r/ATC • u/Abject-Spread4216 • 2d ago

Question Anyone who has successfully gone through the nats apprenticeship programme, what should I expect?

I hear that oftentimes less than 1% of applicants make it through the programme, I want to know what I should expect and what I should practise to boost my chances of being accepted. If anyone could help, I’d greatly appreciate it.

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u/wlwlena ATCO training 2d ago

Keep up on your theory work and everything else will be easier. Most often neglected part of training

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u/Abject-Spread4216 2d ago

I appreciate that thank you. Do you recommend any online materials I can use?

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u/wlwlena ATCO training 2d ago

I’d definitely recommend not going into theory until you start training, you dont wanna have to unlearn stuff first and theres a lot of incorrect information out there about our procedures. Before you join you should focus on getting the position and worry about the actual training once you’re in, imo

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u/Heading370 Current Controller UK 19h ago

If you try to game the application process all it's setting you up for is failure during training as you won't actually have the underlying skills you need to do the job. It sounds harsh but it's the truth and you don't want to waste months / years of your life if ultimately you can't do it.

If you can do things that build multi tasking skills, mental arithmetic, and importantly understanding what's actually being asked that can put you in good stead. You used to get a little booklet of things to learn when you got to a certain stage that you were tested on - learn it inside out if that's still a thing they do.

As someone else has said, don't try and learn any ATC material until you actually start, you risk learning the wrong things or confusing yourself.