Shawn Duffy’s Plan for New Air Traffic Control Training
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently spoke about the safety issues in air traffic control, which he found “surprising.” His comments were made during an appearance on “American Newsroom,” where he also talked about California’s proposed high-speed rail project.
Amid a national shortage of approximately 3,000 air traffic controllers, Duffy is working to increase the number of schools involved in expedited air traffic control training programs. This decision comes after a recent incident involving a control tower disaster.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been grappling with this shortage, leading to the expansion of training facilities. Under the current administration, additional schools have been added to the program designed to prepare students for the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City.
The Enhanced Air Traffic – University Training Initiative (AT-CTI) enables certain institutions to offer students a path directly to the FAA facility, skipping extra training at the academy. Recently, Nashua Community College became part of this initiative, joining institutions like the University of North Dakota and SUNY Schenectady County Community College.
Duffy stated, “Under President Trump’s leadership, we are addressing the shortage of air traffic controllers one step at a time.” He expressed hope that partnerships with these colleges would attract top talent to the air traffic control field, assuring potential recruits that their future roles would be safer and more efficient.
Schools like Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Tulsa Community College were among the first to join this program last year, following applications that opened in April 2024. Students need to pass the Air Traffic Skills Assessment exam and meet medical and security requirements similar to those of traditional training pathways.
Duffy emphasized that investing in future controllers is crucial for maintaining the safety of the national airspace. He noted that expanding training opportunities is part of a broader strategy to build a resilient workforce capable of meeting both current and future challenges faced by the aviation industry.
