How did YOU learn about the FAA hirings?

[Callidus]

Back in February I received an email that was forwarded to me by my girlfriend, which was forwarded to HER by her father, which was forwarded to HIM by one of his business partners. It read as follows:

If you have or know kids between the ages of 18-31 with a high school diploma. The Federal Aviation Association is taking applications for air traffic controller school. We all have kids and know kids in the right age group (under 31) and with some effort they could reach a salary of over $100,000 with benefits in about 3 years. You need only a high school diploma to apply and credit is given for college on the exam. They need to go to http://www.faa.gov/jobs/job_opportun...c_controllers/ for details and to fill out the application immediately even if they don't

know if they'd want to attend immediately - it's the federal government and it may take them months to call. The key is to apply NOW. There will be a lot of retirements coming up rather quickly and they need to line up training to accommodate these openings. It's my understanding that the FAA rarely has an open application such as this and that the jobs are coveted. The person who shared this has a 28 year old daughter who is well into 6 figures and has plenty of time for travel/recreation and has started another career on the side.

Knowing that I'd be graduating college in May I felt this would be a great opportunity to transition into a fulfilling career. I'm now waiting on confirmation for my Chicago PEPC to do California Terminal.

What's your story? How did you learn about the FAA's open casting call?

[dpiatek]

Originally Posted by Callidus

The person who shared this has a 28 year old daughter who is well into 6 figures and has plenty of time for travel/recreation and has started another career on the side

Cool, and here I thought this would be a full time job!

I heard about it through a friend of my dad's that there was going to be a significant shortage in the years to come. The more I researched it, the more I loved the idea of becoming one.

[Stinger]

Originally Posted by Callidus

Back in February I received an email that was forwarded to me by my girlfriend, which was forwarded to HER by her father, which was forwarded to HIM by one of his business partners. It read as follows:



[font=Courier New][size=2]

Knowing that I'd be graduating college in May I felt this would be a great opportunity to transition into a fulfilling career. I'm now waiting on confirmation for my Chicago PEPC to do California Terminal.

What's your story? How did you learn about the FAA's open casting call?

California Terminal as in NorCal TRACON? Or just a tower in the Bay Area?

[justme62]

I was ATC in the military, got out a couple of years ago and when I was doing job searches online a few months ago I found a way to apply. I don't remember which website I found the ASAP page through whether it was google or usajobs.gov. I applied to it thinking I wouldn't hear anything back, applied to a good 40 other businesses and somehow this has been the only one to contact me back. I was seriously contemplating going back into the military just two weeks before I got notified to take the ATSAT.

[flyguy63]

I actually heard about it right here on jetcareers about 14 months ago.

[chichi]

After attending a study tour of the William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City and seeing and playing with some of the (obviously unused) radar equipment and meeting some of the people, I came home and Googled anything and everything regarding ATC. I just graduated with a bachelor's in May and I kept finding all these websites saying it would be better to go the CTI route and if I applied OTS, I'd have next to no chance of being hired, and of course after just finishing 4 years of college I wasn't too keen on starting again, but I would if I had to... then I found this forum and the wealth of information it provides and learned that I don't actually need to do that and immediately applied to the 5/2 OTS announcement

[JKoffler44]

I was forwarded an e-mail sent to FAA Regional Offices employees announcing the open jobs. I thought about it a while and then filled out the application. I then found Jetcareers.com by entering the announcement number into google and found this thread: http://forums.jetcareers.com/air-tra...1-08232-a.html

[jookboks]

Originally Posted by Callidus

Back in February I received an email that was forwarded to me by my girlfriend, which was forwarded to HER by her father, which was forwarded to HIM by one of his business partners. It read as follows:



[font=Courier New][size=2]

Knowing that I'd be graduating college in May I felt this would be a great opportunity to transition into a fulfilling career. I'm now waiting on confirmation for my Chicago PEPC to do California Terminal.

What's your story? How did you learn about the FAA's open casting call?

I got the same e-mail forwarded to me by my boss...I currently work for the federal government and am a student hire. She's the coolest boss ever for this.

[scongdon]

I used to drug test controllers for a risk-management contractor in college. The FAA drug program lead pulled me aside one day as I was packing up at the MCI tower and handed me a list of openings the FAA hired for (I was a Bio major.. weird?).

When I left that gig a year later, I contacted her to see if any of those positions were still open, and she mentioned that the FAA was actually hiring controllers from the public (among other things). I'd always had a love for aviation, although no experience, and I owe everything to her for pointing me in the right direction.

[nathanw]

My CTI instructor posted a copy of the 02/15 announcement and encouraged all of us to apply.

[Sooner1ATC]

Originally Posted by nathanw

My CTI instructor posted a copy of the 02/15 announcement and encouraged all of us to apply.

[mateo]

I'm currently working for TSA, and have been desperately looking on the government's job site for about two years. I was searching transportation jobs for agencies like NTSB, FAA, and DOT, and stumbled upon the national announcement. I didn't think I'd be in the position I am now, but I'm glad I applied.

[esw2005]

My great uncle was a ATC before the strike in '81 and my mother's friend works at ZFW.

[Callidus]

Originally Posted by dpiatek

I heard about it through a friend of my dad's that there was going to be a significant shortage in the years to come. The more I researched it, the more I loved the idea of becoming one.

Yeah, it definitely sounds like an awesome job doesn't it?

