Belgium’s air traffic control firm, Skeyes, held an annual job day in Steenokkerzeel, Flemish Brabant, to attract air traffic controller candidates. Skeyes’ spokesperson, Kurt Verwilligen, confirmed that 106 people attended the event.
The job day is designed to inform candidates about the roles and responsibilities of an air traffic controller. Interested individuals can register for future tests and examinations, with successful entrants beginning a two-year training funded by Skeyes.
To apply, candidates must be either Belgian or a citizen of an EU Member State, aged between 18 and 30 by the end of 2024, and possess a secondary education diploma or equivalent.
"An air traffic controller must be able to handle stress, provide quick solutions and have a good spatial awareness. They must be capable of visualising the entirety of the airspace, comprising all the planes in it," explains Verwilligen. “We are pleased with today’s turnout. All candidates showed a keen interest in aviation.”
Applications are open until 31 March. Skeyes anticipates between 30 and 45 candidates, at most, for the start of the next training programme at the year’s end.
The public enterprise manages air traffic from and to Belgian airports, as well as a portion of flights over Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. In 2022, Skeyes air traffic controllers guided over 912,000 planes.
