Air traffic controller

[jencrs]

I don't know. Let me see if there's anyone I can ask. If no one here can help you, prob best to check when they have a recruitment at a job fair.

[atozprime]

To ye_lavinia. You know alot about ATC as you are already part of the family. I am a ATCO for about 10 years plus. This is my 1st job and if circumstances allow, I would like to stay on till my retirement. Like what you have mentioned, lots of things are 'conceal', not made clear before you sign the bond. But if I have not mistaken, recent batches of new PATCOs, 90% are graduates. If in the 1st place 'you' are not attracted by the 'pay package', why did you sign the contract ( with your eyes open)? If there are doubts in the 1st place, why didn't you clarify them before signing the contract? Yes our depatment are indeed short of staff, but I don't think HR will go to the extend fo 'conning' pple into the job. Or you are being held at gun point when you sign the contract.

You have listed down most of the negative points about ATC, our department, HR....etc etc... what about the good points? If there aren't any good points why are you still here? Don't tell me you are bonded cos we all know that piece of contract can't really hold you back if you really want to leave.

In every organisation, be it as small as a family own business or MNC, there are bound to be 'cock up'. Negatives and positives. It's a matter of personnal perceptions and how you view them.

For example, CAAS reimburse you a extra of $350 a year for flexible benefits, though it is not really that big a amount, but can you name any other company that does that? For married officers, each child is entitled up to 5days of paid medical leave. Again, can you name which company actually does that before the recent pro family life policy actually begins?

My question again is, if you are really so unhappy with your current job, why are you still there? Bear that in mind that there are still many old farts in that department who have worked their entire work life as a controller and retire as a controller.

If you are so keen in climbing the coporate ladder then why in the 1st place you joined as a ATCO? You sign the contract as a ATCO, not ATC manager. ATC planner etc etc etc... ...We are all adults and when we sign the contract, all are laid down in black and white. I believed you should still have a copy of your contract. If at any point if you think that you were mislead or CAAS have 'conned' you, you can always take legal actions. Why keep whinning?

For those who are interested in joining ATC, why not ask HR for a visit. Why not ask HR to arrange Q & A sessions with ATCOs of different levels?

Hope this will paint a clearer picture that ATC here is not as bad as you think.

[JFliu]

To: atozprime

I am interested in an ATC job. Would you be able to PM me?

[Plavt]

To: atozprime

I am interested in an ATC job. Would you be able to PM me?

Your PM function will not work until you have made at least 5 posts (spam control).

[mchi4zc3]

To ye_lavinia. You know alot about ATC as you are already part of the family. I am a ATCO for about 10 years plus. This is my 1st job and if circumstances allow, I would like to stay on till my retirement. Like what you have mentioned, lots of things are 'conceal', not made clear before you sign the bond. But if I have not mistaken, recent batches of new PATCOs, 90% are graduates. If in the 1st place 'you' are not attracted by the 'pay package', why did you sign the contract ( with your eyes open)? If there are doubts in the 1st place, why didn't you clarify them before signing the contract? Yes our depatment are indeed short of staff, but I don't think HR will go to the extend fo 'conning' pple into the job. Or you are being held at gun point when you sign the contract.

You have listed down most of the negative points about ATC, our department, HR....etc etc... what about the good points? If there aren't any good points why are you still here? Don't tell me you are bonded cos we all know that piece of contract can't really hold you back if you really want to leave.

In every organisation, be it as small as a family own business or MNC, there are bound to be 'cock up'. Negatives and positives. It's a matter of personnal perceptions and how you view them.

For example, CAAS reimburse you a extra of $350 a year for flexible benefits, though it is not really that big a amount, but can you name any other company that does that? For married officers, each child is entitled up to 5days of paid medical leave. Again, can you name which company actually does that before the recent pro family life policy actually begins?

My question again is, if you are really so unhappy with your current job, why are you still there? Bear that in mind that there are still many old farts in that department who have worked their entire work life as a controller and retire as a controller.

If you are so keen in climbing the coporate ladder then why in the 1st place you joined as a ATCO? You sign the contract as a ATCO, not ATC manager. ATC planner etc etc etc... ...We are all adults and when we sign the contract, all are laid down in black and white. I believed you should still have a copy of your contract. If at any point if you think that you were mislead or CAAS have 'conned' you, you can always take legal actions. Why keep whinning?

For those who are interested in joining ATC, why not ask HR for a visit. Why not ask HR to arrange Q & A sessions with ATCOs of different levels?

