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Air Traffic Controllers

Also called: Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS), Air Traffic Controller (ATC), Certified Professional Controller (CPC), Enroute Air Traffic Controller (Enroute ATC)

What they do:

Control air traffic on and within vicinity of airport, and movement of air traffic between altitude sectors and control centers, according to established procedures and policies. Authorize, regulate, and control commercial airline flights according to government or company regulations to expedite and ensure flight safety.

On the job, you would:
  • Inform pilots about nearby planes or potentially hazardous conditions, such as weather, speed and direction of wind, or visibility problems.
  • Issue landing and take-off authorizations or instructions.
  • Transfer control of departing flights to traffic control centers and accept control of arriving flights.
On the job, you'll need:

Transportation

  • movement of people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Education and Training

  • teaching and course design

Safety and Government

  • public safety and security

Basic Skills

  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • talking to others

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

People and Technology Systems

  • thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
  • figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it

Attention

  • pay attention to something without being distracted
  • do two or more things at the same time

Visual Understanding

  • quickly know what you are looking at
  • see hidden patterns

Verbal

  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say

Ideas and Logic

  • notice when problems happen

Conventional

People interested in this work like activities that include data, detail, and regular routines.

  • Attention to Detail
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Dependability
  • Adaptability/Flexibility
  • Persistence
  • Achievement/Effort

Spreadsheet software

  • Microsoft Excel

Presentation software

  • Microsoft PowerPoint

Flight control software

  • Direct-to-tool software
  • Traffic management advisor TMA software

Video courtesy of CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for this position is Below Average.

New job opportunities are less likely in the future.

Median Annual Salary: $132,250

Education

High school diploma/GED or certificate after high school is usually needed.

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