Skip to main content

Tell us whether you accept cookies

We use cookies to collect information about how you use this service. We use this information to make the service work as well as possible and improve this service.

Set cookie preferences

You've accepted all cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

Find apprenticeship training for your apprentice

Beta This is a new service – your feedback will help us to improve it.

  1. Home
  2. Apprenticeship training courses
View shortlist
Apprenticeship training course

Air traffic controller (level 5)

Directing aircraft on the ground and through controlled airspace.

Qualification level
5
Equivalent to higher national diploma (HND).
Typical duration
15 months
Apprenticeship category
Transport and logistics
Maximum funding
£27,000
Maximum amount government will fund
for apprenticeship training.
Also known as
  • Civil Aerodrome Controller
  • Civil Approach Controller
  • Civil Approach Procedural Controller
  • Civil Area/ Terminal Controller
  • Military Area Radar Controller
  • Military Terminal Aerodrome Controller
  • Military Terminal Radar Controller
  • Military Weapons Controller
Skills
Skills an apprentice will learn
  • Safety: Comply with Health & Safety obligations as an employee and as an air traffic controller
  • Safety: Escalate safety concerns through the appropriate channels
  • Security: Manage aviation security in own area of operations following organisational procedures to report and react to any breach
  • Planning: Manage planning, problem solving and decision making using knowledge, experience and evolving information. Manage the use and update of situational data displays
  • Planning: Maintain spatial awareness within the designated area of control
  • Compliance & Legislation: Manage compliance with legislation, aviation procedures and regulations within own area of responsibility
  • Communication: Manage communication with users, staff and external agencies, selecting appropriate methods and language
  • Communication: Use correct terminology, context and tools and maintain a safe and effective operation
  • Communication: direct the movement of aircraft
  • Communication: pass effective and pertinent information to aircraft
  • Communication: maintain radio and radar contact with aircraft
  • Teamworking & Resource Management: Safely takeover and handover control of the operational position at the start and end of an allocated period of air traffic control
  • Teamworking & Resource Management: Assess and respond effectively to light levels of traffic volume and complexity
  • Teamworking & Resource Management: Effectively manage difficult and challenging situations and people
  • Teamworking & Resource Management: Effectively manage working relationships and interactions between differing types of controllers situated at the same and differing sites (domestic and international)
  • Teamworking & Resource Management: Cooperate effectively with other parties to achieve appropriate environmental protections
  • Air Traffic Operations: Effectively Manage Air Traffic using understanding of appropriate theory, experience and current operating directives
  • Service Level Agreements: Manage team and facilities to deliver results according to agreed levels of performance
  • Personal Effectiveness: Undertake responsibilities and accountabilities
  • Personal Effectiveness: Maintain resilience, effectiveness and operational safety when a plan is not followed
  • Personal Effectiveness: Acknowledge and react positively to any errors identified
  • Personal Effectiveness: Recognise and respond appropriately to fatigue. Take responsibility for personal medical fitness to not endanger airspace users when personal effectiveness may be reduced
  • O1: Demonstrate sufficient knowledge and understanding through a variety of assessments and examinations
  • O1: Demonstrate practical capability as an Area/ Terminal air traffic controller to the defined assessment standard and level
  • O2: Demonstrate sufficient knowledge and understanding through a variety of assessments and examinations
  • O2: Demonstrate practical capability as an Approach controller to the defined assessment standard and level
  • O3: Demonstrate sufficient knowledge and understanding through a variety of assessments and examinations
  • O3: Demonstrate practical capability as an Approach Procedural controller to the defined assessment standard and level
  • O4: Demonstrate sufficient knowledge and understanding through a variety of assessments and examinations
  • O4: Demonstrate practical capability as an Aerodrome controller to the defined assessment standard and level
  • O5: Demonstrate sufficient knowledge and understanding through a variety of assessments and examinations
  • O5: Demonstrate practical capability as a Military Weapons Controller to the defined assessment standard and level
  • O6: Demonstrate sufficient knowledge and understanding through a variety of assessments and examinations
  • O6: Demonstrate practical capability as a Military Area Radar Controller to the defined assessment standard and leve
  • O7: Demonstrate sufficient knowledge and understanding through a variety of assessments and examinations
  • O7: Demonstrate practical capability as a Military Terminal Radar Controller to the defined assessment standard and level
  • O8: Demonstrate sufficient knowledge and understanding through a variety of assessments and examinations
  • O8: Demonstrate practical capability as a Military Terminal Aerodrome Controller to the defined assessment standard and level

Full information on Air traffic controller (level 5) is available from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.

Find training providers for this course

Apprenticeship location

Check if a provider can offer this training for the apprenticeship location.

Back to top View shortlist