Late career start...new member

tijit1388 Newcomer

Hey everyone, I'm new here. I just want to know is there anyone in here that start their ATI Program in there late 20s? I'm now 28 and I don't know if it's too late for me to get it.

Davo Trusted Contributor VT

A few schools offer a fast track program for someone that already has a bachelor degree. The fast track program takes about a year to complete. If you do not already have a degree your only other chance to complete a ATC-CTI degree and get hired before your 31st birthday would be a associate's degree. Even with a 2 year program you would be pushing the limits because you must have a TOL (tentative offer letter) from the FAA before your 31st birthday. It will depend on how fast the hiring process goes at that time.

GolfJuliet F*** Terrorism

It's been done. You can go through a fast track program in one year which would put you at 29. I'll be honest with though, right now for you going through a fast track CTI program would be a huge gamble. Reason being; lately there has been a major slow down in the hiring process all around because a lot of controllers decided to stay a few more years when they lost almost all their retirement in the economy and at the same time they hired a bunch of people(anticipating a lot of controllers retiring) and so now all the facilities are backed up with trainees and the can't hire anymore people bc there is only X number of people to train them. In a few years hiring should be back up to speed bc controllers will be forced to retire and all of the people they hired will start getting checked out and becoming CPCs. Which makes more OJTs(On the job trainers) available. But they could be a few years and in a few years after a fast track program you'll be 31 and if you don't have a TOL in your hand by your 31st b-day then you'll be DQ'd and CTI would be a huge waste of money for you. I'm not trying to dishearten you but you just need to be aware of the risk. Good luck!!!

RFDATM Trusted Member IL

plus you have to pass ATSAT to be considered for employment and only 3 out of 4 CTI grads have been hired based on the 2008 hiring report

GolfJuliet F*** Terrorism

That too


321

tijit1388 Newcomer

Thank everyone for the information and thank you Gulf for the detailed info.

My other question are...
How long does it take the FAA to send the tentative offer letter?
Are there any school in California that offer fast track CTI program?

My passion is there and this is what I would like to do, except I found out about this career a bit late.

Is Avionics a good field?

Rosstafari Daaaang. /X

It's unpredictable. Its been different every time, since they're not consistent with their timelines -- the order will be the same, but they've slowed and sped up hiring according to their needs. In the past, from application to receipt of a TOL, for CTIs it's been under six months (IIRC).

If you like avionics. What you major in is irrelevant, you just have to meet the class/grade requirements set by whatever school you're at to get that CTI recommendation. It's not really related to air traffic control, but it might be fun on a personal level to know how to work on planes.

GolfJuliet F*** Terrorism

At the moment it might take quite a while to get your TOL bc the whole system is soooo backed up that everything is running a little slow right now. Just a pissing into the wind guess, I would say 8-10 months or better. Hopefully in a few years everything will be back up to speed though. As far as I know, there are only three fast-track schools CCBC in Pennsylvania, MCTC in Minnesota, and Vaughn in New York. I'm not real sure about any of the schools in Cali to be honest. If you can't relocate then I would go with Vaughn. It's all done online and at the end you have to go to class for 40(don't quote me on that) hours..real hours, not credit hours so it'd be like a week trip to NY. I really don't know anything about avionics so I can't help you there lol