Hope this will paint a clearer picture that ATC here is not as bad as you think.

Wow.. $350 per year of flexi benefit. Goodness sake, this flexi benefit is applicable throughout almost every single stat board in Singapore. Not only exclusively available @ CAAS.

Apart from that, there are Statboard who offer standard package such as Post Graduate Sponsorship (better performer), Yearly Training allowance, Off work Benefit, Exams Leave and many many more @ NO BOND. So what is so special with CAAS?

I dont think ye_lavinia is even looking at the corporate ladder, she is just speaking from the point of the renumeration package. Afterall, if the organisation decide to benchmark their pay @ 50% or less of the industry standard, then it is not fair for the employees.

You mantion about old fart who serve their life as ATO, i guess you dont really know that there is a difference of people who entered stat board 10 years ago and 10 years after. People now adays are emplace onto new scheme with narrow overlapping payscales while in the past the payscales are generally broader and allows higher pay and ceiling.

Do a simple math, how many 5% or 6% do u need to multiply for a $2K to get to $3K. That is the numbers of years of increment that you need to reach the level of Pay. Based on the assumption that each year economy is good and public servant got pay rise. You may be off the ERA already, but many newbies are just getting started. With Low Basic Salary, how the increment will start slowly, i believe most start board hire Female Fresh Grad w/o Honours @ the region of $2.6 to $2.7K as starting of DIV 1.

Besides that, i dont think there is any govt body in the world, that made people sign contract without indicating the renumeration package. not even SAF.

Finally, for those who wants to sign any bond or get themselves into any Statboard or ministries, you may start off by reading of their career site. Benefits are clearly spelt out in many of them. http://www.vog.gov.sg is a good place to start thou.

[atozprime]

Jfliu, I can't PM you yet.

Mchi4zc3, to be honest, I don't know the starting pay of ATCO now. But if other DIV 1 officers are offered better renumeration packages, why not join other stat board or government sevices rather then ATCO and start making noises?

5% to 6% jump to reach a certain level of pay scale? Annual increment and grade jump pay adjustment are made known before signing of contract. Prior to pay adjustment, annual increment of $190 for a grade 5 ATCO is how many %??? What about operational allowances that one gets?

People who join 10 years ago can leave the job if they are not happy with the job rite? Salary with big gap as compared to then? To be honest, with my qualification, if someone is willing to pay me 20k a month for me to do a job that I don't like, I will accpet it. So what makes all these old farts stays??? Could it only be the pay???

The point is, most are well educated and informed these days. Why signed a contract and start making noise after that? Is that a singapore culture? Blame everybody axcept themselves? There is one chinese saying...if the cow doesn't wants to drink...no one can force the head down. So now the question is why sign the contract when it is not clear? If you are really being mislead into signing, why don't you take legal action?

[pika008]

nice thread here, i'm seriously considering atc as a career

atozprime or ye_lavine or anyone else here with experience or knowledge of any kind can we tok on msn or email since the pm function is not working for newbies with less than 5 post counts?

my msn and also email account: [email protected]

[JFliu]

To: atozprime

i am interested in this career as well, could you please email me @ [email protected]. Thanks and appreciate.

[Rohai]

anybody going for tomorrow's test? mine is at 2pm.

[Rohai]

is there any way i can prepare myself for the ATC test? can any1 help in any way?

[atozprime]

is there any way i can prepare myself for the ATC test? can any1 help in any way?

Be yourself. No point preparing and get tru the test and later on in the job find that you are not cut out to be a ATCO. No hard feelings. Good luck.

[anito4a]

Any idea what determines them calling you for interview or test ?
I am still waiting for a call from them..

[eerie]

I m a controller, and a friend who was keen to join send me a link to this thread. After reading some of the posting it seems many people have the misconception of the job and some answers are quite negative to the point i wonder whether you are still serving or one of the OJT drop out.

My advice to applicants who s taking the computer test is just to do ur best. Interviews all will come only after you pass the test. Ur interest in the job, will push you thru your journey towards ur own seat at the console..

[anito4a]

I recently went for the test and it was mentally exhausting. I took 3hrs to complete it. Overall I would say, I excelled in certain areas and didn't for some too. I don't know how they will be grading the 16 segments of the test.

Hope to hear some positive responses from anyone and looking forward to be part of the family of ATCs.

[anito4a]

Oh, Guitar Hero helps alot for the ATC test !