Air Corps (Air Traffic Controller) Cadetship

SECTION 1

CONDITIONS GOVERNING THE AWARD OF

CADETSHIPS IN THE PERMANENT DEFENCE FORCE (AIR CORPS)

1.     GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS

To qualify for the award of a Cadetship, a candidate shall:

a.               at the time of application be-

(i)               a citizen of the State,

or

be any other person who has a lawful entitlement to reside and work within the State for the period of enlistment required for the course of training as a cadet and, if subsequently commissioned as an officer, for the additional period that is required for the purpose of any such appointment.

(ii) Be of good character and satisfy any security clearance requirement.

b.               Be 18 years of age or aboveand under 39 years of age on the closing date for applications i.e., 08 March 2026.

2.     MINIMUM EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

a.           AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL OFFICER CADETSHIPS (AIR CORPS)

School Leaver/Non-Graduate Candidates

Must possessa minimum of Grade H5 in 3 Higher Level papers, and Grade O6 in 3 Ordinary level papers or Grade H7 in 3 Higher level papers.

Candidates must have obtained these grades in a single sitting of the Leaving Certificate examination for CAO computation purposes.

AND

A candidate’s educational qualifications must include a minimum of Grade O6 at Ordinary Level or Grade H7 at Higher Level in the following subjects:

(i)               Mathematics

(ii) Irish. NUI matriculation exemptions apply.

(iii) English. Candidates whose first language is not English must satisfy the English language requirements in accordance with NUI Matriculations Regulations.

Subject to meeting the criteria to have obtaineda minimum of Grade H5 in 3 Higher Level papers and Grade O6 in 3 Ordinary level papers or Grade H7 in 3 Higher level papers, a candidate may use the results of another sitting of the Leaving Certificate for the minimum educational requirements in (i) to (iii) above.

Graduate Candidates must have successfully completed a bachelor’s degree programme at Level 8 of the National Framework of Qualifications.

PLEASE NOTE:

·       Leaving Certificate Applied does not qualify for the Cadetship competitions.

·       Where applicable, applications for Cadetships are invited from persons who have applied to sit for examinations in the competition year, which would enable them to satisfy the Minimum Educational Qualifications criteria, as specified above. Original documentary evidence that a candidate meets the minimum educational qualifications, as outlined above, must be presented to the relevant Interview Board Secretary. Applicants will be notified of a date via email when this evidence must be provided by.

·       Candidates must provide documentary proof from the National University of Ireland, at Stage 1 of the selection procedure, for any educational exemptions. Further information is available on www.nui.ie

·       To be eligible to apply for a Cadetship, holders of European and International qualifications must satisfy the Matriculation Registration requirements as outlined in the current “NUI Matriculation Regulations available on www.nui.ie

·       The equivalent grades required for those candidates who sat the Leaving Certificate Examination prior to 2017 can be found at Annex E.

3.     MEDICAL AND PHYSICAL STANDARDS

Candidates must be in good mental and bodily health and free from any physical defect, abnormality, physiological condition or history of serious illness likely to interfere with the efficient performance of their duties.  See Annex C and D (Laser Eye Surgery and Fitness Testing)

Air Traffic Control candidates are required to pass an Initial Class 3 aero-medical examination, the medical requirements for which are set out in Annex IV (Part ATCO.MED) of Regulation (EU) 2015/340.

In addition, the following are the minimum physical requirements:

a.               Height

A candidates’ height will be determined at the Medical Examination – see Para. 8. Weight and chest measurements must be in keeping with height and age.

Min. height: 157.48cm.

Note: BMI will be determined at Stage 2, the Assessment Phase of the competition

b.               Vision

Colour vision must be normal. Both eyes must be free from disfiguring or incapacitating abnormality and free from acute or chronic disease. There must be no evidence of squint or latent squint.

The eligibility of applicants who have had previous incisional or laser treatment to correct visual acuity will be determined at the Medical Examination. Please see Annex C for further information

Vision with or without optical correction, shall be 6/9 or better in each eye separately, and visual acuity with both eyes shall be 6/6 or better.

c.                Dental

Candidates must be free from any serious periodontal disease and possess teeth to a specific standard, which is not less than the equivalent of eleven over eleven natural teeth functionally opposed. In certain circumstances, artificial teeth may be acceptable.

d.               Hearing

A good standard of unaided hearing is essential. Candidates will be required to undergo an audiometric test at which:

i.       The sum of the hearing threshold at 1,2,3, 4 and 6 kHz should not exceed the age and gender related warning levels contained in the "Guidelines on Hearing Checks and Audiometry Regulations 2007", issued by the Health and Safety Authority.

ii.        Candidates under 25 years of age must be able to hear all measured pure tones up to and including 8 kHz at 20dB in each ear. Candidates aged 25 and older must be able to hear all measured pure tones up to and including 8 kHz at 25dB in each ear. Candidates must also be free from acute or chronic ear disorders.

Candidates are advised to avoid all sources of loud noise or music for a period of 48 hours prior to this audiometric test, as exposure to such noise may adversely affect the results of the test.

