Application to the Population Office for an unlimited ‘J’ Category Licence to be granted for the post of Air Traffic Control Officer

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A decision made (25/10/2007) regarding: Application to the Population Office for an unlimited ‘J’ Category Licence to be granted for the post of Air Traffic Control Officer – Jersey Airport.

Subject:	Application to the Population Office for an unlimited ‘J’ Category Licence to be granted for the post of Air Traffic Control Officer – Jersey Airport
Decision Reference:	MD-E-2007-0202		Exempt clause(s):	N/A
Type of Report: (oral or written)	Written		Person Giving Report (if oral):
Telephone or e-mail Meeting?			Report File ref:
Written report – Title	Report to the Assistant Minister, Economic Development, Deputy Alan Maclean to request an unlimited ‘J’ Cat appointment for the post of Air Traffic Control Officer.
Written report – Author (name and job title)	Denise Drieu, Senior HR Manager, Chief Ministers Department.
Decision(s): The Assistant Minister endorsed the proposal to secure the required approvals to enable the appointment of a second suitably qualified, experienced and skilled person from outside the Island under the auspices of the Housing (General Provisions)(Jersey) Regulations 1979, Regulation 1 (1(j)) for the post of Air Traffic Control Officer. On the basis of an unlimited ‘J’ category housing licence. The Assistant Minister recommended that in the event that any appropriately qualified and experienced local applicants should apply they will be considered for appointment prior to considering any UK applications.
Reason(s) for decision: Due to unforeseen resignations, recent and pending retirements and the high failure rate among Trainee Air Traffic Control Officers the Department require a second experienced Officer to be appointed to sustain operations and ensure the appropriate experience and manning level to maintain their licence to operate. This is a specialist role and it is unlikely that any applicants will be found locally and the department is not currently in the position where it can risk taking on only trainees due to the high failure rate of trainees and the urgent need for experienced officers. Evidence shows that it is difficult to recruit to this specialist post from the UK on a short term contract basis. Due to the demographics of the department and impending retirements there is a need to recruit a second experienced ATCO on a permanent basis to maintain experience levels over the coming years. Jersey Airport has a good track record in recruiting Jersey trainees to this post and will continue to do so as part of their on gong succession planning for the department; however the current high failure rate of the Island trainees has meant that the number of trained personnel has reached a critically low level which can only be rectified by employing an experienced ATCO who will require minimum training.
Action required: The Assistant Minister Economic Development makes an application to the Population Office for consideration by the Minister for Housing of the grant of an unlimited ‘J’ category housing licence for the post of Air Traffic Control Officer, under the auspices of the Housing ( General Provisions) (Jersey) Regulations 1970, Regulation 1 (1) j ; Jersey Airport will undertake to advertise the post simultaneously locally and in the UK but will consider all local applicants in the first instance before considering UK applicants for appointment.
Signature: Deputy Alan Maclean Assistant Minister Economic Development		Date of Decision: 25 October 2007