Training to become a qualified air traffic controller CHE takes two and a half years of theoretical and practical training. The first year is spent in basic training at the Skyguide Training Center, followed by one and a half years of practical training at military or civil airports in the control tower or in the military operations center. The language of instruction is English.

A school-leaving certificate or Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (Federal VET Diploma) is required to train as a flight attendant CHE, which means that you cannot start the CHE course after completing compulsory schooling. There is also an age limit of between 18 and 30 years for the start of training.

The "Air Traffic Controller" license issued by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation is internationally valid, so that a subsequent worldwide career in civil aviation is also possible.

In the first year of your training to become a qualified air traffic controller CHE, you will decide on a specialization, which will result in different fields of work and therefore different locations. For a job in military air traffic, you can choose from the locations Meiringen, Payerne, Emmen, Alpnach, Locarno, Dübendorf, Wangen bei Dübendorf and Buochs.

Swiss citizenship is only mandatory for military training in air traffic control; EU citizens with a B residence permit or persons with a C settlement permit may also be admitted for civil training as a qualified air traffic control manager CHE.

The following admission requirements apply to the aviation studies with a degree in air traffic control CHE:

• Completed three-year basic education or Baccalaureate
• Minimum age 18 years, maximum age 28 years
• Very good knowledge of written and spoken English at level B2
• German, French or Italian language skills at level C1
• Successfully completed medical fitness test
• C permanent residence permit or EU citizens with an agreement on the free movement of persons
• Swiss citizen (only for military training)
• Successfully passed aptitude test