RAF Air Operations Control Officer - Full Time Career with Apprenticeship

Royal Air Force

London (WC1N 1NP)

Closes in 23 days (Friday 1 August 2025)

Posted on 7 August 2024

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Summary

A unique opportunity to complete an apprenticeship as a RAF Air Operations Control Officer, 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 35 places available across the year, Apply today!

Wage

£33,100 a year

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Pay after 3 years service and promotion to the rank of Flt Lt - £50,500

Training course
Air traffic controller (level 5)
Hours
Days and shifts to be confirmed on assignment to your first station after training.

48 hours a week

Start date

Saturday 2 August 2025

Duration

3 years

Positions available

35

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

The specialisation of Air Operations Control Officer is part of the Air & Space Ops Profession within the RAF, which also includes Air Operations Systems Officer, Air Traffic & Weapons Controller, Air and Space Operations Specialists, Air Cartographers and Firefighters.

The Air Operations (Control) is a diverse, exciting and complex employment area which directs and supports operations both in the UK and around the world. The three key employment areas are Terminal Air Traffic Control (providing an ATC service at an airfield), Area Control (working alongside civilian air traffic controllers at the UK’s Air Traffic Control Centre at Swanwick) and finally as a Weapons Controller (direct fast jet aircraft to intercept potentially hostile aircraft that threaten the integrity of UK Airspace).

As a member of the Royal Air Force, you could find yourself operating from a field, a bunker, a building, a tent, from the back of a plane or even an aircraft carrier. Regardless, you will be part of a varied and stimulating organisation which offers an excellent career and worldwide employment opportunities that is at the heart of the RAF’s flying output.

There are three key employment areas you could find yourself working in:

  • Terminal Air Traffic Control providing Air Traffic Control services to aircraft operating at or near RAF stations around the world. 
  • Weapons Control where you’ll direct and control fast jet aircraft to intercept potentially hostile aircraft that threaten UK Airspace or in complex air-to-air exercises.
  • Area Control working alongside civilian air traffic controllers at the UK’s Air Traffic Control Centre at Swanwick where you will control military aircraft across the country by radar.

You will be able to set preferences for the location and type of employment you would like to undertake and there is also the opportunity to undertake roles outside of your specialisation.

Within your first few years, you will get the opportunity to deploy overseas in support of the RAF’s mission.

Where you'll work

London
WC1N 1NP

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

ROYAL AIR FORCE

Your training course

Air traffic controller (level 5)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • 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

Your training plan

Level 5 Air Traffic Controller

You will complete a challenging course designed to develop your strength, fitness, leadership and academic skills through a number of indoor and outdoor exercises across the UK.

Module 1 – Military Skills where you will learn the basics of being part of the RAF

Module 2 – Development 1: Know yourself to lead others 

Module 3 – Development 2: Line management & command 

Module 4 – Consolidation (Summative assessment & graduation)

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.

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)

A Level or equivalent in:

  • any (grade C or above)
  • any (grade C 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
  • Logical
  • 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.

https://recruitment.raf.mod.uk/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

  • You will join the RAF as an Officer 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.
  • Promotion to the rank of Sqn Ldr and beyond is dependent on successful completion of the Air Traffic Control apprenticeship and then on merit by competitive selection
  • As you advance through the ranks, you will have the increased opportunity to lead and direct people, managing resources and workforce within your area of work to deliver the required outputs whilst maintaining and instilling the highest standards expected within the RAF

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

ROYAL AIR FORCE

0345 6055555

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000269986.

Apply now

Closes in 23 days (Friday 1 August 2025)

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.

Company’s application instructions

You'll be directed through to the RAF Recruitment Website where more detail on the role is available. We have positions available for this role throughout the year and the process can take a few months. Once you have completed an application you will be invited to complete an aptitude assessment, selection interview, health assessment and a fitness test. More details of the requirement can be found at the application link.