Embry-Riddle Selected For FAA’s Controller Fast-Track Program

Embry Riddle Aeronautical University is the newest institution to join the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) Enhanced Air Traffic – Collegiate Training Initiative program.

The FAA announced the partnership on Wednesday noting that the Daytona Beach, Florida University joins Tulsa Community College and the University of Oklahoma as the first schools to participate in the initiative, which aims to provide a more direct and efficient pathway for the next generation of air traffic controllers.

Embry-Riddle’s Air Traffic Management program, which currently enrolls 242 students, is already preparing future controllers with a solid academic foundation. With this new partnership, graduates are offered a direct path to FAA facility training, contingent on passing the Air Traffic Skills Assessment test and meeting medical and security clearances.

“The FAA is working to strengthen our controller workforce and create a continuous pipeline of talent,” said Tim Arel, Chief Operating Officer of the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization. “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 move comes as the FAA actively works to address the ongoing controller shortage, having already hired 1,800 controllers in 2024. The agency’s goal is to bring an additional 2,000 controllers on board in 2025.