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Air Traffic Control: Vocational Guidance

Asked by Joe RobertsonConservativeDepartment for TransportTabled Answered 2 July 2026UIN 14170

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps to encourage young people aged 16 and over to consider a career as an air traffic controller; and what discussions she has had with the aviation sector on increasing awareness of air traffic control careers among school and college students.

Answered by Keir Mather

The Department for Transport is committed to encouraging, inspiring, and creating opportunities for young people to pursue careers in the aviation sector, including as air traffic controllers, through its Generation Aviation Programme.

The Reach for the Sky Challenge Fund, a key workstream of the Generation Aviation Programme, funds outreach programmes and events that inspire school and college students to explore careers in aviation, including opportunities to become air traffic controllers.

This year’s Reach for the Sky Challenge Fund will focus on supporting school leavers aged 16 and above by providing practical assistance to help overcome barriers to aviation employment and training. This includes improving access to careers such as air traffic control and enhancing diversity across the sector.

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