Jobs and Careers Winter 2022/23 - 101

AVIATION
How much can I earn? Average salary of
around £25,000. You may also receive a
travel discount and other perks.
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER
Traffic controllers manage aircraft through
all aspects of the flight, in communication
with pilots. Some specialise in different
stages, such as approach controllers.
What skills and qualifications do I need?
Five GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C)
are mandatory, and a degree providing
numeracy and technical skills is a bonus.
Training takes a year through NATS
(formerly National Air Traffic Services),
which stipulates you need to be motivated,
conscientious and decisive. You'll need a
further two years' hands-on experience to
become fully qualified.
How much can I earn? Salaries start at
£18,000 plus expenses during training,
rising to £43,000 depending on location.
Senior controllers can earn more than
£100,000.
AIRLINE PILOT
You'll be flying passengers or cargo on
long or short-haul flights, in a team of two
or more pilots. Responsibilities include
carrying out pre-flight checks on navigation
and operating systems, communicating
with air traffic control, interpreting data
" I get to work with different people every
day, which I really love "
Ben Shepherd is cabin crew line trainer for easyJet
" I joined easyJet in 2006 as cabin crew at the Newcastle base.
I had always been interested in anything to do with flying,
especially the role of cabin crew, and easyJet was quickly
growing into a vibrant and rapidly expanding company, so
I wanted to be a part of that.
I then progressed to cabin manager, and then cabin crew line
trainer and now I work out of the Bristol base and am involved in the recruitment
of new cabin crew and pilots. I oversee all onboard activities of the cabin crew and
aim to provide the best possible customer experience by ensuring standards and
procedures are maintained.
I genuinely love what I do. Shift work can be tiring with the early starts and
late finishes, but you soon get used to it. It's helpful that our rotas allow enough time
to relax between shifts. I get to work with different people every day, which
I love, and by being aware of my team's skills and experience, I am able to support
and develop them so we can then provide the best possible flying experience for
our customers. As a company, easyJet is fast-paced and dynamic with endless
opportunities for progressive development - it's all about the orange spirit! "
from instruments and controls, monitoring
weather conditions and air traffic during
the flight, and briefing cabin crew.
What skills and qualifications do I need?
To begin training, you'll need a minimum
of five GCSEs and two A-levels, ideally
in maths and STEM subjects. A degree
in aviation technology or aviation
You must be propeate to work flexible and
unsociable hours, away from home
management may help, but isn't essential.
You must train for an airline transport pilot
licence (ATPL), with ongoing training to
maintain the licence. Some companies run
apprenticeship schemes for qualified pilots.
You must be prepared to work flexible and
often unsociable hours, and spend time
away from home.
How much can I earn? Starting salaries for
newly qualified pilots are around £24,000.
With experience this can increase to
£53,000 for a first officer or up to £121,000
for a captain at a major airline.
TECHNICAL DATA ENGINEER
The technical data area is all about
developing and delivering mature aircraft
maintenance and material documentation,
and maintaining it throughout the
lifespan of the aircraft. This role would
be to develop and grow digital offerings
to improve the maintenance efficiency
of the aircraft, and focus on modernising
technical data delivery.
One area you might be involved in is
landing gear systems. Here, your job
would be to assess and manage any
technical changes to the systems to
ensure the correct and safe maintenance
of the related aircraft.
What skills and qualifications do I need?
You'd need a minimum HNC/HND
qualification in an engineering subject
plus relevant experience, as well as a sound
understanding of aircraft maintenance,
operations and technical documentation.
You also need to be a good team player
with organisational skills.
How much can I earn? Around £26,000,
rising to £60,000 with experience.
Find out more
* British Airline Pilots Association
balpa.org
* International Air
TransportAssociation
iata.org
* NATS
nats.aero
* Royal Aeronautical Society
aerosociety.com
jobsandcareersmag.com /// JOBS & CAREERS /// 101
https://www.balpa.org/ https://www.iata.org/ https://www.nats.aero/ https://www.aerosociety.com/ https://www.jobsandcareersmag.com/
Jobs and Careers Winter 2022/23

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