N.B. Candidates must satisfy the appropriate medical and physical standards and requirements as outlined above to remain in the Competition. In addition, successful Candidates will be required to undertake compulsory random drug testing throughout their career in the Defence Forces in accordance with Defence Force Regulation A7.

4.     APPLICATION FOR CADETSHIP

Candidates must apply online at www.military.ie .Candidates wishing to undertake the assessments through Irish must make this request known to the Defence Forces Recruitment Section atrecruitment@defenceforces.ie

All correspondence with candidates will be done by e-mail for the duration of the competition. Candidates should ensure the e-mail address given is accurate and correct.

Each application is acknowledged automatically by the system within 24 hours. If an acknowledgement is not received within 48 hours of applying, candidates should immediately contact the Defence Forces Recruitment Section at 045 492553 or atrecruitment@defenceforces.ie

Likewise, if an applicant’s email address should change, the onus is on the applicant to contact the Defence Forces Recruitment Section immediately advising them of the change of email.

Serving members of the PDF will be required to include their Service Number on the application form.

All Candidates who are invited to attend for the Assessment Phase of the competition, as outlined under Selection Procedure below, will be required to bring valid identification, i.e. Passport or Driving Licence as proof of identity.

In addition, graduate candidates and candidates who have sat their Leaving Certificate examination prior to 2024 will be required to bring original documentary evidence that they meet the minimum educational qualifications, as outlined above.

Candidates called to Stage 4 - the Interview - will be required to bring their long form Birth Certificate (Photocopies are not acceptable).

5.     SELECTION PROCEDURE - AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL OFFICER CADETSHIPS (AIR CORPS)

The following competencies have been identified as being essential for an Air Corps (Air Traffic Controller) Cadet. These competencies will be assessed throughout the various stages of the competition.

Competency

What the candidate will have to display

Planning and Organising

The ability to plan, prioritise and organise people and other resources.

Decision Making and Problem Solving

An ability to carefully analyse problems, in order to generate appropriate solutions. A preparedness to stand by a decision and to accept responsibility for its consequences.

Information Handling

The aptitude for absorbing information; to be able to identify relevant information.

Working with Others

An aptitude for working within a team environment; to be supportive of others.

Communication

Clear, concise and effective communication skills.

Leadership and Supervising

The ability and motivation to take responsibility for others; to co-ordinate and to delegate to others.

Personal Motivation and Discipline

A commitment to the Air Corps as a career. An ability to act on own initiative.

High Stress Tolerance

The ability to think and act under pressure, to be emotionally stable.

Resilience

Calmness when faced with conflicting demands and when working under pressure.

Physical Capacity

To meet the standards set for the Air Corps Cadet.

Technical Aptitude

The ability to absorb technical knowledge, a preference for the technical sphere of career development.

Maturity

Common sense for his/her age, the social maturity to sustain studies and absence from home.

Candidates, if selected, will be required to attend for the various stages of the selection procedure on the dates and times as notified by email. Candidates who fail to attend for any stage of the selection procedure will be disqualified from participation in any further stages of that competition.

Stage 1 – Online Psychometric Testing

Stage 1 of the selection procedure involves tests that measure a range of skills and qualities that are necessary in the job. These tests provide a consistent and suitable way of screening candidates at the initial stage of the selection campaign. These tests are designed to identify the most suitable people to go forward to the next stage of the Cadetship Competition. The tests have been designed so that they are fair to all applicants and are objectively scored.

Candidates will be required to complete an unsupervised psychometric test online within the timeframe specified by the Defence Forces. Candidates will be supplied with psychometric test familiarisation material to introduce them to the format of the tests.

Candidates who have attained the requisite score in the unsupervised online psychometric test, at Stage 1 will be required to attend for a subsequent supervised online psychometric test at Stage 2. If a candidate’s performance at a supervised test is outside the expected scoring range from their unsupervised test at Stage 1, they may be excluded from subsequent stages of the selection process.

Candidates should pay particular attention to ensuring that the contact details specified on their application are correct.

Note: If a candidate fails to meet the minimum standard at Stage 1, they will not be permitted to proceed to the next stage of the competition.

Stage 2 – Military And Air Traffic Controller Assessments

Air Corps (Air Traffic Controller) Cadetship candidates who have attained the requisite score at Stage 1 of the competition, will be required to attend for Military and Air Traffic Controller Assessments as part of the Competition.

The Military Assessment will consist of the following:

·       Physical Fitness Test: To qualify for a Cadetship, candidates will be required to undergo a physical fitness test, which is designed to assess their potential to undergo the rigours of military training. Candidates must attain the minimum standard laid down to proceed in the competition (See Annex ‘D’ for details of the test and suggested training programme). Candidates’ weight and height will be determined at this stage. Candidates must conform to the height and weight requirements to proceed in the competition. To reiterate, the physical fitness test is a prerequisite, and if a candidate fails the test i.e. receives a Red grading standard, they will not be permitted to proceed to the next stage of the assessment.

·       Group Assessment: Candidates will be required to participate in a group assessment.

