Visting Air Traffic Control To Experience?

[am2009uk]

I have been looking at becoming an ATC for a while now, I am 27 and am based in the Merseyside area and currently work in IT. I have read countless documents on the internet and bought the ATC career prep book and practiced aptitude tests.

Before I commit to trying to become an ATC and moving down to Bournemouth, I really want to spend an hour or whatever I can get in a control tower or area control room, just to get a feel for what it is like. I would hate to relocate and get on the training course only to find I don't like the job, especially after the training.

Does anyone know of how to go about this? I have looked all over the internet and found nothing, but do know of people who have been able to go visit the tower.

Also if I had the choice I would love to be an approach controller based in the tower, but I know you don’t get a choice when you get on the NATS course of what type of controller you can become. In my mind it doesn’t look very likely that this will happen because I am sure jobs are few and far between and demand is high.

I know I will have to go through a very thorough recruitment process and may not make it to the college but I just want to be sure before I make up my mind.

Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards

Antony

[Boss]

Hi Anthony,

Send me a PM and I hopefully can sort something out for you.

Boss

[am2009uk]

Hi Boss,

I have tried to send you two PM's now, but everytime i post on this website i get a PHP error, they appear to be in my outbox, however i can post my email here if you dont get the PM

Regards

Antony

[juliepatterson]

Hi Boss,

I am also interested in visiting an Air Traffic Control, can you offer me any advice? I am planning to visit the RAF Museum London for the Air Traffic Control Exhibition, but would like to see what it's really like before I send off my application form to NATs.

Thanks very much for any help you can offer me, Julie.