Public safety and aviation tests: who sets each one, and what it really measures
These jobs are filled through tests set by national bodies, test publishers or each department, not by one employer. The table lists each role with its main test. The sections show what the tests have in common and where they differ sharply.
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The employers in this guide
Each row comes from that employer's own page on this site. 10 employers, checked November 2026. Stated means the employer says it. Candidates report means we found it only in candidate accounts.
| Employer | Who the page is for |
|---|---|
| Police constable (England and Wales) | The England and Wales sift has no maths: a judgement test and an 80-statement questionnaire. |
| Police officer (United States) | Three exams cover most US departments: PELLETB T-scores, the four-part NPOST and the video-based FrontLine. |
| Wholetime firefighter (UK) | Each service runs its own campaign, but the numbers test bans calculators and is about hose, water and time. |
| Firefighter (United States) | FireTEAM and the NFSI both test mechanical reasoning and reading; the CPAT is a separate physical test. |
| Correctional officer (United States) | Each state writes its own exam, yet California, Florida and NYC all test reading, English, math and memory. |
| 911 dispatcher (United States) | CritiCall is a menu of timed modules (typing, call summaries, maps), and each 911 center picks its own set. |
| Air traffic controller (FAA) | The FAA ATSA gives a band, not a score, and only Best or Well Qualified moves you on; apply before 31. |
| Trainee air traffic controller (UK) | NATS gives 14 days for proctored aptitude tests, then retests you under observation at the assessment centre. |
| Trainee train driver (Great Britain) | Every GB operator tests drivers under RSSB standard RIS-3751-TOM, which limits how many attempts you get. |
| Cadet pilot (UK and Europe) | Cadet schemes test maths first, then coordination and multitasking, which often decide selection. |
Who sets the test changes everything
In England and Wales, police recruits sit a national sift: the police constable page explains its judgement test and 80-statement questionnaire, with no maths at all. In the US, police written exams vary by state and department, with PELLETB, NPOST and FrontLine covering most. Correctional officer exams are written state by state.
Aviation is more centralised. The FAA's ATSA reports a band rather than a score. In the UK, NATS gives 14 days for proctored aptitude tests and retests you at the assessment centre. Every GB train operator tests trainee drivers to one industry standard.
Where they differ: multitasking, memory and mechanics
911 dispatcher testing through CritiCall is a menu of timed modules, including typing, call summaries and map reading, and each center chooses its own set. Cadet pilot selection adds coordination and multitasking, which often decide the outcome. US firefighter exams such as FireTEAM and the NFSI test mechanical reasoning.
These parts reward familiarity more than knowledge. If your invitation names a module, find its practice version and do it until the controls feel natural. For mechanical items, our mechanical aptitude test covers the principles.
Judgement and integrity tests
Many of these roles add situational judgement or behavioural questionnaires, because integrity and calm under pressure matter as much as reasoning. Answer as the service describes its values, and be consistent: these questionnaires usually include checks for exaggeration.
Physical tests, medicals and vetting come later and are separate. The US CPAT, for example, is a physical test, not part of the written exam.
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Employer pages in this guide
- Police constable (England and Wales) assessmentThe England and Wales sift has no maths: a judgement test and an 80-statement questionnaire.
- Police officer (United States) assessmentThree exams cover most US departments: PELLETB T-scores, the four-part NPOST and the video-based FrontLine.
- Wholetime firefighter (UK) assessmentEach service runs its own campaign, but the numbers test bans calculators and is about hose, water and time.
- Firefighter (United States) assessmentFireTEAM and the NFSI both test mechanical reasoning and reading; the CPAT is a separate physical test.
- Correctional officer (United States) assessmentEach state writes its own exam, yet California, Florida and NYC all test reading, English, math and memory.
- 911 dispatcher (United States) assessmentCritiCall is a menu of timed modules (typing, call summaries, maps), and each 911 center picks its own set.
- Air traffic controller (FAA) assessmentThe FAA ATSA gives a band, not a score, and only Best or Well Qualified moves you on; apply before 31.
- Trainee air traffic controller (UK) assessmentNATS gives 14 days for proctored aptitude tests, then retests you under observation at the assessment centre.
- Trainee train driver (Great Britain) assessmentEvery GB operator tests drivers under RSSB standard RIS-3751-TOM, which limits how many attempts you get.
- Cadet pilot (UK and Europe) assessmentCadet schemes test maths first, then coordination and multitasking, which often decide selection.
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LifeScore is not affiliated with any employer or test publisher named on this page. Names belong to their owners and appear only to describe published hiring processes. Pass marks and questions are not published by employers, and we do not claim to know them. Reviewed October 2026 by the LifeScore Editorial Team.