“I have to step up to stand tall among men” – Female Air Traffic Controller Wows Malaysians

Being a woman in this field means we have to step forward and brace ourselves to stand tall among the men.

As we all may know, many occupations are heavily male dominated. However, as society advances and progresses, we have seen many women break through such barriers and have gone above and beyond to excel in their respective fields. From the world of information technology to the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Malaysian Female air traffic controller catching attention

Recently a female Air Traffic Controller has caught the attention of people on TikTok, with videos of her experiences of what the job what the job entails.

On 24 October, Maisarah Wahab shared a video on her TikTok which featured herself on the job as an Air Traffic Controller. The video amassed plenty of attention and currently stands on over 57,000 views.

The work of an air traffic controller is often hidden and not many people are able to see what it’s actually like. Hence, many users took to the comments section to ask Maisarah to post more videos of herself at work.

In another video of her job, Maisarah even included subtitles on what she and the pilots that she was communicating to, were saying. The video has garnered plenty more attention and has been viewed over 687,000 times!

Maisarah shares her experience

Speaking to WORLD OF BUZZ, Maisarah who is an Assistant Air Traffic Controller based in Kuala Terengganu said that it was initially not her dream to become an air traffic controller.

“Personally, my childhood ambition was to be a teacher, as I find satisfaction helping others learn and understand a topic or any knowledge better. However, I studied Mechanical Engineering (Aeronautics) in university and was expecting to be an engineer instead,” she said.

“I heard about this career (air traffic controller) as one of the careers related to aviation during my first semester of diploma. Then during my third year of degree, I went for a field trip and got the chance to visit KL Air Traffic Control Centre in Subang and witnessed these ATCs working there.”

“I was thrilled and found the job cool too, just like other people would! Since then I had been aiming to apply for the job once I completed my study and thankfully the journey was smooth and here I am today, gaining skills and experience as an ATC,” she added.

On the process of becoming an ATC, Maisarah said that she applied via the Public Services Commission of Malaysia portal and that the job title was Assistant Air Traffic Controller, Grade 29.

The main requirements for the position are:

• any diploma (or degree for A41 grade) qualified by Malaysian Qualification Register (MQR),
• proficient in English,
• must not be color-blind

Maisarah explained that she then had to:

• Complete an online exam which was the Online Public Service Entrance Examination (PSEE),
• Do an interview with the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM),
• Proceed with a pre-service courses by CAAM at the Malaysian Aviation Academy

On what an ATC actually does, Maisarah said that the main function is to issue clearances and instructions to maintain an orderly flow of air traffic within the area of control.

She added that this also includes the movements of any personnel, vehicle and aircraft on ground at the airport and areas within the airfield.

Although the job is heavily male dominated, Maisarah believes that there are no gaps between the two genders in the job as the main criteria of becoming an ATC is that you are able to are to think fast, solve problems and posses good communication skills.

“But not to deny though, being a minority in this field makes us women have to step forward and brace ourselves to stand tall among the men.”

On the sudden crazy amounts of views that her video has pulled, Maisarah said that she is overwhelmed with the video’s engagement. “My TikTok account is just a personal small account where I express my thoughts and post moments of my life. Now my followers count keeps increasing, so yeah I really didn’t expect it at all.”

For those who look up to her and are looking to follow in her path, Maisarah urged them to explore your interest and passion. ”

There are a variety of things you can do to make a living. So find your true calling, build up your talent, and strive for your passion. Find the right circle, and choose a decent role model to look up to as an inspiration to drive your will. Nothing is impossible so make your dreams come true!”

Watch her video below:

@ichisukii

Reply to @nrmaira6 example take off clearance for the aircraft ? W/o clearance from ATC, aircraft cannot take off ?

♬ Caught A Vibe – Lancesavali

How cool is Maisarah’s job? How fascinated are you by it? Let us know in the comments.

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