Interview

Could you please introduce yourself briefly in 2-3 sentences, your function and how you came to it (short biography).

I am 23 years old. Working in aviation has always been my childhood dream. In 2018, right after high school, I started training to become an air traffic controller and received my license for Bern TWR/APP in 2020. Since then, I have spent most of my free time at the airport getting my private pilot’s license.

How did you hear about the ATCO profession and what decided you to apply for it?

While in high school, I was flying gliders in the Jura as a hobby. A fellow pilot suggested that I would be perfect for this job. After some research I decided that I simply needed to apply. I was not eager to spend another five years in a classroom and the thought of a job with practical relevance and varied working days fascinated me.

We often hear that the ATCO profession needs technical skills and therefore more men apply for it. What is your opinion on that?

As a Skyguide ambassador I have presented this job to young people many times. Often, men react with “Cool, where can I apply?”, whereas women reply “Wow, that sounds cool – but I could never do that.” I agree that this job includes technical aspects. However, stating that less women apply for the job because of that is a very simplified approach to this issue. For instance, a controller also needs to have good communication skills, an attribute that is often seen as a stereotypical strength of women. In my opinion, less women apply because they are less aware of this job and because society taught them not to believe in themselves and be as confident as men.

What’s the most important piece of advice you’d give to a young woman thinking of starting a career as an ATCO?

You will never know how strong and capable you are until you try to reach your dreams. Most people in the aviation industry are endlessly kind and will welcome you with open arms. Others will use any chance they can to tear you down. It can be challenging at times but let me assure you that becoming a controller is one of the best decisions I have ever made, and you will never be alone. Together we can change the system.

If you could have dinner with an inspirational woman, dead or alive, who would she be and why?

That would be Helene Niedhart because she is an absolute icon. After completing her pilot training in the 1980s, no Swiss airline wanted to hire a female pilot. So she founded her own airline Cat Aviation. Today she employs 70 people, runs seven business jets and has a company with an annual turnover of many millions. To this day she is the first and only female owner of an airline in Switzerland.