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Meet Arrun Sandhu

Testing Engineering Technician

Arrun is a Test Engineer at NATS

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What I do

I test the software and systems used by air traffic controllers, who manage aircraft in flight.

NATS is the UK’s leading provider of air traffic control services. The work I do lets air traffic controllers do their jobs and helps keeps passengers safe.

Before new software or technology goes into operation, I run tests to check for bugs or defects and look at whether the information on controllers’ screens is accurate.

Air traffic controllers look after 50 or 60 aircrafts an hour and they need to see lots of information, like the aircraft ID, where it’s going, the route it wants to take, how high it wants to fly, its speed, the type of aircraft and its take-off or landing time.

If their software doesn’t work properly or shows errors, it could be really dangerous.

Testing Engineering Technician Arrun, sat at a computer wearing a headset, looking intently at the screen and typing on the keyboard.

How I became a technician

I wasn’t really that technically minded when I was younger. For my GCSE options I studied geography, religious studies and Latin.

After that, I did A-levels. I picked subjects I enjoyed and knew I was good at – English literature, economics and religious studies.

I was never really somebody who had a clear idea of what I wanted to do with my career, so I decided to stick to what I was good at and keep an open mind.

How I became a technician

I went to university to study English and Philosophy. I still didn’t know what job I might want, but all my friends were going to university, so I thought I would go too, and figure things out later!

After I graduated, I still wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next. I started applying for jobs, and I realised I didn't want to do something connected to my degree – so I guess I didn't really need it in the end!

How I became a technician

I applied for a job with a company called Ten10, which had a tech academy. I hadn't done any tech work before, but that worked out ok as they didn't require any previous experience.

They run a ‘recruit, train, deploy’ scheme, which means they recruit people, train them and then find a work placement for them.

How I became a technician

I did 8 weeks of intensive training in tech. Out of everything I was trained on, testing was the thing I enjoyed most.

The company then placed me at NATS on an 18-month placement as a tester. At the end of that, NATS offered me a permanent role, and I have been here ever since.

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A typical day in my working life

My working hours are 8am to 4pm. I usually go into the office about twice a week, depending on what testing is scheduled. For the rest of the week, I work from home. The first thing I do is check what I’m due to test that day.

We have test and development areas, which we call TADs. These are test environments made up of computers connected together, to copy what happens in real life. It means I can test new software safely before it is used by controllers.

A typical day in my working life

Sometimes I work on a radar setup that is designed to feel like the systems air traffic controllers use in real airport towers.

I have screens in front of me and even a headset, so it can feel a bit like I’m stepping into the role of an air traffic controller.

That is one of the coolest parts of the job because it reminds me that the work I’m doing has a real impact.

A typical day in my working life

Most of the time, I follow a test script step by step. I might be checking that flight information is showing correctly, such as an aircraft’s ID, route, speed, height or type.

Sometimes I do regression testing, which means checking that when something new has been added to the software, it hasn’t accidentally broken anything else.

A typical day in my working life

At the end of a test, I write a report. This records what I tested, what happened, whether I found any defects and what evidence there is for the results.

We work in two-week blocks, so I organise my own time and make sure my work is finished by the deadline. It is quite independent, but I always know I can ask my team for help if I need it.

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Testing Engineering Technician Arrun, stood at a server rack containing computer parts and lots of wires, adjusting a cable.

What I love about my job

I like that there is something very tangible about the work I do.

Air travel is part of the UK’s critical infrastructure, and the systems I test help air traffic controllers keep aircraft safe – like ensuring they are always at safe distances from each other.

I also really enjoy the testing itself. I find it rewarding to go through something end to end and evaluate the quality of it. When I have tested something properly, I like feeling confident that everything is working exactly as it should be.

I also like that you need creativity as well as technical ability for my job. Testing is not just about following instructions – I have to think carefully about the best way to test something. That takes problem solving, lateral thinking and imagination.

