RAF Air Traffic & Weapons Controller - Full Time Career with Apprenticeship

Level 5 Air Traffic Controller Apprenticeship Standard:

• On successful completion of the application and selection process, your apprenticeship will start with a 10-week Basic Recruit Training Course (BRTC) at RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire
• The course is designed to help you adjust to a military environment. As well as fitness and military training, you’ll also learn about the RAF lifestyle
• Following the Basic Recruit Training Course, prospective Sergeants will complete the Direct Entrant Senior Non-Commissioned Officer (DE SNCO) Course at the Aviator Command Squadron (ACS) at RAF Halton. This 8-week training programme will develop the student's knowledge of leadership within the RAF and increase their understanding of their management responsibilities as Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCOs)
• The course includes Air Power academic study, Practical Leadership Exercises, an Appraisal Workshop, Interview Techniques and Fitness Development. At the end of the course, students are promoted to Acting Sergeant
• Specialist training is delivered at the Defence College of Air and Space Operations at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire and subsequently for Weapons Controllers at RAF Boulmer in Northumberland
• This training starts with a Foundation Module and is completed alongside Air Operations (Systems) Officers, Air Ops (Control) Officers and Air Traffic & Weapons Controllers. Following successful completion, you will be assigned to a specialist module in one of the core specialisations: Terminal (Airfield) ATC or Weapons Control. Prospective Weapons Controllers will carry out the last part of their training at RAF Boulmer in Northumberland
• You could return at a later date to complete a short conversion course to allow you to undertake roles in the other core areas including Area Radar control

• You will join the RAF as an aviator under an initial 12 year engagement. Following 4 years' service, you will be eligible to apply for an extension of service to complete a Pension Earning Engagement of 20 years' service or age 40, whichever is the later, during this time
• Entering as a direct entrant Sergeant, competitive promotion to Flight Sergeant is the next step in your career along with more supervisory controlling related roles. As an Air Traffic & Weapons Controller, you will spend most of your career carrying out your primary role as a controller, becoming a subject matter expert, heavily relied upon by your unit
• Throughout your career you may be selected for advancement to intermediate line management roles, responsible for supervising and guiding the Specialists within your team and ensuring their welfare and career management needs are met
• You should expect operational deployments of up to 6 months to a range of locations worldwide, in addition to ad-hoc shorter detachments to locations such as Cyprus, Falkland Islands, Lithuania, Japan, Gibraltar, Canada, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and the USA