Moving regions once employed

This forum has been developed to discuss ATS related topics.

Moderators: sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, North Shore

Post Reply
newifr
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2013 2:24 pm

Moving regions once employed

Post by newifr »

Once training is complete, and you do however many years in a position, what is it like to move to another region? Is it very common, is it difficult to do?
Looking for some insight from those on the inside or those that have done it themselves?
---------- ADS -----------
 
wordstwice
Rank 4
Rank 4
Posts: 260
Joined: Wed May 09, 2007 2:48 pm
Location: pointy end

Re: Moving regions once employed

Post by wordstwice »

Transferring to a new location is quite common for Controllers. It doesnt always require you to change regions but usually does.

There are a few programs available to allow transfers and the most common is the annual seniority bid. Each summer a list is published showing all the units across the country needing staff and you can put in you bid to transfer......easy as that, well, not exactly.

As a new hire you face two major hurdles in your ability to relocate;

1- its seniority based so as a new hire youll have very little chance on winning a bid unless you bid to somewhere no one else wants.

2- if you are short staffed at your current unit they can delay your transfer for quite sometime ( 5 years is not uncommon)

So to answer your question, yes, transfer are fairly common and somewhat easy to do once you have enough seniority.

Cheers
---------- ADS -----------
 
Braun
Rank 8
Rank 8
Posts: 849
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2006 11:32 pm

Re: Moving regions once employed

Post by Braun »

Dont forget you need to wait a certain amount of years before you can even apply and once you can apply your transfer can be approved with a delay as stated above. Basically just don't expect to leave within 5 years of qualifying.
---------- ADS -----------
 
DHC-1 Jockey
Rank 8
Rank 8
Posts: 821
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:41 pm

Re: Moving regions once employed

Post by DHC-1 Jockey »

Are mutual posting swaps allowed outside of the annual bid? For example, a YYZ controller wants to go to YHM and a YHM controller wants to go to YYZ. Can they switch between themselves?
---------- ADS -----------
 
wordstwice
Rank 4
Rank 4
Posts: 260
Joined: Wed May 09, 2007 2:48 pm
Location: pointy end

Re: Moving regions once employed

Post by wordstwice »

No, not allowed
---------- ADS -----------
 
Married a Canadian
Rank 3
Rank 3
Posts: 186
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2007 5:22 pm
Location: YYZ terminal

Re: Moving regions once employed

Post by Married a Canadian »

For example, a YYZ controller wants to go to YHM and a YHM controller wants to go to YYZ. Can they switch between themselves?
To echo Wordstwice...no...that would cause quite a stir. The system in place for seniority bids is quite transparent and generally fair in the long run to both the company and the employee. I have heard some newbies grumble about "not wanting" to be posted to certain units or sectors. My response to that is you take the risk of that when you sign up to become an ATCO.
---------- ADS -----------
 
newifr
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2013 2:24 pm

Re: Moving regions once employed

Post by newifr »

Thanks everyone!
---------- ADS -----------
 
leftoftrack
Rank 8
Rank 8
Posts: 825
Joined: Fri Jun 21, 2013 3:10 pm

Re: Moving regions once employed

Post by leftoftrack »

5 years? Your union sucks balls
---------- ADS -----------
 
kevenv
Rank 7
Rank 7
Posts: 680
Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2007 6:19 am

Re: Moving regions once employed

Post by kevenv »

leftoftrack wrote:5 years? Your union sucks balls
You can't move for 3 years after qualifying. That's not unreasonable considering the time and money that went into you. After that you need sufficient seniority to get to the place you want. For places that nobody wants to go to like Gander ACC you don't need very much. For other locations you need 20+ years of seniority to get there.

Edited to add: As Braun stated, if your location is short staffed the company can delay your relocation. You will still have a spot at the new place but it will be a longer wait to get there.
---------- ADS -----------
 
LousyFisherman
Rank 7
Rank 7
Posts: 578
Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 8:32 am
Location: CFX2
Contact:

Re: Moving regions once employed

Post by LousyFisherman »

Why is Gander not liked?

