Sean Duffy’s shortage nationwide

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy The number of schools that can participate in fast-pass air traffic control training programs is being expanded as the government seeks more ways to address the country Air traffic controller shortage In the recent control tower and crash.

Although the Federal Aviation Administration has approximately 3,000 air traffic controllers in the U.S., the Trump administration has added schools to a program that can provide the training students will receive at the FAA Air Traffic Controller Academy in Oklahoma City.

In the FAA training air traffic controllers: “It will take time”

this Enhanced Air Transportation – University Training Program (AT-CTI) The program allows selected institutions to provide FAA Academy’s air traffic control training with their students, and they then head directly to the FAA facility to start the training rather than receive other training at the Air Traffic Controller Academy.

In August, Nashua Community College became the fifth school to join the program since January along with the University of North Dakota, SUNY SCHENECTADY County Community College, Vaughn College and Georgia State University (Eastman).

“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are addressing the shortage of air traffic controllers at once,” Duffy said in an August statement. “Our new partnership with Nashua Community College will help us continue to attract the best and smartest people to fill our air traffic control towers. For all young Americans who are engaging in a career in this exciting field, your job will make flight safer and more effective than ever.”

FAA partnered with Southern University to address the national shortage of air traffic controllers

Transport Secretary Sean Duffy and President Donald Trump shook hands at a press conference held on January 30, 2025 in the briefing room of James S. Brady Press in Washington. (Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Embry -Riddle Aeronautics University, Tulsa Community College and the University of Oklahoma first joined the program in 2024. Pete Buttigieg. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) opened the program to schools, joined the program in April 2024, and accepted the first school in October 2024.

Those undergoing an enhanced AT-CTI program must complete the Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA) exam and meet the same medical and safety requirements as peers who receive typical training pipelines.

SEC Sean Duffy: “A, Big, Beautiful Bill” is paid on the new, much-needed air traffic control system

The initiative is one of several recent initiatives launched by the Ministry of Transport. Duffy also unveiled a plan to strengthen the controller’s workforce, which will also issue financial incentives to graduates and new employees, ending initial training milestones in addition to difficult-to-reach facilities.

“Investing in the next generation of air traffic controllers is crucial to maintaining the safety and efficiency of national airspace,” FAA administrator Bryan Bedford said in an August statement. “By expanding training opportunities through these programs, we not only meet today’s staffing needs – we are building a resilient workforce ready to meet tomorrow’s challenges.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Federal Aviation Administration suffers from a shortage of about 3,000 air traffic controllers in the United States (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)