CTI Preference is Bologna

Dax · Posted: 12-03-2009, 07:34 PM

The more I hear and read about CTI preference the more irritating it is becoming. I can understand the military getting preferential treatment for good reason, but I think that the whole CTI program is a farce. Just someone getting paid off to design this whole thing from the beginning. I think a 4 year degree is a little more impressive than some general aviation classes at a community college that any pilot learns in ground to begin with. Anyway, I'm venting because it is just another meaningless course created to suck money out of people which at the same time seems to have created this synthetic aroma of elitism. OK I'm done...any one else with input???

aprolla23 · Posted: 12-03-2009, 08:05 PM

Hmm, I'm with you on the sucking money out of me part for sure. At the same time I'm getting a degree which is beneficial for me, and which I'd be doing anyway at another school, just without the added potential bonus of getting into the FAA directly. Far from an elitist, I just have a not-so-perfect background that I think may be harder (not impossible) to pull off as only an OTS candidate. I'm in a 2 year program, not at community college and can only wish the cost were the same as the college I was attending here in NC, but it's not. I feel the basic aviation education should create a slight preference from the FAA in some situations, but not all. Pilots being one of them. I think the tables should be turned more in favor for the well rounded individual, solid work experience, background, aviation experience, financial situation (except for us CTI students that are $1k's in debt, lol), and all other aspects that could make for a quality controller. We don't really know how the FAA views us anyway.

Moonfairy_2002 · Posted: 12-03-2009, 09:59 PM

Yeah I'm with you. It cost $40K+ to get a 2 year CTI degree from Lewis in IL!!! A two year degree in "underwater basket weaving". Then if you washout once you get the job, you might as well had flushed $40k down the toilet.

If I were an employer, I'd take a 29 year old with REAL job experience and a 4 year degree over a less mature 20 year old that is more or less fresh out of high school and still trying to "find themselves." LOL!!

Guess I'm going to get flamed now.

BoomerSooner77 · Posted: 12-03-2009, 10:08 PM

Um, there is not CTI preference. You are lumped in with OTS in the panels.... unless one of the panelist selecting for your area prefers CTI.

ControlPhreeqBassGeek · Posted: 12-03-2009, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoomerSooner77

Um, there is not CTI preference. You are lumped in with OTS in the panels.... unless one of the panelist selecting for your area prefers CTI.

That seems doubtful. What is your basis for that and the source/s?

I thought CTI got its own job announcement and was looked at before they even did OTS. Are you saying that IN A OTS announcement CTI and OTS is on equal footing? I guess that would be more believable.

aprolla23 · Posted: 12-03-2009, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ControlPhreeqBassGeek

That seems doubtful. What is your basis for that and the source/s?

I thought CTI got its own job announcement and was looked at before they even did OTS. Are you saying that IN A OTS announcement CTI and OTS is on equal footing? I guess that would be more believable.

That is exactly the case, if a CTI student an OTS applicant both apply to a Pubnat they are both considered OTS and neither receives preference as far as we know.

CTI does have a separate announcement to apply to. That's it.

Roddy_Piper · Posted: 12-03-2009, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aprolla23

That is exactly the case, if a CTI student an OTS applicant both apply to a Pubnat they are both considered OTS and neither receives preference as far as we know.

CTI does have a separate announcement to apply to. That's it.

and even further...a VRA that for some odd reason applies to a PUBNAT is considered an OTS hire. the only difference in that case may be the VRA might have veteran preference points, but otherwise equal consideration with other OTS.

Davo · Posted: 12-04-2009, 01:06 AM

I am pretty sure CTI are looked over before OTS. I got the information from the CTI director in OKC. And yes, they should get preference. All careers give preference in the hiring process to someone who has educated themselves in the particular field. If you were a boss at a company would you want to hire someone who has no experience in the field or someone that has taken the initiative to educate themselves? BTW I took 15 classes related to aviation for my Applied Science degree.
Here they are:
AVIA 101 Aviation Fundamentals
AVIA 110 Airline Operation
AVIA 111 Private Pilot Ground School
AVIA 123 Aviation Weather
AVIA 128 Basic Weather Observation
AVIA 201 Air Traffic Control 1
AVIA 202 Air Traffic Control 2
AVIA 203 Air Traffic Control 3
AVIA 208 Airline Dispatch
AVIA 209 International Flight Planning & ETOPS
AVIA 211 Aerodynamics for Pilots
AVIA 212 Human Factors for Aviators
AVIA 213 Aviation History & Careers
AVIA 214 Airport Management & Operations
AVIA 216 Instrument Pilot Ground School

RdRunnr12 · Posted: 12-04-2009, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davo

BTW I took 13 classes related to aviation for my Applied Science degree.

Not to be a complete ass but you get to skip a whole 4 weeks because of those 13 classes. If you washout, what can you do with a CTI degree? They (the faa) are forcing students to spend tens of thousands of dollars on something they teach at the academy in 4 weeks. I know a few people with CTI degrees and don't believe that they wasted there time or money because they all have the job of their dreams, but I can't say I agree with the FAA's previous procedure on requiring a CTI degree. What a contradiction, you can get a 2 year degree of 4 year degree, they don't care. It's a money making scheme.

Should CTI's get looked at before OTS? Yes, because that was the requirement before the hiring surge took place.

Dax · Posted: 12-04-2009, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davo

I am pretty sure CTI are looked over before OTS. I got the information from the CTI director in OKC. And yes, they should get preference. All careers give preference in the hiring process to someone who has educated themselves in the particular field. If you were a boss at a company would you want to hire someone who has no experience in the field or someone that has taken the initiative to educate themselves? BTW I took 15 classes related to aviation for my Applied Science degree.
Here they are:
AVIA 101 Aviation Fundamentals
AVIA 110 Airline Operation
AVIA 111 Private Pilot Ground School
AVIA 123 Aviation Weather
AVIA 128 Basic Weather Observation
AVIA 201 Air Traffic Control 1
AVIA 202 Air Traffic Control 2
AVIA 203 Air Traffic Control 3
AVIA 208 Airline Dispatch
AVIA 209 International Flight Planning & ETOPS
AVIA 211 Aerodynamics for Pilots
AVIA 212 Human Factors for Aviators
AVIA 213 Aviation History & Careers
AVIA 214 Airport Management & Operations
AVIA 216 Instrument Pilot Ground School

Apart from the 3 ATC courses, everything else you can learn in ground school and will. Plus it seems to me that most of those classes don't have diddley to do with directing traffic. I might be wrong but hey that's why we live in a free country.

CTI Preference is Bologna

Stuck Mic - Air Traffic Control - ATC - Aviation