IAA Student Controller Program 2020

Tristan100

SCP19 is finally starting in March 2023. This has been a loooooong recruitment process!

Staunton96

And 2022 applications open until 31st October...

Cov

Hello there folks

I recieved an email about the online assessment for the next (or class after next) intake. Needless to say the competition is probably going to be fairly fierce, but I have a question for those of you who managed to get through all the way to the job.

Did any of you come from a civil service position, and if so were you able to keep your years of service? I understand that the IAA is semi state, and it would be great to be able to start further up the scale if I made it through.

Thanks!

Swabber21

I also received an email about the online assessment and i'm in the same boat with regards to having a few years built up in civil service. What does the online assessment comprise of? Is it the typical psychometric tests such as verbal and numerical tests like most jobs? Eg. gardai/nas

neena_88

Also received the email about the online assessment and am curious to find out what it is. Link will be issued in few days so it's not a long wait but any info would be greatly appreciated! Good luck to all attending

Swabber21

How long is the process roughly, given success at each stage?

SNNUS

No it will not count, you will start on the first step of the scale.

horsey63

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119923877#Comment_119923877

Educated guess that this would be for a class starting September 2023

Swabber21

Has anyone attempted the online assessment for the current campaign yet? If so, how was it?

neena_88

I've just finished mine, seemed deceptively easy 🤷🏻‍♀️ It was roughly the same as the practice questions they provided. Hoping for an answer soon

Swabber21

Reckon we will have the results by the end of this week?

neena_88

Doubt it, the whole process is slow and they take their time with everything

Tristan100

For reference, for the last competition the online assessments were to be completed before Sunday 9th February 2020.

I received an invitation on 13th February to sit the FEAST/DART on Monday 24 February 2020.

I then received confirmation on 4th March 2020 that I was progressing to the next stage.

On 10th March 2020 I was asked to complete an online work strengths questionnaire between 11th March and Sunday 22nd March.

After this everything changed due to Covid.

Swabber21

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119999825#Comment_119999825

Thanks for the information. Just got email stating I’m progressing to FEAST Test around week of 13th Feb

neena_88

I've passed as well and got the same info about FEAST test. That should be fun 😆

Swabber21

Congrats, Is the DART test on the same day as FEAST, providing you pass FEAST?

neena_88

I'd assume so. As far as I know they tend to do them on the same day. Doubt they'd make people travel to Dublin twice

giseva

Hi all, does anybody know the duration of initial training in Shannon before OTJ training then commences in airports?

I know training can take up to 2 years but the IAA website states students receive €300 pw for the initial training period. There's no mention of allowances, if any, for students who then move on to on the job training, or for how many months students are required to live/learn in Shannon before further training commences. I would think that a higher rate would be given after initial training but who knows.

I know such issues are miles off for me who is yet to even sit the FEAST in Feb, but like others I'm sure, I've got bills, kids etc that I must consider. Apologies if such questions have been answered previously but I couldn't find anything scrolling back through posts!

Uniform Charlie

Basic Training is 14 weeks, next you do one rating from the following depending on where controllers are needed...

Tower is 12-14 weeks,

Approach 14 - 16 weeks,

Area 16-18 weeks.

After this in Pre OJT and transitional training, again from 8 to 16 weeks depending on above rating. Also have weeks off for Xmas and between courses.

In total Tower about 9 months, Area 12 months before you go on the job training. All above in Shannon and 300 per week.

You will be paid a new allowance for OJT roughly 550 a week. OJT lasts 3 to 4 months and is shift work.. then full pay if successful.!! OJT would be whereever you will be based.

Best of luck everyone, would imagine your class starting Sep/Oct 23

Pat Mustard23

Hi all, received an email inviting me to do the FEAST in feb. In the email it states that if I pass feast 1 will be invited to do the DART. I have read that multi control test is sometimes accompanied by this. However as it is not specified in the email and the time for the DART is 2 hours 10, do I take it there will be no multi control test? Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Process22

Hey everyone, What exactly does the FEAST test comprise of? I've heard theres a section where you monitor a radar and have to ensure there is no collisions, is this true? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

faoiarvok

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120147395#Comment_120147395

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FEAST_test

The radar part is DART.

