Large Transport
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 29
Workload; Distraction
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Staffing
While working [Sector] W which is MIA South departure; TMB arrival and departure; HST Air Reserve Base arrival and departure and also the position that handles two sky dive businesses both of which were active and flying during this tour on W. The radar room was short of staffing due to Operation's Manager decreeing that all Controllers not current on ELMS courses must have them current before being assigned a position. There were even controllers doing ELMS's in the radar room at the Supervisor's position. My position of responsibility was getting busier and busier and TMB was requesting releases; HST Air Reserve Base was requesting releases. I was unable to answer the line for either TMB or HST. I asked for help in the form of splitting the position. No help came. There wasn't anybody available due to ELMS's. I; the W position; have always been a position that in most minds at work should be split but seldom is. I finally got help and as I was trying to start a briefing I had Aircraft X southbound and Aircraft Y northbound. They were opposite direction to each other and passed 700 to 800 FT apart. No TCAS; no mention from the pilots; nothing at all. Splitting W and having more supervision regarding the operation and not paperwork should be the focus. ELMS courses should be assigned with the operation in mind not the other way around. We all need to have bean counters but not at the cost of stripping the operation of man power.
Reporter states while working radar position; Aircraft X and Aircraft Y had a loss of separation. Reporter attributes loss of separation to inadequate staffing because other's were doing other duties as assigned.