UND Joins FAA Air Traffic Controller Workforce Program

The University of North Dakota (UND) is the latest institution to join the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) Enhanced Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program.

UND now joins Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Tulsa Community College and the University of Oklahoma as an Enhanced AT-CTI school.

The Enhanced AT-CTI program streamlines the hiring process for air traffic controllers by allowing graduates to bypass introductory courses at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. Eligible graduates must successfully complete a skills assessment test and meet specific medical and security requirements before entering the workforce.

Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., who championed UND’s inclusion in the program, celebrated the latest announcement. “Today, we reach an exciting milestone in our efforts to address the air traffic controller shortage, while ensuring UND continues to lead the way across the board when it comes to aviation. We need more qualified air traffic controllers out in the workforce, and it makes sense to leverage the expertise of the John D. Odegard School of Aviation to meet this critical need,” Hoeven said in a Dec. 9 press release.

UND estimates its Air Traffic Management program currently enrolls around 100 students, but the university anticipates significant growth as prospective students learn they can join the workforce much quicker after graduation.

Meanwhile, the FAA continues to tackle the shortage in controllers. The agency hired 1,500 controllers in 2023 and more than 1,800 this year, with a goal to add an additional 2,000 controllers in 2025.