Air traffic controller’s profession officially recognized

Geneva, October 5, 2006. The profession of air traffic controller has been officially recognised by the Swiss Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology (OPET). The Federal Commission for Colleges of Higher Vocational Education and Training has approved the basic curriculum submitted, which the Skyguide Training Center will be adopting for its next three-and-a-half-year training course commencing October 23. In view of the new official acceptance, trainee controllers will now submit a diploma paper at the end of their course, and will be awarded a Swiss federal diploma upon its completion.

Status enhanced
The official recognition of the air traffic controller’s profession and the diploma awarded for completion of the associated training will help raise the profession’s standing and, thanks to OPET’s collaboration in the Copenhagen Process, will also enhance the international status of the qualification obtained. Skyguide currently has some 450 air traffic controllers within its workforce, whom it trains at its own Skyguide Training Center.

The issuance of air traffic controllers’ licences remains unchanged: these will continue to be issued by the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) upon skyguide’s application, and must be annually renewed.

Further information about the air traffic controller’s job and training is available at:
http://www.skyguide.ch/en/Workingat/

Skyguide is responsible for the provision of air navigation services within Swiss airspace and in the airspace of certain adjoining regions in neighbouring countries. Skyguide is a non-profit, limited company under private law. The majority of its shares are held by the Swiss Confederation. The annual turnover of the company exceeds 353 million Swiss francs. Skyguide employs some 1400 people at 12 locations in Switzerland.

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