Air Traffic and Navigation Services SOC Limited (ATNS)

About ATNS

Air Traffic and Navigation Services SOC Limited, known as ATNS, is South Africa's state-owned provider of air traffic management. It is a Schedule 2 public entity. The company provides air traffic control, air navigation and related aviation safety services. It works from the airports run by ACSA and from other aerodromes across the country.

ATNS also manages a large block of airspace over the Atlantic and Southern Indian Oceans. Every flight in that airspace relies on controllers and support staff who must be exactly right. For this reason, the company prefers to train its own people.

How ATNS supports students

ATNS runs its own Aviation Training Academy at Bonaero Park in Gauteng. Instead of paying fees at a university, bursars study at the academy itself. The programme works like a funded traineeship, and ATNS lists several career streams. These include Air Traffic Services Officer, Aeronautical Information Management Officer, Target Generating Officer, Airport Management Centre Liaison Officer and Simulator Support Officer.

Recent intakes have been large. For the 2026 intake, ATNS advertised 117 fully funded places across the country. The programmes lead into specialised roles, so a place on the academy can be the start of a long career in aviation.

What to know before applying

These programmes target unemployed South African youth. Past adverts asked for a matric certificate with a Level 4 pass in Pure Mathematics and Level 4 in English. Applicants also had to be South African citizens with a valid ID, medically fit and willing to relocate anywhere in the country. Candidates who had already taken part in an earlier ATNS training programme were not eligible.

Selection goes beyond marks. Because these jobs are safety critical, ATNS uses aptitude assessments and interviews. You must also pass a medical examination with an Aviation Medical Examiner and a security vetting check. For example, a candidate with good results can still be turned down at the medical stage, so find out early what the medical standards are.

Closing dates differ from year to year. The 2026 call closed on 31 January 2026, which shows that applications open soon after the school year ends. Watch the ATNS careers page from late in the year.

Whether the programme requires you to work for ATNS afterwards, and for how long, is not clearly stated in the public sources available. Check the contract terms in the official advert. In addition, be careful about scams. ATNS does not charge fees to apply, and you should only apply through its official channels.