The Air Traffic Controller Assessment: The aviation assessment for Air Traffic Controller candidates consists of specific computer-based psychometric tests which are supervised. Candidates will be supplied with test familiarisation material to introduce them to the format of the tests.

These tests comprise of two parts.

Part 1: FEAST Test (First European Air Traffic Controller Selection Test) – duration 2hrs 20mins. 

The Test Battery consists of a set of tests, which examine a candidate's ability with regard to a number of items including the following:

·        Heading and Range Test

·        English Listening and Comprehension

·        Planning Ability

·        Sort Task

·        Alertness in Simple and Multi-Tasking Situations Test

·        Visualisation Test

Part 2: DART Test (Dynamic ATC Radar Test) – duration 2hrs 10mins.

Applicants who obtain a sufficiently high standard on the Part 1 FEAST Test are called for Part 2 DART test, to be held later on the same day.

The DART Test is a computer-based aptitude test, aimed at measuring your multi-tasking abilities.  The test will require you to perform a number of different tasks at the same time like in the job of an Air Traffic Controller. The test is designed for beginners with no background in ATC.

Candidates who achieve a sufficiently high standard in the Part 2 DART Test may be called for a group interview/exercise.

Personality Questionnaire

All candidates will be required to complete a personality questionnaire during the Stage 2 Aviation Assessment phase, for subsequent psychological review.

Realistic Job Preview

This will involve candidates interacting with Cadets and/or Officers of the Air Corps. This realistic job preview is not assessed.

Note: If a candidate fails to meet the required standards of the Military or Aviation Assessments, they will not be permitted to proceed to the next stage of the competition.

Stage 3 – The Interview

Successful candidates will be invited to attend a competency based final interview during which they will be required to demonstrate competency in the following areas:

·       Maturity

·       Working with Others

·       Leadership and Supervising

·       Personal Motivation and Discipline

·       Planning and Organising

·       Communication

·       Resilience

·       Technical Aptitude

·       Decision Making and Problem Solving

In the competency-based interview, candidates will be asked to give examples from their own experiences of life, school, university, hobbies, work, pastimes, etc., to demonstrate evidence in several of the above areas. Candidates who fail any of the competencies at Final Interview will be deemed unsuccessful in the competition.

Feedback is available upon request. All requests for feedback must be received within 3 months of issuance of the individual’s result.

6.     Bonus Marks.

Candidates who are members of the Defence Forces and who satisfy the requirements at paragraph 11(a) or 11(b) of these conditions will receive a % bonus mark of the total marks for the final interview. These bonus marks are as follows:

Serving NCO in the Permanent Defence Force 8%

Serving Private in the Permanent Defence Force 6%

Serving Officer or NCO in the Reserve Defence Force 3%

Serving Private in the Reserve Defence Force 2%

EU Regulation 2023/893 amending regulation replaced Aerodrome Control Instrument (ADI) with Aerodrome Control (ADC). The ATC Cadet syllabus uses the term ADC.

The process of awarding bonus marks may be subject to review in advance of future Cadet Competitions.

7.     PROVISIONS FOR CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE DEFENCE FORCES

The following personnel of the Defence Forces will be eligible for the award of additional marks as specified in paragraph 6 of these conditions:

a. Members of the Permanent Defence Force who are serving on the date of commencement of interviews by the Final Interview Board.

Note: Before entering upon the prescribed course of Cadet training successful candidates who are Non-Commissioned Officers of the Permanent Defence Force will revert to the rank of Private Three Star.

b. Members of the Army Reserve or the Naval Service Reserve who have been on the effective strength of their Units from 1 January, of the year previous to the competition year, and who continue to remain on such effective strength up to the date of commencement of interviews by the Final Interview Board, and who have Completed a course(s) of training or instruction amounting to a minimum total period of fourteen days, as prescribed in paragraph 40 of Defence Force Regulations R.5.

Note: Successful candidates who are members of the Army Reserve (AR) or Naval Service Reserve (NSR) must, before entering upon the prescribed course of Cadet training, tender the resignation of their commissions if they are Officers or be discharged from the AR or NSR if they are Non-Commissioned personnel.

8.     Employee Vetting by An Garda Síochána.

Candidates who are invited to attend before an Interview Board will be required to complete and sign a Garda Vetting Application Form. This will, pursuant to the Data Protection Act of 2018, authorise An Garda Síochána to furnish to the Military Authorities, a statement that there are no convictions recorded against the candidate or, if applicable, a statement of convictions.

9.     Medical and Physical Examinations

A panel will be formed from Candidates who are successful at interview. Candidates on this panel will be required to undergo and pass a detailed medical examination, which includes at a minimum: an audiometric test and pulmonary function tests, blood tests, an electrocardiograph, full ophthalmology review and chest X-ray.

Candidates who do not pass the medical examination owing to a medical condition that, in the opinion of the Examining Medical Officer, is capable of being remedied by treatment, may be afforded the opportunity of having the condition rectified within one week of their examination at their own expense. Such candidates will be required to submit medical evidence indicating that the condition has been remedied. They may be required to undergo further medical examination, by another Medical Officer. Medical fitness will not be confirmed until the results of all tests are available to the Medical Officer.

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