LF
---------- ADS -----------
 
Women and planes have alot in common
Both are expensive, loud, and noisy.
However, when handled properly both respond well and provide great pleasure
Married a Canadian
Rank 3
Rank 3
Posts: 186
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2007 5:22 pm
Location: YYZ terminal

Re: Moving regions once employed

Post by Married a Canadian »

5 years? Your union sucks balls
Why would the Union advocate having to train a newbie for an extended period of time, check them out...and then have them leave straight away to go to another unit...where they then have to go through another training process. Rather a waste of resources really.

Our bid process is clear and transparent both to management AND the Union...neither have a problem with it. Most new checkouts don't either.
---------- ADS -----------
 
leftoftrack
Rank 8
Rank 8
Posts: 825
Joined: Fri Jun 21, 2013 3:10 pm

Re: Moving regions once employed

Post by leftoftrack »

Married a Canadian wrote:
5 years? Your union sucks balls
Why would the Union advocate having to train a newbie for an extended period of time, check them out...and then have them leave straight away to go to another unit...where they then have to go through another training process. Rather a waste of resources really.

Our bid process is clear and transparent both to management AND the Union...neither have a problem with it. Most new checkouts don't either.
I'm not nor will I ever be an Air Traffic Controller, however if the only way into an organization was to take a shitty post with the hope to move to a better post and that post came open and I couldn't go. In the mean time they hire from the outside to fill where I wanted to be, I would be pissed. All your doing is talking on a radio so WTF is the big deal where you do it. Why have a Gander Centre why not run it from Toronto or Ottawa or Montreal.
---------- ADS -----------
 
16SidedOffice
Rank 3
Rank 3
Posts: 118
Joined: Tue Sep 17, 2013 10:04 pm

Re: Moving regions once employed

Post by 16SidedOffice »

leftoftrack wrote: if the only way into an organization was to take a shitty post with the hope to move to a better post and that post came open and I couldn't go. In the mean time they hire from the outside to fill where I wanted to be, I would be pissed.
Most initial ATC postings aren't to bad places or complexes at all, they are all within the region you live and get hired in. Compare that to low to mid time pilots looking at having to jump through multiple hoops from one boondock town in the middle of nowhere flying some clapped out machine to the next.
---------- ADS -----------
 
Last edited by 16SidedOffice on Sun Sep 28, 2014 2:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
Braun
Rank 8
Rank 8
Posts: 849
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2006 11:32 pm

Re: Moving regions once employed

Post by Braun »

Don't feed the troll...
---------- ADS -----------
 
newifr
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2013 2:24 pm

Re: Moving regions once employed

Post by newifr »

Uh oh, I didn't mean to start anything!
---------- ADS -----------
 
Married a Canadian
Rank 3
Rank 3
Posts: 186
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2007 5:22 pm
Location: YYZ terminal

Re: Moving regions once employed

Post by Married a Canadian »

Braun...I'll feed him once....he is actually quite amusing. I judge him on not being able to slow a Dash 8 on final to the speed that every other Dash pilot seems to be able to do...so watching him judge NAV Canada or just troll is pretty funny.

Left of Track...more troll food for you here.

Any potential controller that signs on the dotted line with NAV Canada knows the score when they sign on. As has been mentioned...NAV Canada hires regionally now aswell...so if you apply in Ontario you won't get posted to Gander. You can put in requests as to where you would like to go within a region...BUT you will be posted on staff need (I am sure you would appreciate that in places like Winnipeg or Vancouver...or do you not think they need bodies?).
A pilot critiquing how air traffic control hires and places people is pretty funny on avcanada, with numerous threads about the TFW program, Sunwing, the race to the bottom, terms and conditions, building hours etc etc. We seem to have our s*** together better than your profession...which is pretty embarassing really given that we are only talking on the radio. I would worry more about that than us.
---------- ADS -----------
 
Post Reply

Return to “ATS Question Forum”