Air traffic controllers are responsible for the guidance and control of flights entering, leaving and flying over the controlled airspace of Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. They give the necessary instructions to the pilots concerning the flight altitude to be used, the air routes to be followed and make sure that the aircraft respect a minimum safety distance, fixed by international rules. In addition, air traffic controllers must take into account external factors such as bad weather, problems at airports, technical instrument failures and difficulties encountered by the aircraft. Wondering what types of air traffic controllers there are? Be sure to read this article.
Registrations for the selection tests to become an air traffic controller are now closed. Subscribe to our mailing list and be informed as soon as a new recruitment competition is online.
If you participated in the skeyes selection examens in 2022 or 2023, you are not allowed to take part again this time.
Yes, thorough knowledge of English is inherently associated with the job of air traffic controller. It is vital that you speak and understand English fluently. Your knowledge of English will be tested during the selection procedure.
The selection process consists of different phases. The first step is a valid application, proving to fulfill all selection requirements. If you application is accepted, you will be invited for FEAST (First European Air Traffic Controller Selection Test). This testing method consists of 2 separate tests (FEAST I and FEAST II) and examines your analytical and structural thinking ability. These tests are conducted on a computer and are done in English. At the end of FEAST I, you will be asked to complete a personality questionnaire (FEAST III - non-eliminatory). The results of this test will be discussed with you during the final oral stage, the competency-based interview (CBI). Only if you pass FEAST I, will you participate in a second round of testing (FEAST II). If you pass both FEAST tests, you are invited for a first oral examination round. During this oral examination round, you will explain your motivation to a jury and demonstrate that your English meets the requirements. You will also solve an individual exercise and present it to a jury. If you pass, you will have to fill out a personality test online. Thereafter, a competency oriented interview takes place in one of the national languages : Dutch or French. If you pass here as well, you will be invited for a medical examination. The medical examination determines if you are medically fit for a job as an air traffic controller. And finally, you need to be cleared by a security screening
FEAST I is designed to measure your basic skills and abilities in decision-making, logical reasoning, visual perception, memory, attention, multi-tasking and spatial orientation. This phase also includes a test of your English language knowledge. This is the only test where you can prepare and improve your performance.
FEAST II is designed with 2 tests to measure your multi-tasking abilities. The tests are more complex and will require you to perform a number of different tasks at the same time as would be the case in the work of an Air Traffic Controller.
FEAST III is a personality questionnaire based on the Big Five model, which assesses your character traits and interpersonal skills. The aim is for you to be introspective during this stage. The results will be taken up and discussed during the final oral stage, the competency-based interview (CBI).
You must be at least 18 years old on 31 December 2024 and no older than 30 on 31 March 2024.
You are permitted to use the ‘proof of declaration of loss or destruction’ document for your identity card that you received from the Citizen Services Department or the police as a temporary replacement of your identity card. You must present a valid identity card by the start of your training at the latest.
You can only register for the recruitment exam if you have acquired the nationality of one of the Member States of the European Union. A residence permit is insufficient.
You can only register for the recruitment exam once you have obtained an upper secondary school diploma: ASO, TSO, BSO. If you are currently in the last year of study resulting in this diploma, you may apply if you can present a certificate from the school as proof that you are enrolled in the last year of study.
Yes, you can register for the comparative recruitment tests but be aware that some steps in the selection process are in Dutch or French exclusively. There are no sessions in other languages. A thorough knowledge of Dutch or French is absolutely necessary to be able to participate in the selection process.
Throughout the training and your entire career, you will be medically examined on a regular basis and you will need to meet strict requirements. If you want to know more about these requirements, click here.
Do not underestimate the difficulty of the training. Because of the vast amount of theory, it is of the utmost importance that you keep up with your study. During the training, there will be several moments of evaluation. Depending on the results you can continue your training, or you will have to retake a specific part of the training, or your training can be stopped. The entire training is in English and all evaluations throughout the training (written and oral) will be in English.
skeyes bears the entire cost of the training. There is a training clause at skeyes, that is entirely applicable to all selected trainee air traffic controllers. This clause implies that, should the candidate voluntarily leave skeyes during the 3 years following the succesful completion of the air traffic controller training ('the return period'), the candidate can be held to reimburse part of the training cost to skeyes. This amounts to a maximum of 80 % of part of the training cost during the first year, a maximum of 50 % of part of the training cost during the second year, and a maximum of 20 % of part of the cost of the training during the third year. The reimbursement may not exceed more than 30 % of the last active salary on yearly base.
Yes, during your training you will already be considered an employee of skeyes. Therefore, you will receive a salary from the start, together with a number of extra-legal benefits.
The training takes about 2 years and prepares you for a job as an Air Traffic Controller in the air traffic control centre CANAC 2.
The first 3 modules of the training cover 1 year. After that you will follow during one additional year the on-the-job training. All training sessions will take place in Steenokkerzeel.
You will be trained to work at one of the different skeyes sites: Steenokkerzeel, Ostend, Antwerp, Liège or Charleroi.
Air traffic control is a continuous service (24 hours a day and 7 days a week). You will be employed in a shift system: morning, afternoon and night. A normal dayshift is 7 hours 30 minutes (including breaks). A nightshift is 10 hours.
Yes, every candidate who successfully completes the full training course is guaranteed a job as an air traffic controller.
There are several ways to have your diploma recognized.
1. Did you obtain your diploma in Belgium?
YES : add this document to your online application form. No other action required.
All degrees from the 4 different educational systems (general high school, technical education, vocational education, including a 7th year, and art education), dispensed by recognized educational institutions of the Flemish, Walloon or German Communities of Belgium are automatically equivalent. With these degrees you can register to participate in the comparative selection exams.
NO : Read on.
2. Do you have a diploma beyond high school?
YES : add this document to your online application form. No other action required.
If you can present a higher degree (e.i. bachelor or master), there is no need for equivalence of the high school degree. This is because to participate in the selection exams, you need to have at least a high school degree. If you have a bachelor or master degree, the previous condition is implicitly fulfilled.
NO : Read on.
3. Do you have one of the diplomas below: Dutch VWO, European Baccalaureate, International Baccalaureate?
YES : add this document as an attachment to the online application form. There is nothing else you are required to do.
NO : Read on.
4. Do you hold a Dutch-language upper secondary school diploma?
Yes: The required procedure for obtaining recognition of your diploma can be found on the NARIC-Vlaanderen website: https://www.naricvlaanderen.be/en/submitting-an-application
NO: Read on.
5. Do you hold a French-language upper secondary school diploma?
YES : The required procedure for obtaining recognition of your diploma can be found on the Service des Equivalence de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles website: http://www.equivalences.cfwb.be/index.php?id=524
6. Your mother tongue is neither Dutch nor French?
You obtained your higher secondary education diploma in a country other than Belgium. The diploma is drafted in another language than Dutch or French.
You will need to request a certificate proving the equivalence of your secondary education diploma with the Belgian educational level.
Important! Where you decide to apply for recognition will determine your language group (Dutch of French) during the recruitment process.
The language group you belong to does not only determine the language in which you will receive correspondence from skeyes, but will also determines the language in which you have to take the oral interview during the selection tests.
In other words :