Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Announces First Virginia College to Join Air Traffic Controller Training Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has partnered with Shenandoah University in Virginia to join the Enhanced Air Traffic – Collegiate Training Initiative (E-CTI). Students who pass the E-CTI program can apply to become a controller on a fast track – skipping the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City and jumping straight to on-site facility training.
“Under President Trump, we are creating new paths to get the best and brightest Americans into our towers faster than ever,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “This collegiate level air traffic controller training program will help young Americans build lifelong aviation careers and get us one step closer to solving our controller shortage.”
Shenandoah University is the 13th school to be certified as an E-CTI program and the 10th under Secretary Duffy, as part of his mission to recruit the next generation of air traffic controllers.
“Partnering with Shenandoah University marks another vital step in our ongoing commitment to strengthen and modernize the air traffic controller pipeline,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. “The safety of our National Airspace System is our top priority, and expanding the Enhanced AT-CTI program allows us to train high-caliber talent and get well-qualified controllers into our facilities faster without compromising on safety.”
Under Secretary Duffy’s leadership, the FAA has taken bold action to supercharge the controller hiring pipeline, create new financial incentives, and retain existing controllers. In the first 18 months of the Trump Administration, the FAA has a record-breaking 4,000 controllers in the training pipeline and reached our highest staffing levels in a decade.
Additional Information:
E-CTI students who pass final performance and written assessments receive an official FAA endorsement certificate. These graduates can then apply to become a controller and be placed directly in an FAA facility to begin training, provided they pass the Air Traffic Skills Assessment test and meet medical and security requirements.
This is different from the Standard AT-CTI, where graduates still go to the FAA Academy but bypass the introductory Air Traffic Basics Course, having already completed it at their Standard AT-CTI school.
The agreement with Shenandoah University is for its control tower program, allowing successful students the opportunity to be placed in an FAA air traffic control tower.
The FAA also offers a year-round hiring opportunity for experienced controllers from the military and private industry and continues to expand its use of modernized simulators that enhance training by immersing trainees in real-world scenarios.
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