Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla., is the next school to offer the Enhanced Air Traffic – Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program.
Schools involved in the program offer the same curriculum and advanced technology that is offered at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic Controller Academy in Oklahoma City.
Graduates must pass the Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA) to receive an endorsement certificate from an Enhanced AT-CTI school. Graduates also must pass performance verifications and meet medical and security requirements. Once completed, graduates can report directly to an FAA facility to begin training.
In the Standard AT-CTI program, graduates go to the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City but can bypass the introductory Air Traffic Basics Course.
“The FAA is working to strengthen our controller workforce and create a continuous pipeline of talent,” Tim Arel, Chief Operating Officer of the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization said. “The safety of the National Airspace System and the traveling public is always our number one priority. Working with schools like Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University will continue that mission.”
The FAA plans to hire 2,000 controllers in 2025. This year, it hired more than 1,800 and it hired 1,500 in 2023.
The other AT-CTI program schools are Tulsa Community College and the University of Oklahoma.