Aspiring air traffic controller!?

Question

so ive been trying to decide what i wanna do as a career. i am 21 yrs old. currently not in school but i have about two years at a community college under my belt. nothing special, but its something. i came across air traffic controllers and it sparked my interest. ive been reading up on it and so far i like what ive been reading. considered "the most stressful job in the world" seems scary but to me it seems like a challenge i wanna pursue. i noticed that it said you can either take classes and do alot of studying to get started OR you can have military experience. my question is, would it be better for me to joined the air force and get experience from there and then challenge myself to be an ATC. what is the best way for me to go about becoming an ATC?

just fill me in on anything you might think i would need to know to get me started!

thanks for any and all input!

Brian

Answer 1

Your best bet is to join the military, just ensure you are prepared for the course work. I am in the Navy and it is a pretty intense 4 month curriculum and they can choose to drop you from the program if you are not doing well. In the Navy, that usually means you become a deck ape on some stupid frigate or something

Answer 2

I'm also looking to study ATC. However, I plan on attending a university such as Embry-Riddle or UND rather than going into the Air Force. But in your situation, I'd definitely give the Air Force a shot. It sounds like a good idea. Good luck!

Answer 3

Do 4 or 6 years in the Air Force, they will pay for your training.  And then when your term is up, you can basically walk right into an ATC job almost anywhere.

There is a very high demand for ATC in the AF; there are radar approach and tower positions.

If you go to an AF recruiter, tell him he needs to land you an ATC job or your not joining.  Dont let them fool you into taking something else, because they will try.

You just need to score high enough on the ASVAB test

Answer 4

well my husband chose to go to the military, then when he got his options, thats what he decided to do. I like the military idea, because, you only have to have a couple of months of tech school instead of going to college for it along time. Also, you can travel while you are in the military, and when you get out, you have so many job options.

Answer 5

You can be hired by the FAA without prior experence, but you must meet the requirments.