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Air traffic controller: Typical employers/vacancy sources

Typical employers

The National Air Traffic Services (NATS) is the main employer of air traffic controllers. NATS is a public-private partnership between:

• the government (who own 49% and the 'golden share')
• the Airline Group, a group consisting of seven major UK airlines (who own 42%)
• the British Airports Authority (BAA) (who own 4%)
• and the staff (who own the remainder).

NATS currently provides air traffic control services to more than two million flights a year in UK airspace and part of the north Atlantic. They provide these services from area control centres and at 14 of the larger airports. However, NATS must tender for business and some of the smaller, regional airports use other organisations for this service. SERCO are a large employer of controllers internationally.

Some controllers are employed directly by regional airports or work for other privately owned air traffic control service companies.

EUROCONTROL: European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation is the air traffic control organisation covering the Benelux countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg) and is based in Belgium. EUROCONTROL operates in English and may recruit British air traffic controllers.

Sources of vacancies

Search graduate jobs on this site.

• Flight International
• National Air Traffic Services (NATS)
• ATC Global
• national press.

NATS have started to attend some university careers fairs.

Recruitment agencies rarely handle vacancies.

See also job hunting tips and applications, CVs and interviews.

AGCAS

Written by Andrew Whitmore, University of Manchester

Last updated:

March 2008

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