With every step forward I am more nervous...
Update... As many of you know, I am waiting patiently to hear from the FAA in reguards to Air Traffic Control. After two weeks of waiting patiently... or perhaps not so patiently, I called the HR phone number again. The information I was given is encouraging, but has actually made me more nervous then I was before.
In order to become an Air Traffic Controller there are numerous hurdles that one must cross. The first is just getting into the school. That one took me a year to clear. The second, third, and fourth were the do or die tests that you take during the 4 months of class. The last one I came so close to failing it was not even funny. Stupid test probably took 5 years off my life.
But this is still not the end. A security background check and medical check is also required. Now I am sure we can all agree that we feel safer knowing that the Air Traffic Controllers that direct our planes all have security clearances, but the medical still leaves me baffled. Why would an Air Traffic Controller need to be in better shape physically then the pilots? They didn't ask me, so I guess I'll keep that opinion to myself and be happy with the fact that I have pass both of those as well.
Next the submit my name to the main HR department who then distributes the names to the centers when there are positions to fill. Normally this is not a big deal, except just before I graudated a ATC hiring freeze went into effect. This means that no names have been submitted to the centers. Out of random luck I found out that one of my choices was given a waiver and through some scrambling on my part got my name on the list for California.
On Friday I was informed that my name was submitted to the center and I was being considered by them for a position somewhere in that region. The region, as I understand it, is made up of Guam, Hawaii, San Fran and LA. Personally I am hoping for LA and even more hopeful that Guam is not looking for ATC's at this moment.
So here I am, at the last hurdle, waiting patiently for the California center to call me... and am more nervous that this whole thing is not going to happen then I have been at any point up til now. Everyone keeps telling me not to worry, and I so appreciate their love and support... and if it were someone else I would be telling them the same thing. There is no way I could have come so far only to have the whole thing come apart now... and yet I am petrified that's exactly what's going to happen.
I guess the bottom line is.... I hate waiting.
In order to become an Air Traffic Controller there are numerous hurdles that one must cross. The first is just getting into the school. That one took me a year to clear. The second, third, and fourth were the do or die tests that you take during the 4 months of class. The last one I came so close to failing it was not even funny. Stupid test probably took 5 years off my life.
But this is still not the end. A security background check and medical check is also required. Now I am sure we can all agree that we feel safer knowing that the Air Traffic Controllers that direct our planes all have security clearances, but the medical still leaves me baffled. Why would an Air Traffic Controller need to be in better shape physically then the pilots? They didn't ask me, so I guess I'll keep that opinion to myself and be happy with the fact that I have pass both of those as well.
Next the submit my name to the main HR department who then distributes the names to the centers when there are positions to fill. Normally this is not a big deal, except just before I graudated a ATC hiring freeze went into effect. This means that no names have been submitted to the centers. Out of random luck I found out that one of my choices was given a waiver and through some scrambling on my part got my name on the list for California.
On Friday I was informed that my name was submitted to the center and I was being considered by them for a position somewhere in that region. The region, as I understand it, is made up of Guam, Hawaii, San Fran and LA. Personally I am hoping for LA and even more hopeful that Guam is not looking for ATC's at this moment.
So here I am, at the last hurdle, waiting patiently for the California center to call me... and am more nervous that this whole thing is not going to happen then I have been at any point up til now. Everyone keeps telling me not to worry, and I so appreciate their love and support... and if it were someone else I would be telling them the same thing. There is no way I could have come so far only to have the whole thing come apart now... and yet I am petrified that's exactly what's going to happen.
I guess the bottom line is.... I hate waiting.