Apply for an Air Traffic Control Job

Working in Air Traffic Control (ATC) is a challenging and rewarding career. As with any government job, the application process can be confusing and take many steps. The government agency in charge of air traffic is the Federal Aviation Administration or FAA. Get familiar with the qualifications, make yourself a more appealing candidate for the job, and know the next step to take in the application process.

Steps

Meeting the Qualifications

  1. Have US citizenship. You will not qualify if you are a permanent resident or a visa holder. If you have immigrated, you must be a naturalized citizen by the time you apply.[1]
  2. Be under 31 years old. The FAA has a strict age cut off for controllers. You must go through the application process and start training before you turn 31.[2]
  3. Pass a security investigation. Your records will be checked for criminal activity or any ties to gangs or terrorist organizations. Government workers need to have very clean records.[3]
  4. Pass medical, and other pre-employment tests. Controllers have a physically and psychologically stressful jobs. You need to be healthy enough to work long shifts at odd hours and have no medical conditions that would break your concentration on the job. Conditions such as epilepsy, narcolepsy, or psychological disorders may disqualify you.[4]
  5. Have a Bachelor's degree or three years' work experience. Work experience needs to be progressively more responsible. Additionally you can have a combination of post-secondary education and work experience that totals three years. Obtaining a bachelor's degree in a technical field could go a long way to show your aptitude as an ATC. Applicable experience includes working as a commercial pilot, navigator, or flight dispatcher. For more information on becoming a commercial pilot, click Become-a-Commercial-Pilot.[5]

Becoming a Better Candidate

  1. Obtain a Bachelor's degree. You can follow the traditional educational route and earn a 4 year degree. Even if it's in an unrelated field, having a degree can prove that you are a serious student with a good work ethic and study habits. You will need both qualities if you are accepted into an intensive training program.
  2. Complete an ATC program. There are FAA approved, 2-4 year courses available at colleges throughout the country; the full list is available here. While completing a program does not guarantee you a job, it will expedite your application process and give you more time to master the skill you will need.
  3. Transfer skills over from the Air Force. If you have worked as an ATC in a military capacity, you will have gained valuable experience that you can use in a civilian capacity. If you have 52 or more weeks of on the job ATC experience, you may even be exempt from some minimum requirements.[6]

Applying Directly to the FAA

  1. Look out for PUBNAT (public national) announcement on the FAA website or in the news. This is a public call for entry level applications to become an air traffic controller. If you successfully complete the application process, you will be invited to take part in an intensive study course at the FAA facility in Oklahoma City.
    • The listing will be posted on the USAJobs website, a listing of all federal jobs currently open.
    • There is no way to begin or even see an application, unless a PUBNAT has been made. Know that you will have to provide a multitude of information about education, work history, and references.
    • If your application is accepted, prepare for a barrage of tests and evaluations. Controllers make life or death decisions every day in their work, and the FAA wants the very best people in those positions. Be ready to prove yourself.
  2. Take the AT-SAT. If your applications is approved, you will be asked to take the AT-SAT, a standardized test similar to the LSAT or MCAT. This test will not measure your knowledge of air traffic control, but rather your aptitude to do the job. To be placed on the referral list, you must score at least 70 to be considered 'qualified' and over 85 to be considered 'well-qualified'.
    • The test consists of 8 sub tests which test your cognitive ability and personal traits, they are: Air Traffic Scenarios Test, ATST; Analogies, AY; Angles, AN; Applied Math, AM; Dials, DI; Experiences Questionnaire, EQ; Letter Factory, LF; and Scan, SC.
    • Consult Air Traffic Control Career Prep by Patrick Matson. This is considered a definitive test prep on the subject.
    • Read ATC forums to get first hand experiences from people who took the test. Here you will also find real questions from previous tests. Here is a good place to start your research.
  3. Interview at at a PEPC. If you are placed on the referral list, you will be called in for an in-person interview at a at a PEPC (a pre-employment processing center). The interview will consist of straightforward questions such as "Why will you make a good ATC?" or "How do you feel about shift work?"[7]
    • Fill out an e-QIP form before your interview. This is the electronic version of the SF-85/86 for Public Trust Positions, and authorizes the government to begin your security clearance upon the successful completion of the interview.
    • Dress to impress and bring snacks, you will be here all day.
  4. Receive a Tentative Offer Letter (TOL). This document will have the location of your placement, as well as your pay rate. While this is not a guarantee of employment, which is based on successful medical and security clearances, it's a sign that you have nearly reached the end of the process.
  5. Schedule your training classes. Approximately 10-12 weeks after receiving your TOL, you will receive a call from HR offering you a spot in a class. Accept this offer immediately, or someone else will. Asking for a different start date can put you back into limbo and having to wait weeks for another option.

Tips

  • Be prepared to for a long process. Government bureaucracy moves slowly.

Warnings

  • Do not pester your HR rep for updates on your status. They have lots of work and will get back to you as soon as they can.

Related Articles

References

  1. ↑ http://www.faa.gov/jobs/career_fields/aviation_careers/
  2. ↑ http://www.faa.gov/jobs/career_fields/aviation_careers/
  3. ↑ http://www.faa.gov/jobs/career_fields/aviation_careers/
  4. ↑ http://www.faa.gov/jobs/career_fields/aviation_careers/
  5. ↑ https://collegegrad.com/careers/air-traffic-controllers
  6. ↑ http://www.faa.gov/jobs/career_fields/aviation_careers/
  7. ↑ http://forums.jetcareers.com/threads/pepc-interview-questions-here.68308/
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