ARCHIVED - Aerospace telecommunications and information systems technicians: An occupation of growing importance in the RCAF

News Article / April 14, 2015

By Alexandra Baillie-David

Whether they’re providing air traffic control connectivity from an airfield or setting up communication systems after a natural disaster, aerospace telecommunications and information systems (ATIS) technicians are at the forefront of Canadian Armed Forces operations.

ATIS technicians maintain and operate radar, computer and satellite systems, to name a few. They are responsible for all telecommunications and information systems, which is done on any Canadian Armed Forces base in Canada or during foreign operations.

In the event of wartime conflict or a natural disaster, ATIS technicians deploy with 8 Air Communication and Control Squadron (8 ACCS), which is based at 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario.

After the devastating earthquake in Haiti in January 2010, for example, ATIS technicians helped repair the ravaged Jacmel airfield. They also set up frequent Skype calls (a relatively new technology at the time) between Jacmel and Trenton so that the families of those deployed could be reassured of their safety.

According to Chief Warrant Officer Normand Dubois, senior occupational advisor for the ATIS occupation, the importance of telecommunications services to Canadian Armed Forces operations, combined with the constant upgrading of technology, has created a growing need for ATIS technicians.

“We’re constantly looking at where our future is going, so we’re always looking at the more advanced technology,” he said. “Right now, our focus is to pass on the knowledge of people over the 20-year mark to the junior ranks so that they’ll be ready to take over.”

Chief Warrant Officer Dubois, who joined the Royal Canadian Air Force 32 years ago, started his career as a heavy radar technician. He monitored radar systems at various Pinetree Line stations, including Canadian Forces Station Holberg in British Columbia and Canadian Forces Station Barrington in Nova Scotia. He has also been deployed to Bosnia and Afghanistan.

Applicants seeking a career as an ATIS technician must have completed a minimum of Grade 10 math. Successful recruits attend the Canadian Forces School of Communications and Electronics in Kingston, Ontario, for at least nine months. After completing core training, ATIS recruits spend three to four months on QL3 (Qualification Level 3) training and another 12 to 18 months completing on-the-job training. Fully licensed ATIS technicians are then posted to their units.

Chief Warrant Officer Dubois notes ATIS technicians must be innovative and possess good critical thinking skills in order to manage potential technological or situational challenges.

“Often enough we go on the job and deployments, and we don’t always have the equipment required to do the job,” he explained. “But the maturity and ingenuity of the people we have make things happen on short notice.”

He also reiterates one of the best parts of the ATIS technician occupation is the opportunity to work with some of the most advanced technology in the world.

“It is a great job to have,” he said. “There are a lot of places to go and a lot of deployment opportunities, and you get to experience technology from old to new.”