Can you give us one general sentence
about working at DFS?
"DFS is a future-proof employer with great career opportunities."
Laura Wilken AIS officer
The career so far
"I already realised during my time as a flight attendant that DFS was right for me.
After completing my school-leaving exams, I spent three years working as a flight attendant for Lufthansa. I didn't really know what I wanted to do at the time, so was keen to find my bearings first. I quickly noticed that I was both interested in and enthusiastic about aviation. That's why I submitted my application for the selection process to become an air traffic controller. I was simply not aware of any of the other professions at the time. Unfortunately, however, I didn't make it to the final round. But as it turned out, that wasn't so bad, as I was then able to register for the selection process to become an AIS officer and that worked out. I also quickly realised that I can make use of my strengths far more effectively here. That's why I started the training and realised that this job suits me perfectly."
The motivation
"I love planning and logical thinking.
In fact, I had already heard beforehand that DFS is an employer with good prospects for the future, that you have excellent career opportunities here and that the further training programme is quite unique. That really appealed to me. As did the fact that I can also play to my personal strengths very well here."
The activities
"With just a few clicks, I can help pilots fly around regulated airspace and, in the best-case scenario, allow them to finish work earlier.
Among other things, we, in the aeronautical information service, provide and advise pilots on flight routes, as well as give them information on restricted areas. There are restricted military areas in the air, as well as airspace restrictions during certain special events, such as the European Football Championship in Germany. The aim is for everything in the sky to run smoothly. Error prevention is therefore our top priority, so it’s good if pilots can read up on all pertinent information themselves ahead of the flight and we can clarify any questions they may have. We also take care of the supervision of landing sites and keep an eye on whether all aircraft arrive as planned at the hundreds of small aerodromes located throughout Germany."
"It's really nice to see and feel how such a large team gets on so well together."
The challenges
"Sometimes I have to do research to determine where exactly a plane has gone.
On bad days, a pilot might forget to close their flight plan after landing. We then theoretically don't know where the flight has gone and have to make phone calls to find out. In some cases, the actual landing site cannot be approached due to bad weather. Alternatively, the aircraft might not arrive as planned and the pilot simply forgets to notify us of where they have landed due to the stress of the situation."
The corporate culture
"I'm only 25, but I feel like I've really arrived here.
The sense of solidarity and cooperation here is something truly special. We get on well at work and also spend quite a bit of time together in our private lives. It's a family environment where communication is totally open and you can talk about anything. Everyone has respect for one another. I've made some of my best friends while working here, and I also do a lot with them outside of work."
Your future:
safety in the sky
Become part of our close-knit team
Do you have questions about DFS as an employer?
Simply get in touch with our careers team:
karriere@dfs.de