When people think about innovation in air traffic management, they probably picture new tools in the control room or new ways of managing traffic in the skies.  But important innovation also happens much earlier than that in how we identify, assess and support the people who will one day be responsible for keeping aircraft safely separated.

On the job training for trainee Air Traffic Controllers is not only an opportunity to experience the thrill of safely navigating aircraft through the air and on the ground, but an essential part of the journey to validation. We recently caught up with newly validated Air Traffic Controller, Matt Stevens, at Cardiff Tower about his first few months on the job.  

On the NATS engineering apprenticeship, you experience a combination of working in operational environments, gaining qualifications at college and also industry standard qualifications.

Craig joined the NATS engineering apprenticeship in September 2025 as part of our Prestwick team, and has since enjoyed a variety of different experiences that provided a good blend of working in the aviation industry and his passion for electrical systems and electronics.

At NATS, being a responsible business isn’t just a commitment or policy; it is a core part of who we are and how we work every day. Our latest Responsible Business Report makes this clear and outlines the significant progress we’ve made across the organisation over the past financial year (2024/25).

Last week, our Young Professionals’ Network had the opportunity to represent NATS at the Dubai Airshow.From meeting inspiring peers from the Dubai Air Navigation Service Youth Council to presenting to senior leaders, the week offered a fantastic chance for us as a network to strengthen global connections and highlight the power of collaboration.

Throughout the year we host groups of young people from Hampshire and Dorset participating in the Blue Skies programme – part of the Jon Egging Trust. The students join us to develop skills such as leadership, collaboration, resilience and communications; as well as more about NATS and the aviation industry as a whole. In June the focus is on celebration, as the students attend their graduation ceremonies to mark the end of a busy year on the programme. We’re always proud to support the students and see how they’ve flourished through Blue Skies; and we’ve been able to support in other ways, too…

Up against some tough competition, our HR Reward team won the ‘Best Benefits to Support Menopause’ award at the Employee Benefits Awards in London! The team also went on to win the judges’ final and most prestigious award of the year, the Grand Prix Award. These are incredible achievements which reflects the collaboration between our teams over the last few years to lead the change within the Aviation industry.

This month on Altitude, we tuned in to a special episode celebrating Women in Engineering. But this wasn’t just a celebration — it was a reckoning, a reflection, a rallying cry. More than anything, it was a powerful reminder: engineering isn’t just about things. It’s about people.

Learning at Work Week is a unique annual event to build learning cultures at work. We understand the importance of learning, especially in fast-paced environment in the aviation industry. This year theme highlights the important of shared learning and how it helps our colleagues to develop our capabilities to reach our goals.

The day-to-day life of an airport engineer is incredibly varied – Jack Macdonald shares his experiences one of our Duty Engineering Officers at Glasgow Airport.