The skills I use most

Attention to detail is really important in my job. I have to work carefully through test scripts and check that every input has the right output.

Communication matters too. When I raise defects or report issues, I have to be very specific about what has happened. That creates an evidence trail, which helps software teams understand and fix the problem.

I also use critical thinking and problem solving. If a defect has been fixed, I need to think about how to test it again so I can be sure the fix has worked.

Patience and perseverance are important as well. The software and systems at NATS are very complex, and a lot of the technology is specific to air traffic control. It can take time to understand, so I have had to persist with it and keep learning.

I started with no background in technology – I learnt on the job and built up my skills as I went along.
It’s surprising how much work goes into making air travel safe. Flights are being controlled all the time, not just when they take off and land, but throughout their whole journey.
Be confident in your ability to learn new things – you may not realise yet what you’re able to learn and what you’re able to do.

A little more about my everyday role

The best bits about working in a team

I work in a team of seven people. We are the test team for the flight data system, which means the information air traffic controllers see about flights.

Some of the people in my team have a lot more experience than I do, which is really useful because the systems are so complex. There are people at NATS with decades of knowledge, and they are always happy to help.

We have one team meeting a week where we talk about what we are doing, whether anyone needs help and what is coming up next. Then most of the time we just get on with our tasks, but I know I can ask for support when I need it.

My favourite piece of equipment

My favourite bit of kit is probably the radar setup we sometimes use. It is set up to replicate what air traffic controllers use in real towers at airports.

Any software that is specific to air traffic control is pretty cool, because it is so different from what most people use day to day.

What I like to do in my spare time

In my spare time, I like running. I have done a few half marathons, and I have a full marathon coming up next year. I keep my medals by my desk to show off!

I also like playing padel, which is a bit like tennis. I play music too. I’m an amateur DJ, so I record mixes and do pop-up sets around London. I have DJ'd for friends, and my sister has asked me to DJ at her wedding, although I would rather be on the dance floor than behind the decks there!

My school days

When I was younger, I played a lot of video games. I was a stereotypical teenager, sitting in my room playing games on my computer.

My favourite game was Team Fortress 2, which is an online first-person shooter game. I used to play with my friends and cousins - I really enjoyed the social side of it as well as the gameplay.

I also used to play cricket quite a bit, although I've not played for a while.

The most exciting thing I’ve achieved so far in my job

The thing I am most proud of is coming into a role and establishing myself in an industry I never expected to be in and learning everything from scratch.

I started with no background in technology – I learnt on the job and built up my skills as I went along, and I can see now I didn't need a degree to get into it (I could have saved myself getting into so much debt!).

When NATS offered me a permanent role after my placement, it felt like I'd really received that recognition for how hard I'd worked to learn new skills. Knowing that they wanted me after I had retrained and learnt so much was a big moment for me.

A surprising fact about my job

It’s surprising how much work goes into making air travel safe. Flights are being controlled all the time, not just when they take off and land, but throughout their whole journey.

Air traffic controllers train for years, airspace is carefully designed and monitored and the technology used in air traffic control is carefully developed, tested and checked – with safety as the most important thing.

It has definitely given me a bigger appreciation for what goes on behind the scenes when I catch a flight and land safely.

The next steps in my career journey

I have already taken a big step by moving from my placement into a permanent role at NATS. For now, I am continuing to build my experience as a Testing Engineering Technician and learn more about the systems I work on.

There is still a lot to understand because the technology is complex and very specific to air traffic control. I want to keep developing my technical skills and become more confident in the role as I gain experience.

The advice I’d give to someone younger

Keep an open mind, be confident in your abilities and don’t narrow yourself in too early.

Also be confident in your ability to learn new things – you may not realise yet what you’re able to learn and what you’re able to do.

When you start in a new area, you may get imposter syndrome, but stay strong, embrace learning and things will work out.

Testing Engineering Technician Arrun, sat at a computer, looking intently at the screen and typing on the keyboard.

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