Handling air traffic in Arctic conditions

As we meet Jeroshan in the tower at Tromsø Airport, Langnes, an ambulance aircraft takes off heading south. The traffic in and out of the airport is varied, and the operations that the air traffic controllers are responsible for can at times be hectic.

- Tromsø is one of the airports with the most complicated winter operations, and in that respect, it's a great place to have the training period, or "on the job training," as we call it, says Ståle Johnsen, chief air traffic controller at Tromsø Tower.

When the theoretical part of the education has been completed, one must undergo a practical period at an operational unit in Norway. This usually takes about one year before one is certified as an air traffic controller.

- During the "on the job training" period, all students must go through four phases, all of which must be passed before one can move on and be certified as an air traffic controller. This period builds on the theoretical basic education from the first year in the study program. The difference from the first year is that in the practical period, you get to experience the air traffic controller profession either in a tower or at a control center. There are also some special Norwegian regulations that must be read during the practical period, in addition to what was learned in the basic education, explains Jeroshan.

Good balance between work and leisure

Jeroshan is originally from Bergen, and like most people from Bergen, he is very fond of his hometown. However, Tromsø is a very good place to live and work.

- I enjoy living in Tromsø very much. The city has a vibrant life, many leisure activities, and beautiful nature. Tromsø is a big city, with all the amenities that come with it, while still being close to nature. In my free time, I do a lot of music, and I definitely have the opportunity to pursue that hobby alongside my job at the control tower at Tromsø Airport.

When choosing a career path, many experience the dilemma of having to follow their dreams and prioritizing friends and a partner. Jeroshan has a partner in Oslo and has a reflective perspective on having a long-distance relationship.

- This is of course a difficult choice to make when choosing education and career, but a long-distance relationship works well as long as both parties are committed to making it work. At the same time, it's not a problem to travel to Oslo on my days off. The fact that one works shifts allows for having several days off in a row. This is a clear advantage of the air traffic controller profession, as I see it.

Read more about the Air Traffic Controller job, education, and entrance exam here!