Nashua Community College has been selected as the newest participant in the Federal Aviation Administration’s Enhanced Air Traffic–Collegiate Training Initiative (E-CTI) program, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Monday. The agreement marks the first time a New Hampshire school has been authorized to offer the program, which mirrors the curriculum and technology used at the FAA’s Air Traffic Controller Academy in Oklahoma City. It is the fifth new CTI program added in 2025 as part of the agency’s push to address the nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we’re solving the air traffic controller shortage one step at a time,” Duffy said in a Department of Transportation statement. “Our new partnership with Nashua Community College will help us continue to attract the best and brightest to fill our air traffic control towers.”
The FAA reports that July saw a record 550 students in training at the Academy, a result of its recent “Supercharge” hiring campaign that drew more than 10,000 applications earlier this year. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said expanding E-CTI programs is “critical to maintaining the safety and efficiency of our national airspace.”
E-CTI air traffic controller training students must pass the Air Traffic Skills Assessment, meet medical and security standards, and complete performance verifications to receive an FAA endorsement before beginning facility-based training. Unlike the standard CTI track, E-CTI graduates skip the Academy’s introductory basics course and go directly into operational instruction.
New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte welcomed the partnership, calling it an investment in “a dependable pipeline of talent” for the state and the nation. The FAA continues to accept applications from colleges nationwide to join the E-CTI network.
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