Pat Mustard23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120149814#Comment_120149814

You hardly know if it is just the DART in the afternoon session of testing ? Or will we be tested with the multipass too?

Process22

Does anyone know if there is a pass % for the FEAST test? eg: score above 50% to pass

horsey63

My reply is based on the assessment done early 2020, once FEAST was completed you received the result not in score or %, literally yup we'll see you after lunch for Dart.

Process22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120192950#Comment_120192950

Cheers for the info. Does the FEAST have cube folding as part if it?

horsey63

Yes it does

Pat Mustard23

Hi I took the DART this week. Anyone have any idea how you could judge if it went good or bad? Thought I did ok on the day, had no actual collisions, but had a few near collisions which were easily solved. Any info appreciated

Swabber21

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120259462#Comment_120259462

was the DART test around the 2 hour mark too?

Pat Mustard23

2 hours and 10 mins allotted for it. The test itself was only 45minutes.

Swabber21

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120263038#Comment_120263038

how many people did the FEAST with you on the day?

Pat Mustard23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120263397#Comment_120263397

Around 20 people in the morning and maybe 16/17 came back for DART in the evening then. Would be nice to get the results this week.

Swabber21

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120263809#Comment_120263809

Hopefully you’ll hear back this week. How long were you waiting between the FEAST and the DART?

Pat Mustard23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120263947#Comment_120263947

Around an hour and a half or so. Have you done it?

Process22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120264832#Comment_120264832

Doing it tomorrow

Pat Mustard23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120265216#Comment_120265216

Best of luck

Triona0

Hi,

How long does the 1st part of the FEAST exam take

Pat Mustard23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120267235#Comment_120267235

Depends on yourself really. Roughly an hour and a half or so

Has anybody been called back yet after doing the feast/ dart last week?

BigBirdie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120284220#Comment_120284220

Just earlier today. Hope you did also!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120294689#Comment_120294689

congratulations, you must be thrilled! I haven’t heard anything yet😩

what’s the next stage in the process if you don’t mind me asking ?

BigBirdie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120295185#Comment_120295185

Slightly in shock but yeh delighted.

Next stage is work strengths profiling - an online assessment.

I understand that you'll hear either way (good or bad news), so hopefully you'll hear soon and it'll be good news!

Cov

Well done to anyone who got through. Received notice of passing last Monday. Hard luck to any who didn't, gotta say I found the tests weirdly tough in places.

Back to the waiting game now for the next assessment and hopefully then an interview after that at some point. Judging by the conversation from last year, I'm assuming interviews in May-ish for the new class starting September-ish...

Tristan100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120320229#Comment_120320229

The rumour is that SCP20 will start around February 2024.

BigBirdie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120366956#Comment_120366956

Well this is news to me! Any idea how accurate that rumour might be?

Tristan100

It was mentioned to us in class.

Also, someone from Scp18 said they heard every intake for the next few years will start in February of each year. ie scp21 will start February 2025

Speed_Alive

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120444752#Comment_120444752

Correct. There is an SCP intake tenatively planned for every February for the next 10 years. However to my knowledge there are 2 classes due to start in 2023, with one just after starting (That I presume you are in? How are you finding it?) So maybe there will be another due to start in Sept/October that some of you are currently involved in recruitment for? I would suggest emailing your recruitment contact to inquire.

Staffing is a huge issue right now so it seems like measures are being taken to plan forward and have some costintency with regard to recruitment. But there's a huge lag time from day one to being a certified ATCO. In hindsight it was obvious the two covid SCP classes shouldn't have been let go. What can you do. Babysteps.

Those same staffing issues are why it is going to be a Feb intake by the way, instructors in the training centre are for the most part current rated controllers, and they can't be released during the busy summer months..due staffing issues...

Also my understanding is SCP classes will be increased from 14/16 to 20 people. And you get paid. (I didn't. Promise I won't hold that against you. Maybe.)

Good luck all, it's a rewarding career.

Cov

Anyone hear anything back since the work strengths profiling?

Cov

I'll just reply to myself here, latest update is group interviews are starting in May some time. Was there group interviews for the last intake? I always find it a dubious way of whittling down numbers. Interviewing 5 to ten people at once is always a weird vibe.

Saz_ie

SCP19 didn't do group interviews due to COVID-19. It skipped to psychological interviews and then final interviews once the process restarted.