For 16-year-old Tshiamo Chauke, watching planes soar above her home was once just a pastime. She never imagined that one day she would find herself taking her first steps into the world of aviation.
With the Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS)
holding her hand, she could be one step closer to becoming an air traffic controller.
ATNS is an agency of the Department of Transport.
“I remember growing up, I used to look up at the sky when the aeroplanes passed by so that I could watch them. I never thought I could fly or navigate one myself,” said Chauke.
ATNS manages air traffic, navigation, training and associated services in South Africa and oversees air traffic control across the Africa-Indian Ocean (AFI) region, which covers about six percent of the world’s airspace.
Chauke is part of a group of eight young female aviation enthusiasts from around South Africa who have gained a glimpse of what their future careers could look like after being chosen to join the newly launched SkyBound Aviation Career Development Programme.
The programme forms part of ATNS’s long-term Cradle to Career strategy, supporting learners from grade 10 through to employment. It aims to address skills shortages in aviation and related fields, while empowering young women in the sector.
A thrilled Chauke, from A.D.L. Rampola School in Limpopo, said she is determined to enter the aviation industry.
“Most of the girls in our country are not interested in aviation… It is important to choose a career that is related to technology because technology will take over,” she said.
Among the many firsts that Chauke and her peers experienced was flying in an airplane for the very first time.
“Being in an airplane was very exciting, but I was nervous… This trip has given me an opportunity to fly and is an experience I never thought I would have,” beamed Chauke.
Another learner, Ontlametse Mokgadi (16), from K.S. Shuping High School in the Northern Cape, said, “At first, I was not interested in aviation, but I did my research and came to understand the industry and it interested me.”
She reflected on how memorable her first flight was, describing it as an emotional experience that deepened her passion for aviation.
Exposure to aviation careers
ATNS Marketing Manager Tebogo Ntshudisang, 
said the initiative aims to expose young learners from disadvantaged backgrounds to different aviation careers, from drone piloting to air traffic management and to educate them about the range of opportunities available in the transport sector especially with October being Transport month.
“This programme aligns with the objective of transport month, where we create awareness about the importance of the transport sector for economic growth and its transformation.”
Transport month seeks to raise awareness of the important role of transport in the country's economy.
“We at ATNS are excited about this programme. This is the first time we are hosting our SkyBound learners, and we look forward to mentoring them. We take learners from Grade 10 to 11 through our competition, which we run in our adopted corporate social investment schools. We have selected two learners each from KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape,” said Ntshudisang.
The learners also had the opportunity to engage with a drone pilot from Ntsu Aviation, who briefed them on the opportunities available in drone piloting and the requirements needed to enter the field.
Chauke, who once gazed at the sky watching aircraft, is now confident that within the next ten years, she will be at the helm as a female air traffic controller.
“It’s rare to find a girl in that department, and it would make me stand out from others,” Chauke concluded.
For more information, contact ATNS at www.atns.co.za
Did you know?
October is Transport Month, a time when South Africa celebrates progress in road, rail, maritime, and aviation sectors. Through initiatives like the SkyBound Aviation Career Development Programme, ATNS is investing in the next generation of aviation professionals and ensuring that young people, especially girls have the opportunity to soar in this industry.
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