Trainee Air Traffic Controllers

24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year, our Air Traffic Controllers are the foundation of the aviation network and come from all walks of life.

Our Level 5 Apprenticeship Trainee Air Traffic Controller course requires no prior aviation experience and involves 1-2 years of training at one of our initial training organisations to embark on your journey towards gaining a Student Air Traffic Control licence.

After you achieve your Student Air Traffic Control licence, you’ll move to an operational unit to build real-world experience and continue training through to validation and your full Air Traffic Controller licence.

There’s no one thing that creates the perfect controller, but with the ambition, dedication and commitment to your training, an amazing career awaits!

What do Air Traffic Controllers do?

Our Air Traffic Controllers are a team of almost 1,800 highly trained individuals that work with pilots to help keep aircraft flying, passengers travelling, cargo moving and the skies above us safe.

There are three different types of Controllers:
Aerodrome (Tower), Area and Approach. Each of these are based in different locations and require different skill sets and responsibilities based on their roles.

Hear from our Controllers and Trainees as they talk about;

• the training programme,
• career opportunities,
• work-life balance,
• and the enjoyment that comes from being an Air Traffic Controller.

The path to becoming a Controller is not a quick and easy one. It takes time and commitment but the rewards at the end make it all worth while.

An overview of the steps you need to follow to qualify is laid out below.

Training at our Prestwick Centre Life in the College

Your journey starts in one of our training centres. We have centres in both Whiteley and Gloucestershire that are set up specifically to teach the skills needed to obtain a student air traffic controller license. During your time in the college, you’ll be part of a cohort of other Trainee Air Traffic Controllers, working alongside each other as you learn and develop your skills throughout the course.

It’s important to remember that although you’ll be training in the college, you will be embarking on a professional, paid position of employment, and that your behaviour can impact others, intentionally or unintentionally. We expect you to conduct yourself appropriately during your time in the college and during the path of your career.

Most college-based training is completed within a year to eighteen months, however the length of college-based training varies depending on a host of factors, including the specialism you take and how quickly you can complete different phases.

This training includes both theory-based sessions and practical training in our onsite Air Traffic Control Simulators. Your knowledge and experience is assessed regularly throughout the course, which contributes towards your eventual validation as a student air traffic controller.

Once you have gained your Student Air Traffic Control licence, you will be posted to an operational unit. Here, your hands-on training continues until you validate and are issued your full Air Traffic Controller licence, ready to play your critical part in advancing aviation and keeping the skies safe!

An Air Traffic Controller is a mobile grade. During your training, you’ll be stationed at one of our two training locations (NATS CTC, Whiteley, Hampshire or Global ATS, Gloucestershire airport, Cheltenham) where you’ll be attending a combination of practical and theory-based sessions in-person.

Once you have gained your Student Air Traffic Control licence, you will be posted to an operational unit where your hands-on training continues until you validate and are issued your full Air Traffic…