Air traffic controllers and related occupations
Career Overview
Air traffic control and related occupations:
- Direct air traffic within assigned airspace, and control moving aircraft and service vehicles at airports
- Authorize airline flights over assigned routes
- Provide pilots with flight information essential to aviation safety
- Work for NAV Canada , the armed forces and airline and air services companies
Job Titles
Duties
Air traffic controllers:
- Control flow of air traffic within assigned airspace using radar monitors, radio and other communication equipment and visual references
- Issue aircraft takeoff and landing instructions to pilots, and relay meteorological, navigational and other information to pilots in flight
- Keep radio and telephone contact with nearby control towers, terminal control units and other area control centres, and co-ordinate movement of aircraft into adjoining areas
- Alert airport emergency services when aircraft are experiencing difficulties and report missing aircraft to search and rescue services
- Direct activities of all moving aircraft and service vehicles on or near airport runways
Flight dispatchers:
- Analyze environmental conditions and assess aircraft for load and fuel capacity, and other factors to determine flight routes
- Brief flight crew before takeoff on weather conditions, status of navigational facilities and airports en route
- Co-sign flight authorization with aircraft captain
- Monitor progress of flight and communicate as required with aircraft during flight
- Delay or cancel flights if necessary
- Prepare and maintain flight plans, flight logs and other reports
Flight service specialists:
- Provide pre-flight information concerning current and forecast weather conditions, radio frequencies, terrain, airports and related data to assist pilots in preparation of flight plans
- Check flight plans for completeness and accuracy, and forward flight plans to air traffic services facility
- Respond to radio calls from aircraft preparing for takeoff or landing, and supply information such as weather conditions, wind speed and direction, and presence of local air traffic
- Help air traffic control operations by relaying radio requests for flight clearances, arrival and departure information, and position reports
- Alert airport emergency services of aircraft experiencing difficulties and start communication searches when aircraft become overdue
- Observe, record and report weather conditions at airports
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
670% Employed Full Time
81%Work in this occupation is typically performed in a structured environment, such as an office.
Career Pathways
Air traffic controllers with experience and appropriate NAV Canada endorsements may move to units with higher volumes of air traffic.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
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For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- Completion of secondary school is required
- A basic radio telephone operator's licence is required
- Air traffic controllers and flight service specialists require completion of a NAV Canada training program which includes structured in-class and on-the-job training
- Air traffic controllers require an air traffic controller's licence
- Flight dispatchers may require experience in air traffic control or flight operations and may require a private pilot's licence
Education programs in B.C.
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
670Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 20 | 3.0% |
| Kootenay | 20 | 3.0% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 390 | 57.8% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 15 | 2.2% |
| Northeast | 15 | 2.2% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 90 | 13.3% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 115 | 17.0% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
450Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 10 | 0.8% |
| Kootenay | 10 | -0.2% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 290 | 1.2% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 20 | 2.4% |
| Northeast | 10 | -0.1% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 40 | 0.6% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 60 | 1.2% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | 420 |
| Public Administration | 20 |
| Educational Services | 10 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.