Originally Posted by Stinger

California Terminal as in NorCal TRACON? Or just a tower in the Bay Area?

Unfortunately, I don't know. The only relevant information that was given to me on my location was: "Congratulations. You have been chosen for further consideration for an Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS) position in a terminal facility in the state of California." Do you know some cool people at the NorCal TRACON or something?

Originally Posted by justme62

I was seriously contemplating going back into the military just two weeks before I got notified to take the ATSAT.

Wow, your whole life could have turned out differently. What branch of the military?

Originally Posted by flyguy63

I actually heard about it right here on jetcareers about 14 months ago.

No kidding... I joined this forum only recently since I'm going through the whole hiring process now and have found the information on this site to be invaluable.

Originally Posted by chichi

I just graduated with a bachelor's in May.

Yeah, me too. My degree was in Radio/TV/Film, what was yours?

Originally Posted by JKoffler44

I was forwarded an e-mail sent to FAA Regional Offices employees announcing the open jobs.

You have friends in the FAA or was this something that was forwarded a few times?

Originally Posted by jookboks

I currently work for the federal government and am a student hire.

Awesome. Are you allowed to elaborate what you do past "working for the federal government" or will I have to obtain a higher security clearance?

Originally Posted by scongdon

I used to drug test controllers for a risk-management contractor in college.

You've got a very cool story. So does that mean you chemically tested controller urine? How did you do drug tests?

Originally Posted by nathanw/Sooner1ATC

My CTI instructor posted a copy of the 02/15 announcement and encouraged all of us to apply.

Ahh, the traditional route. How much is CTI from start to finish anyway?

Originally Posted by mateo

I'm currently working for TSA, and have been desperately looking on the government's job site for about two years.

Desperately? What is it that draws you so passionately to government jobs? Benefits? Seriously, I'd like to know if there's some really cool secret that I don't know about. And hey! We're both selected for the CA Terminal and are going to the IL PEPC! I picked Thursday, what day did you pick?

Originally Posted by esw2005

My great uncle was a ATC before the strike in '81 and my mother's friend works at ZFW.

Wow, did he ever tell you anything about the job?

[AUPilotAU]

I kept watching the news and hearing about how short staffed the US was/will be...instead of riding a desk with an airline in which I couldn't be sure would be around tommorrow, I decided to take a risk and apply...one of the best decisions I've ever made.

[rloucks81]

I got that same e-mail from a professor in my Forensic Psych Masters Program. And here I thought he actually had a friend with a daughter in the process! BLASPHEMY!!! Anyhow, yeah here I am now, about to go to Chicago for a PEPC in August for ARTCC in Longmont, CO.

[justme62]

Originally Posted by Callidus

Wow, your whole life could have turned out differently. What branch of the military?

Exactly. Army here.

[JKoffler44]

Originally Posted by Callidus

You have friends in the FAA or was this something that was forwarded a few times?

I have a lot of family in the FAA. Mostly my whole mother's side of the family works for the FAA regional offices as engineers and I have a couple that are ATCS at ORD. It didn't help me though, I didn't get an invite.

[GQ007]

Around the end of 2007/ beginning of 2008 while a work having one of those "what am I doing with my life, where I am going" moments I started browsing gov't department websites for jobs consistently and found out directly from FAA.gov about OTS hiring....and look at me now not even 5 months later and I'll be at a PEPC a week from today THAT'S WASSUP

[will]

I actually hadnt considered it until the beginning of this year. I saw an article in Maxim or Mens Health about the best paying federal jobs which sparked my interest. My brother (Coast Guard) forwarded me an email that his education officer was sending people which is similar to the email posted earlier. I applied in Feb and here I am waiting for a PEPC confirmation

[BoomerSooner77]

A story about the shortages / hiring on the local news lead me to check out the job board to see what the requirements were and there happened to be the OTS posting and since I met the requirements I applied.

[Justin538]

Am I the only one here that doesn't have some deep familial connection?

I was bored.

I applied.

PEPC next week. Go figure.

[skiptoomyloo]

Originally Posted by Callidus

Back in February I received an email that was forwarded to me by my girlfriend, which was forwarded to HER by her father, which was forwarded to HIM by one of his business partners. It read as follows:



[font=Courier New][size=2]

Knowing that I'd be graduating college in May I felt this would be a great opportunity to transition into a fulfilling career. I'm now waiting on confirmation for my Chicago PEPC to do California Terminal.

What's your story? How did you learn about the FAA's open casting call?

Believe it or not, I received a simular email just like that.

[TennisPlayer]

A controller who came into the gym I work at saw me doing my chemistry lab reports at work all the time and told me that controlling planes would be a lot more fun! So...I checked it out...

[JKoffler44]

This is the email I was sent:

All,

Yesterday, the public announcement for the Air Traffic Controller (2152) position opened. If you know of anyone who would be interested in this position, please have them go to the link below for more details. The announcement is open from 1/23/2008 - 2/15/2008.

This public announcement does not require previous aviation experience or a college degree.

The applicant must have three years of progressive work experience.
Must be a U.S.citizen.
The maximum entry age for these positions is 30 years of age (i.e.
you must be hired prior to reaching your 31st birthday).

This is a great job opportunity, please share this information with your organizations, communities, family and friends.

http://jobs.faa.gov/asap_detail.asp?vac_id=102077