By Beth Carter

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In a recent stride to enhance its air traffic controller workforce, the FAA welcomed a new member into its Enhanced Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program. The administration has signed an agreement with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Prescott campus, marking it as the first Arizona institution to be part of this enhanced training collaboration. This move by the FAA is set to provide the same level of rigorous curriculum and state-of-the-art training available at the FAA’s Academy in Oklahoma City.

“We’re taking aggressive action at the FAA to recruit the best and brightest into our controller workforce by making the training process more efficient than ever. These jobs are critical to keeping our skies safe and with the expansion of our training capabilities through Enhanced AT-CTI schools, we are bolstering our aviation workforce and ushering in a higher volume of controllers beyond our previous capabilities,” US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy expressed in a statement obtained by USDOT. The FAA’s Supercharge hiring campaign, which closed on March 17, garnered over 10,000 applications, with more than 8,300 candidates moving on to the testing phase. These efforts coincide with the expansion of onsite training at the Academy by nearly 30 percent.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford showed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “The safety of the National Airspace System is our number one priority, and the Enhanced AT-CTI program will help build the next generation of air traffic controllers.” This initiative comes at a time when August saw a record number of students, over 600, in training at the FAA Academy, an unprecedented milestone in the administration’s history, as noted by USDOT.

Students in the Enhanced AT-CTI program must meet certain criteria, including passing the Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA) and meeting medical and security mandates set by the FAA. Only after these protocols are adhered to and performance verifications are passed do graduates receive an official endorsement certificate. According to Embry-Riddle President P. Barry Butler, having both of its campuses recognized for this innovative initiative underscores the superior level of training and education provided. “We are proud to see our highly skilled, professional graduates immediately join the controller ranks for training to keep air traffic moving safely and efficiently,” Butler told as per an announcement on the university’s involvement.

Contrastingly, the Standard AT-CTI program affords graduates the chance to by-pass the introductory Air Traffic Basics Course when they arrive at the FAA Academy. In addition to these collegiate initiatives, the FAA continues to offer year-round hiring opportunities for seasoned controllers from military and private sectors, prioritizing the acceleration of training procedures with modernized simulators.