Air Traffic Control?

Should I do the air traffic control course - would it be safe, will I have a chance? see details - please help?

• Ok I'm considering air traffic control as my career. You have to be 20 to be an air traffic controller, until then I have to do a degree in aviation- on the last year I will be taken to the training center in the airport and i will train and get my license. On the website it says: Trainees will be guaranteed the offer of a job subject to: •Obtaining an ATC licence •Recommendation from Training Centre that trainee has demonstrated suitable behaviour to be an Airways employee. This may be conditional on trainee demonstrating improvement during OJTI. •Recommendation from OJTI unit that trainee has demonstrated suitable behaviour to be an Airways employee and that where applicable the trainee has addressed any issues previously identified by the Training Centre. and on another website it says: Though there are only about 400 air traffic controllers nationwide, job opportunities come up regularly. Most new positions arise when air traffic controllers move either into managerial positions, or overseas to take up air traffic control or consultancy positions. Airways New Zealand, the sole employer of air traffic controllers, accepts new entrants to their training courses three times a year, in February, June, and September. And to enter into the course, I have to pass heaps of interviews and aptitude tests etc Based on this do you think it would be safe to do the degree? I mean what if I don;t get a job afterwards, do you think I have a good chance?

• Answer:

  I don't have much experience in ATC, however, I do want to be a pilot. I suggest you do a shed load of research on it and see what the recruitment process etc is like, at the moment there might not be much going on, but the airlines are beginning to recruit more pilots, which shows they are flying more destintions and potentially opening knew destinations, which means more job opportunities, if you've got a couple of years untill the degree finished then i would of thought getting a job wouldn't be so hard, people always retire too. From the website, they say you are guaranteed a job offer, so if you do well during the course and fullfil the terms then you should get it. like i said, i want to be a pilot, i could potentially fork out £50 and not get a job, but that's the risk i'm willing to take. Who knows, maybe one day you'll clear me to land! ;) sorry i don't have anymore info, Haydon