Data & Research
 
* ELMI Occupation Profile - Air Traffic Controllers *
 
Air Traffic Controllers
(O*NET 53-2021.00, SOC 53-2021)
What they do
Control air traffic on and within vicinity of airport, and movement of air traffic between altitude sectors and control centers, according to established procedures and policies. Authorize, regulate, and control commercial airline flights according to government or company regulations to expedite and ensure flight safety.
 
Also called:
Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS), Air Traffic Controller (ATC), Center Air Traffic Controller (Center ATC), Certified Professional Controller (CPC), Control Tower Operator, Enroute Air Traffic Controller (Enroute ATC), Radar Air Traffic Controller, Terminal Air Traffic Control Specialist (Terminal ATC Specialist), Tower Air Traffic Controller (Tower ATC)
 
 
Wages
Wage rates not available for Vermont
but may be for the nation and other states at
CareerOneStop
 
Industries of Employment
United States - 2020
IndustryPercent of total
  • Federal government, excluding postal service
91%
  • Support activities for transportation
5%
  • Air transportation
1%
  • Professional, scientific, and technical services
1%
  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals
0%
More at BLS
 
Knowledge
People in this career often know a lot about:
  • Transportation
    Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
  • English Language
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Public Safety and Security
    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  • Education and Training
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • Customer and Personal Service
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
More at O*NET
 
Skills
People in this career often have these skills:
  • Active Listening
    Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Speaking
    Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Critical Thinking
    Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Judgment and Decision Making
    Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Complex Problem Solving
    Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
More at O*NET
 
Interests
People in this career often prefer these work environments:
  • Enterprising
    Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
  • Conventional
    Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
What are your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler
 
Work Styles
People in this career will do well at jobs that need:
  • Stress Tolerance
    Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
  • Attention to Detail
    Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
  • Dependability
    Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
  • Adaptability/Flexibility
    Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
  • Persistence
    Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
More at O*NET
 
Tasks
On the job, you would:
  • Inform pilots about nearby planes or potentially hazardous conditions, such as weather, speed and direction of wind, or visibility problems.
  • Issue landing and take-off authorizations or instructions.
  • Transfer control of departing flights to traffic control centers and accept control of arriving flights.
  • Provide flight path changes or directions to emergency landing fields for pilots traveling in bad weather or in emergency situations.
  • Alert airport emergency services in cases of emergency or when aircraft are experiencing difficulties.
More at O*NET
 
Related Occupations
More at O*NET
 
 
Career Video
Watch at CareerOneStop with transcript or at YouTube.
 
Projected Employment
 Vermont
2020 employment 34
2030 employment 36
Annual percent change
(compounded)
0.6%
Annual projected job openings
(due to change and separations)
3
More at Occupational Projections
 
Education and Experience:
  • Typical education needed for entry
    Associate's degree
  • Work experience in a related occupation
    None
  • Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
    Long-term on-the-job training
Based on BLS Education and Training Classifications
 
Physical Work Activity
Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
 
  • Physical activity is Seldom Important
  • Level of activity is Very Low
Importance
Low   High
Level
Compare Occupations at O*NET
 
Job Zone
Medium Preparation Needed
  • Specific Vocational Preparation Range
    (6.0 to < 7.0) - A typical worker will require over 1 year up to and including 2 years of training to achieve average performance in this occupation.
Based on O*Net Job Zones and SVP
 
Education Level
How much education do most people in this career have?
Education level Percent of
U.S. Workers
Doctoral or professional degree
or post-MA certificate
  0%
Master's degree or
post-BA certificate
  2%
Bachelor's degree   20%
Associate's degree   14%
Certificate or some college,
no degree
  26%
High school diploma
or equivalent
  36%
Less than high school diploma   1%
More at O*NET
 
Abilities
People in this career often have talent in:
  • Problem Sensitivity
    The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Oral Comprehension
    The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral Expression
    The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Selective Attention
    The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Deductive Reasoning
    The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
More at O*NET
 
Work Activities
In general, what you might do:
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Getting Information
    Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
More at O*NET
 
Detailed Work Activities
What you might do in a day:
  • Notify others of emergencies, problems, or hazards.
  • Communicate with others to coordinate vehicle movement.
  • Coordinate flight control or management activities.
  • Respond to transportation emergencies.
  • Direct vehicle traffic.
More at O*NET
 
Other Resources
  • CareerOneStop
    resource for job seekers, students, businessess and career professionals
  • O*NET Online
    nation's primary source of occupational information
 
O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 28.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

BLS

This page includes information produced in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and State Occupational Projections programs.

 
 
 
 
Vermont.gov State of Vermont Department of Labor