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FAA's new ATCO hiring policy screens out people who are too clever

Silvaire wrote:

The rationalization would be that prior knowledge dilutes the FAA training

Please explain.

The elephant is the circulation
ENVA ENOP ENMO, Norway

Its just the old “bad habits and lessons learned outside of the world we control will cost us money to erase.” The philosophy is that suitability will be established in screening and prior experience makes that process harder. Other than being an obvious power play, I think that’s dumb even if taken at face value…. because my experience leads me to believe the younger you are exposed to a certain environment in any capacity the better you will be for the rest of your life.

The other example I mentioned was military pilot applicants and in that context I’ve heard it said that applicants should not mention previous piloting experience or qualifications unless asked directly. Obviously by the time of being an applicant in their early twenties many will have extensive flying experience, but that is apparently not considered an asset for selection. Also if they do make it into training, rapid early progress (due to for example having a PPL/IR/Commericial and 1500 hrs of banner towing experience to get through university) is more advantageously explained as natural talent

Last Edited by Silvaire at 04 Jun 19:48

Even though the messenger in this case is fox news I think this has the rightful potential for a scandal.
Might be that due to political correctness it will take a while.

always learning
LO__, Austria

Silvaire wrote:

Its just the old “bad habits and lessons learned outside of the world we control will cost us money to erase.” The philosophy is that suitability will be established in screening and prior experience makes that process harder. Other than being an obvious power play, I think that’s dumb even if taken at face value…. because my experience leads me to believe the younger you are exposed to a certain environment in any capacity the better you will be for the rest of your life.

That sounds like the rationale some companies have for not employing Ph.D.s. They are people who have been specifically trained to think critically.

ESKC (Uppsala/Sundbro), Sweden

If you want to “shape” people, then age is everything. You cannot easily untrain life experience of a 30 year old person, if at all.

Today though with Google and all the world’s knowledge at your fingertips, I wonder if this is even relevant. If it’s a rumour or hard fact, I’m not sure, but I have heard several times since long that the best ATCO personnel are gamers.

The elephant is the circulation
ENVA ENOP ENMO, Norway

Is this the same story as the change in policy from requiring a College qualification in ATC, to not requiring it? Which meant people intending an ATC career had wasted time and money on valueless education.

Maoraigh
EGPE, United Kingdom

That is not quite the same because, allegedly, the FAA acceptance process is negatively scoring those who would apparently be better qualified.

There are many cases in society where a requirement is dropped. There isn’t anything one can do. One can’t AFAIK sue the potential employer for wasting the candidate’s time. It just pi$$es off those who went to college, who then generate a few GB on forums complaining that the world is going to the dogs

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom
17 Posts
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