has waned over the years with the FAA with CTI graduates. There may still be some advantage over off-the-street (OTS) hires, but it's really minimal. Pass rates at the FAA Academy for CTI vs OTS is so close that the difference is almost negligent. If the FAA guaranteed CTI grads a job offer or academy slot, it would be worth looking into, but that isn't the case.

Military training is also a pathway since your son is 20. The Army, Navy, and Air Force all have ATC MOS's, but it may not be a great option if he doesn't get selected for that MOS and ends up in something else.

IMO, his best bet would be to try and apply for an open bid when it gets announced next year. The 2023 announcement just closed. It can usually take a couple of bids for someone to get into the Agency anyway, so if he isn't ready now, he may be ready when it's his time.

Success in this job is more down to natural skills and common sense than education anyway. There is a large learning curve with a lot of the concepts and techniques, but as long as you're willing to learn and coachable, those things will come. The major skills needed are communication, spatial recognition, short-term memory, and multitasking. Everything else can be taught.
 
arHuFf69 said:
He should join the airforce as a 1C1 and learn the fun version of ATC and after one enlistment if he hates it, he can go FAA and he’ll hate that a little differently but with more money and worse coworkers.
Click to expand...
lol the "fun version?" USAF ATC was more about air traffic accommodation, not controlling. F-15s taking a speed adjustment in the downwind to follow a H/K35R by an enlisted person = "unable." F-15s taking a speed adjustment to follow traffic by an FAA controller = "wilco." 🤣

I'm glad I left the USAF and joined the FAA so I could actually control.

BunkerF16 said:
Hey all,

Brand new here and just throwing my line in the water and hoping to get some bites. I'm a jetBlue pilot, have been for the last 19 years. This request isn't for me. My 20 year old son isn't looking to go to college and while he's tossed around the idea of flying himself, I'm not sure that's in the cards for him right now either. But a buddy of mine told me to check out the ATC world. Obviously with the recent news, I know there's a shortage and also know there's a current hiring window, but I don't think there's any way he's prepared to apply right now. I'd love to set him up for success, and see if this is something he might be interested in. I asked what he thought and he sounded excited.

I'd love to get the advice from the experts in here as to how a 20 year old kid goes from 0 to ATC job offer, then ultimately succeeding in the training and real world operations. Appreciate any thoughts you all are willing to provide. Thanks in advance.

Rick
Click to expand...
Rick, while I absolutely love controlling planes, I would never ask my son to follow in my footsteps. The schedule is absolutely horrendous, and Congress couldn't care less about our staffing issues and funding. The money is wonderful for the amount of "work" I actually do during an eight hour shift, though.
 
They open the hiring window once a year. Unfortunately, this years window was May 5th-8th and just closed. I wouldn't recommend doing a CTI program or the military (unless that is what he wants to do), since they do not give him any advantage in getting hired. I would definitely have him apply to next years open bid especially since it doesn't cost him anything to apply. The only requirement he needs is 4 years college or 3 years full time work experience, or a combination of the 2 I believe. The process can be long, so have him pursue other things while waiting and if he finds something else he likes it cost him nothing but an application. As for ATC there is good and bad. Good pay and good retirement. Bad shiftwork. I personally find the job itself great if you can tune out the bs
 
BunkerF16 said:
Hey all,

Brand new here and just throwing my line in the water and hoping to get some bites. I'm a jetBlue pilot, have been for the last 19 years. This request isn't for me. My 20 year old son isn't looking to go to college and while he's tossed around the idea of flying himself, I'm not sure that's in the cards for him right now either. But a buddy of mine told me to check out the ATC world. Obviously with the recent news, I know there's a shortage and also know there's a current hiring window, but I don't think there's any way he's prepared to apply right now. I'd love to set him up for success, and see if this is something he might be interested in. I asked what he thought and he sounded excited.

I'd love to get the advice from the experts in here as to how a 20 year old kid goes from 0 to ATC job offer, then ultimately succeeding in the training and real world operations. Appreciate any thoughts you all are willing to provide. Thanks in advance.

Rick
Click to expand...
He can always join the Air National Guard or National Guard as ATC, there are also CTI routes at 2 year colleges that provide the same education as 4 year CTI programs. There's also AdvancedATC that offers a CTO for $50K worth of tuition.
 
If your son goes the military route, it's almost impossible to not get in. Like you are seeing on this thread, they have 1 off the street bid a year, but they also have prior experience bids- which is almost exclusively for prior military peeps. That type of bid happens at least once sometimes twice a year.
 
I went the military route, which was an incredible experience of both shittyness and unforgettable memories with great people. If I were to do it a different way, Beaver CTO program might be a good option. I think you can get a contract tower job somewhere after completing that program and have a decent paying job while you wait it out for the FAA. Then you could get into the FAA on a prior exp bid. Side note: if he’s attached to the area he currently lives, there’s a decent chance he’ll have to spend a decade plus somewhere else under the current transfer process.
 
I would y give up the next 4 or 6 years of applying while you’re in the military. Also I wouldn’t do this job unless he independently really wants to do it
 
ZO said:
Controllers: Please give us more staffing
Also controllers: Don't fucking join this career field at all costs.
Click to expand...
Excited Rupauls Drag Race GIF
 
doodii said:
lol the "fun version?" USAF ATC was more about air traffic accommodation, not controlling. F-15s taking a speed adjustment in the downwind to follow a H/K35R by an enlisted person = "unable." F-15s taking a speed adjustment to follow traffic by an FAA controller = "wilco." 🤣 Say it with your chest and maybe one day they will listen to you.
Click to expand...
 

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