The Spanish Official State Gazette (BOE) publishes today a call to fill 65 new ENAIRE air traffic controller vacancies

Today, 25 September, the Official State Gazette is publishing a new call for civil service exams to fill 65 new vacancies for permanent air traffic controller positions at ENAIRE's work centres within Spain.

ENAIRE has offered 438 air traffic controller new positions in the last four calls

The registration period will be open from 26 September to 9 October and applicants can register through the empleo.enaire.es website. The terms and conditions of the call, eligibility for financing, etc., are available on this website.

This is the fourth call in three years to fill permanent air traffic controller jobs. These 65 new jobs, added to the 373 offered in 2016, 2017 and 2018, make a total of 438 air traffic controller positions in the last three years.

These new positions are proof of the effort made by the Ministry of Works through ENAIRE to provide the air traffic manager with the human resources required to safely and efficiently handle the growing amount of air traffic.

Requirements of the call:

- Spanish citizens.

- Foreign citizens that conform to any of the following cases may also take part in the call on equal terms:

o   EU citizens and spouses of Spanish or EU citizens that are not legally separated and their descendants or the descendants of the spouse not legally separated who are under 21 years of age or over 21 who are dependant.

o   Citizens included within the scope of the international treaties concluded by the EU and ratified by Spain in which the free movement of workers is applicable.

o   Foreign citizens legally residing in Spain.

- Over 18 years of age and under 65.

- Being in possession of a qualification granting access to university: Secondary education qualification or equivalent studies in accordance with the provisions established in Organic Law 8/2013, of 9 December.

- Advanced level of English and Spanish, both written and spoken.

- Possessing the required psycho-physical and functional capability in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2015/340 of the Commission of 20 February 2015.

- Pass a suitability assessment.

Selection process

It will consist of three phases:

- Phase 1 - FEAST I and FEAST II (First European Air Traffic Controller Selection Test).

The FEAST I and FEAST II test has been developed by EUROCONTROL; it will be administered in English and in computerised form.

- Phase 2 - FEAST III, which measures the personality traits that are of relevance to the performance of the air traffic controller job.

- Phase 3 - Oral assessment of the English language, clinical personality assessment and behavioural test.

New developments in assigning destinations

Once the selection process is complete, the destinations will be assigned on the basis of a practical test designed to identify which candidates are best qualified to carry out the functions of area control surveillance and approach control surveillance. This test will consist of a practical evaluation in a simulator.

Financing of training courses

If you are interested in financing the cost of training to obtain the required air traffic controller licence, it is up to each individual selected to decide the method and/or financial institution that is most convenient for them.

In this call a series of banks will offer a financing formula in favourable conditions, that is available to any interested candidate, provided they have passed the selection tests. The loan can be paid back in convenient payments during their first years of work at ENAIRE.

In addition, ENAIRE adopts measures to avoid the risk of having to bear the initial cost of the training courses, in the case that the candidate is not finally hired, it  could dissuade potential candidates. ENAIRE has a support service that facilitates the access to financing for all those who want to become an air traffic controller in Spain.

About ENAIRE

ENAIRE is the company belonging to the Public Works Department that provides air navigation services in Spain. It renders aerodrome control services at 21 airports, including the busiest in terms of air traffic, plus en-route and approach control, from five control centres: Barcelona, Madrid, Gran Canaria, Palma and Seville. In addition, ENAIRE provides communications, navigation and surveillance services to 45 air control towers.

In 2018 ENAIRE handled 2.1 million flights to and from four continents (Europe, America, Asia and Africa), transporting 300 million passengers. ENAIRE is the fourth most important European air navigation service provider, and, in a clear commitment to the Single Sky initiative, belongs to international partnerships such as SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) Joint Undertaking, SESAR Deployment Manager, A6, iTEC, CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation) and ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization).