Air traffic controller

Is a career in aviation on your radar? Air traffic controllers guide pilots through taking off and landing at airports. You'll help them fly safely, deal with the weather and avoid other aircraft.

You'll give clear instructions to pilots, making sure that aircraft flying through UK airspace are kept a safe distance from one another.

There are three specific roles you could do within air traffic control:

1. Area controller. You'll be based in a regional control centre where you'll track and guide aircraft safely through your sector.

2. Approach controller. You'll manage aircraft as they get close to the airport and arrange them into the correct landing order.

3. Aerodrome controller. You'll work from a control tower and give pilots instructions for landing as they descend. You could also have ground control duties. For example, you may direct an aircraft on the runway after landing and before take-off.

An air traffic controller must concentrate at all times. You'll receive lots of information that you need to interpret quickly.

Your tasks might include:

• maintaining safe distances between aircraft in all phases of flight

• monitoring radars, using surveillance tools and issuing clear instructions to prevent collisions

• giving pilots take-off, landing and taxi instructions

• alerting pilots about altitude, speed and route changes while they're in the air

• coordinating the flow of air traffic through controlled airspace

• directing aircraft on taxiways and runways at airports

• responding to emergency distress calls – working under pressure to help the aircraft land safely

• National Air Traffic Services (NATS) – learn how to train as an air traffic controller

• Careers in Aerospace – check out this guide to aerospace and aviation opportunities