NATS

Air traffic control services
Last updated:
February 6, 2026
Company details
HQ
HEADCOUNT
3000-9999
ORG TYPE
Startup
SECTOR
Transportation & Infrastructure
About the company
NATS is the UK’s main air navigation service provider, running air traffic control services that keep aircraft safely separated and moving efficiently through UK and North Atlantic airspace. The company also operates tower services at multiple airports and sells aviation technology and consultancy internationally. Safety-critical operations sit alongside engineering, cyber, analytics, product, and corporate functions that keep systems resilient and modern. NATS frames purpose as “Advancing aviation, keeping the skies safe,” and the early-career routes are built around training pipelines rather than ad-hoc junior hiring.
Locations and presence
NATS employs around 4,900 people across more than 30 locations, mainly in the UK with offices in the Middle East and Asia. Early-career schemes are commonly based at Whiteley (Hampshire) or Prestwick (Scotland), while operational training can involve posting to control centres or airports depending on business need.
Palpable Score
81.3
/ 100
NATS is a standout early-career employer for people who want structured development, because pay, duration, and progression routes are unusually explicit for apprentices, placements, graduates, and trainee air traffic controllers. The score is held back by outcomes visibility: public sentiment is strong overall, but early-career retention and promotion timelines are not published in a way candidates can easily verify.
Pillar 1: Early-career access

Score

18.0
/ 20
  • The company runs multiple true entry routes at once: a 24-month Graduate Scheme, 12-month undergraduate placements, and apprenticeships across programme areas.
  • NATS also recruits Trainee Air Traffic Controllers via an accredited Level 5 apprenticeship route, which is a direct “no prior ATC experience” pathway into a high-skill career.
  • The company publishes starting salaries for apprentices (Advanced and Higher) and makes clear that apprenticeship levels vary year to year based on business demand, which reads like recurring intake planning rather than a one-off campaign.

Pillar 2: Hiring fairness and transparency

Score

16.8
/ 20
  • The company spells out workplace adjustment options for interviews and assessments, including sharing interview structure in advance and offering extra time where needed.
  • NATS separates “Early Careers schemes” from other vacancies with a dedicated application route, which helps first-time applicants avoid the wrong process and reduces friction.
  • The company sets realistic expectations on mobility for Trainee Air Traffic Controllers by stating training locations and that the role is a mobile grade with postings after initial training.

Pillar 3: Learning and support

Score

16.5
/ 20
  • The company builds learning into role design: the Graduate Scheme is described as four placements across the business with a clear progression and development route over two years.
  • NATS trains Trainee Air Traffic Controllers through staged learning, moving from basic training to unit-based hands-on training until validation and full licence.
  • The company supports placements as “right at the heart of the organisation,” explicitly positioning undergraduates alongside graduates and experienced colleagues rather than parking them on side tasks.

Pillar 4: Pay fairness and stability

Score

16.0
/ 20
  • The company publishes early-career pay clearly: Graduate Scheme salary (£31,000 plus a £1,000 welcome bonus), undergraduate placement salary (£21,300 plus relocation expenses subject to requirements), and apprenticeship starting salaries.
  • NATS provides unusually transparent pay progression for Trainee Air Traffic Controllers, including a training package figure, an accommodation allowance component, and post-training salary ranges once qualified.
  • The company backs pay with stability signals that matter early on, including a contributory pension, 28 days of annual leave plus public holidays, and a broad benefits package referenced across careers pages.

Pillar 5: Early-career outcomes

Score

4.0
/ 20
  • The company reports headcount growth year-on-year (4,820 at 31 March 2025), which supports the idea that intakes are being absorbed rather than paused indefinitely.
  • NATS has strong overall employee sentiment on Glassdoor, including high ratings for compensation and benefits, but those scores are not broken out cleanly for apprentices, placements, and graduate cohorts.
  • The company has external recognition tied to onboarding and early-career activity (including an Early Careers team award mention), but NATS does not publish conversion rates from placement-to-offer, graduate completion rates, or 12–24 month retention by cohort, which caps this pillar.

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