FAA partners with university in South to address nationwide air traffic controller shortage

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently signed an agreement with a Georgia university to supercharge its air traffic controller hiring pipeline.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Wednesday the FAA has partnered with Middle Georgia State University to become the next school for the FAA’s Enhanced Air Traffic – Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI), allowing more people to get into air traffic facilities and on the job faster.

The FAA has a nationwide shortage of roughly 3,000 air traffic controllers.

The FAA has a nationwide shortage of roughly 3,000 air traffic controllers. (J. David Ake/Getty Images)

Enhanced AT-CTI school students must pass the ATSA, meet the FAA’s medical and security requirements, and pass performance verifications to receive an official endorsement certificate.

After meeting the requirements, graduates report directly to an FAA facility to begin their training.    

In the Standard AT-CTI, graduates attend the FAA Academy, but can bypass the introductory Air Traffic Basics Course.

The FAA also has a year-round hiring opportunity for experienced controllers from the military and private industry, and is enhancing training with modernized simulators to move new hires through training more efficiently, according to the release.

“The FAA will continue to take aggressive action to get the best and brightest to join our team and increase our controller workforce,” FAA officials said. “Controllers’ work is critical to meeting our safety mission, and we’ve made the hiring process more efficient than ever.”