Table 1Transition record

second officertoair traffic controller

A second officer already meets 46% of what the air traffic controller role asks for. The move turns on 17 required skills not yet in the profile.

From second officer

46%

Overlap1

To air traffic controller

16 Skills carried over

17 Required, not held

61.6 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 61.6

This move: 61.6 of 100 · substantial

1 Share of the air traffic controller role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the second officer profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 16 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A air traffic controller role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a second officer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held read 3D displays information skills
already held carry out navigational calculations information skills
already held airport planning engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held interpret visual literacy information skills
already held electrical systems used in transportation engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held comply with checklists assisting and caring

All 16 carried skills, including the 15 the air traffic controller role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 20 missing skills fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 communication, collaboration and creativity 6 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held assist during take off and landing required
required, not held apply technical communication skills required
required, not held execute working instructions required
required, not held give instructions to staff required
required, not held stay alert required
required, not held use different communication channels required

optional, not held act reliably optional

02 information skills 3 required

required, not held analyse work-related written reports required
required, not held have spatial awareness required
required, not held monitor aviation meteorology required

03 working with machinery and specialised equipment 3 required

required, not held assist in the conducting of flight checks required
required, not held operate airport control tower required
required, not held operate radar equipment required

04 services 2 required

required, not held air traffic control operations required
required, not held pre-flight procedures for IFR flights required

05 assisting and caring 1 required

required, not held use of air traffic services document required

06 engineering, manufacturing and construction 1 required

required, not held electronic communication required

2 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a air traffic controller role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 16 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held air transport law knowledge
already held aircraft flight control systems knowledge
already held airport planning knowledge
already held apply airport standards and regulations skill
already held aviation meteorology knowledge
already held carry out navigational calculations skill
already held common aviation safety regulations knowledge
already held comply with checklists skill
already held electrical systems used in transportation knowledge
already held electronics knowledge
already held ensure public safety and security skill
already held handle stressful situations in the work place skill
already held interpret visual literacy skill
already held read 3D displays skill
already held use meteorological information skill
already held have computer literacy skill

The 2 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 1 required

required, not held celestial navigation required

08 management skills 2 supplementary

optional, not held tolerate stress optional
optional, not held perform multiple tasks at the same time optional

3 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held tolerate stress optional
optional, not held act reliably optional
optional, not held perform multiple tasks at the same time optional

20 held skills the air traffic controller role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role address aircraft mechanical issues skill
not needed by the target role airport safety regulations knowledge
not needed by the target role consider economic criteria in decision making skill
not needed by the target role deal with challenging work conditions skill
not needed by the target role ensure aircraft compliance with regulation skill
not needed by the target role ensure compliance with airport security measures skill
not needed by the target role ensure ongoing compliance with regulations skill
not needed by the target role ensure smooth on board operations skill
not needed by the target role follow verbal instructions skill
not needed by the target role geographic areas knowledge
not needed by the target role geostationary satellites knowledge
not needed by the target role inspect aircraft skill
not needed by the target role launching of satellites into orbit knowledge
not needed by the target role make independent operating decisions skill
not needed by the target role operate cockpit control panels skill
not needed by the target role perform aircraft maintenance skill
not needed by the target role perform routine flight operations checks skill
not needed by the target role respond to changing navigation circumstances skill
not needed by the target role undertake procedures to meet aircraft flight requirements skill
not needed by the target role undertake procedures to meet helicopter flight requirements skill

4 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held air traffic control operations required
required, not held celestial navigation required
required, not held pre-flight procedures for IFR flights required
required, not held electronic communication required

Index

Other moves recorded from second officer

Full index of moves from second officer

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.