Air Traffic Controllers cannot be created in a day or two: Minister

An Air Traffic Controller cannot be created in a day or two. Training them is a very complicated process, Ports, Shipping and Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said.

Addressing a press briefing held at the Ministry auditorium this morning, he said huge doubts were raised by multiple sectors regarding Air Traffic Controllers leaving the country for foreign jobs for which an extensive publicity had also been given by the media.

"Those who have the most appropriate educational qualifications for that profession should be trained according to the most accepted methods and standards. It takes a long time. "Our most viable solution is to extensively train as many Air Traffic Controllers as possible to ensure a robust workforce. However, our challenge lies in the fact that this training cannot be confined solely to classrooms, as is typically done with other vocational courses. Each Air Traffic Controller must undergo a designated period of training at an actual Air Traffic Control Tower. We must confront this challenge head-on, considering the limited facilities currently at our disposal", he said.

After the media briefing the minister handed over appointments to 37 Air Traffic Controllers recruited to overcome the shortage in the sector at home. (Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama)