RAF Air Traffic & Weapons Controller - Full Time Career with Apprenticeship
Royal Air Force
Plymouth, PL1 2SW
Closes in 5 days (Thursday 1 August)
Posted on 12 April 2024
Contents
Summary
A unique opportunity to complete an apprenticeship as a RAF Air Traffic & Weapons Controller, with an Ofsted outstanding training provider. You'll be working with some of the most advanced technology and aircraft in the world and play a key part in the UKs defence. With over 50 places available across the year, Apply today!
- Annual wage
-
£21,091 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
The pay may be negotiated and may rise after a probation period has been successfully completed.
- Training course
- Air traffic controller (level 5)
- Hours
-
Shifts to be confirmed on assignment to your first station after training.
48 hours a week
- Possible start date
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Sunday 1 September
- Duration
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3 Years
- Positions available
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50
Work
As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.
What you’ll do at work
Level 5 Air Traffic Controller
On successful completion of the application and selection process, your apprenticeship will start with a 10-week Basic Recruit Training Course (BRTC) at RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire. The course is designed to help you adjust to a military environment. As well as fitness and military training, you’ll also learn about the RAF lifestyle.
Following the Basic Recruit Training Course, prospective Sergeants will complete the Direct Entrant Senior Non-Commissioned Officer (DE SNCO) Course at the Aviator Command Squadron (ACS) at RAF Halton. This 8-week training programme will develop the student's knowledge of leadership within the RAF and increase their understanding of their management responsibilities as Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCOs). The course includes Air Power academic study, Practical Leadership Exercises, an Appraisal Workshop, Interview Techniques and Fitness Development. At the end of the course, students are promoted to Acting Sergeant.
Specialist training is delivered at the Defence College of Air and Space Operations at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire and subsequently for Weapons Controllers at RAF Boulmer in Northumberland.
This training starts with a Foundation Module and is completed alongside Air Operations (Systems) Officers, Air Ops (Control) Officers and Air Traffic & Weapons Controllers. Following successful completion, you will be assigned to a specialist module in one of the core specialisations: Terminal (Airfield) ATC or Weapons Control. Prospective Weapons Controllers will carry out the last part of their training at RAF Boulmer in Northumberland.
You could return at a later date to complete a short conversion course to allow you to undertake roles in the other core areas including Area Radar control.
Where you’ll work
Plymouth
PL1 2SW
Training
An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.
College or training organisation
ROYAL AIR FORCE
Your training course
Air traffic controller (level 5)
Equal to higher national diploma (HND)
Course contents
Your training plan
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE or equivalent in:
- any (grade C/4 or above)
- any (grade C/4 or above)
- any (grade C/4 or above)
- English Language (grade C/4 or above)
- Mathematics (grade C/4 or above)
Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Team working
- Initiative
- Patience
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
The role is varied and, after training, you could be stationed across the UK and beyond.
About this company
The Royal Air Force work with our UK and international partners to watch the skies, respond to threats, prevent conflict, and provide assistance in an uncertain world. We provide all personnel with a varied range of training and activities to make sure you're ready for anything. A career in the Royal Air Force will provide you with a whole host of possibilities. You will receive world class training, allowing you to learn and develop throughout your career. We recruit throughout the year, so please ignore the closing and start dates.
After this apprenticeship
You will join the RAF as an aviator under an initial 12 year engagement. Following 4 years' service, you will be eligible to apply for an extension of service to complete a Pension Earning Engagement of 20 years' service or age 40, whichever is the later, during this time.
Entering as a direct entrant Sergeant, competitive promotion to Flight Sergeant is the next step in your career along with more supervisory controlling related roles. As an Air Traffic & Weapons Controller, you will spend most of your career carrying out your primary role as a controller, becoming a subject matter expert, heavily relied upon by your unit.
Throughout your career you may be selected for advancement to intermediate line management roles, responsible for supervising and guiding the Specialists within your team and ensuring their welfare and career management needs are met. You should expect operational deployments of up to 6 months to a range of locations worldwide, in addition to ad-hoc shorter detachments to locations such as Cyprus, Falkland Islands, Lithuania, Japan, Gibraltar, Canada, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and the USA.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
ROYAL AIR FORCE
0345 6055555
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000244034.
Apply now
Closes in 5 days (Thursday 1 August)
When you apply, you’ll be asked to sign in with a GOV.UK One Login. You can create one at the same time as applying for this apprenticeship.
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.