Right now the FAA is only hiring veterans, or people who attend CTI schools where you can earn an air traffic control degree or other aviation degree that will prepare you for air traffic control. The only schools they take people from are here on this link.
http://www.stuckmic.com/cti-schools/ Also, contrary to what the other user said, you do NOT need a pilot's license to be or to apply to be an air traffic controller. Also if you do want to tour a facility, there are numbers to every FAA facility listed on the website of the link I posted too. All you have to do is call and say you want a tour, who you are and when you want to go. They are really accommodating and the people who give the tours are usually the ATM's or supervisors. Once you graduate from one of these schools they give you a code to apply for a job. Then once you apply you have to wait for the selection panels. Panels are usually 2-4 times a year, and they have thousands of applicants waiting to be hired, with hundreds more added each panel. They only take a couple/few hundred each panel and that is with CTI grads, and vets combined. Some people have waited 4 or more panels which translates into about 4 years after graduation and some are lucky enough to be picked up their first panel. It all depends what 2 states you put down on your app. since that is the most you are allowed to put down. You do NOT get to pick what facility, they tell you where you're going and it's usually a less busy facility to start out at, and then you can usually transfer if you want and if they have enough ppl to let you transfer after a couple years or so. The hiring is really pretty random. Everyone has to take the AT-SAT test which is a pre-employment aptitude test to predict how good of a controller you might be. 85 or higher is considered well qualified, and below that is qualified. Thats all they see on your application is a Q, or WQ not the score. So someone who got 100 looks the same as an 85. Some ppl have had pilot's licenses, been flight instructors, interned at facilities, and had 100 and have had someone else with just a degree and who scored a 75 on the test be picked up before them, it really is random like I said. Once selected which is averaging about 2.5 years right now after graduation you have to get your clearance done (psych, med, security) and that can take 6 months to a year. Then you have to wait for an opening at the facility you get hired at to open which can take a few more months to another year and then down to oklahoma city to the FAA Academy to train for 4 months, then straight to your facility from there. This process is the same for every new controller. So the total wait time to get to your facility from graduation is anywhere from 2-5 plus years depending on what states you put down and the luck of the draw in the selection panel. They actually just had a selection panel wrap up this last week, with the next one scheduled for october.
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