FAA Moves to Accelerate Air Traffic Controller Hiring by Enhancing College Training Program

[GulfCharlie]

*** DO NOT BASH HIRING AVENUES***

https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-moves-accelerate-air-traffic-controller-hiring-enhancing-college-training-program

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is working to accelerate its training and hiring of air traffic controllers through an Enhanced Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program.  

“Hiring more air traffic controllers is a priority,” said FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker. “We need more entry points for controller candidates and this enhanced college controller training program is an additional avenue to get controllers into facilities sooner.” 

The Enhanced AT-CTI program will bolster the current hiring pipeline by allowing the FAA to hire more candidates who can begin facility training immediately upon graduation.

The FAA is authorizing institutions in the AT-CTI program to provide the same thorough curriculum offered at the FAA Air Traffic Controller Academy. After graduating from one of the eligible schools, new hires can immediately begin localized training at an air traffic facility. These graduates still must pass the Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA) exam and meet medical and security requirements.    

Colleges will apply to join the Enhanced AT-CTI program in April 2024, and the FAA will then sign partnership agreements with the selected institutions that incorporate the new curriculum. The FAA has now surveyed which institutions in the AT-CTI program want to and can incorporate the new enhancements for the 2024-25 school year.

To ensure the highest quality of the Enhanced AT-CTI graduating students, the FAA has already provided guidance on academy criteria and coursework and will oversee all program requirements. These schools will follow all the technology, testing, oversight, and participation requirements of the new Enhanced AT-CTI program.  

The current AT-CTI program is a non-funded partnership between select colleges and universities and the FAA, and is a valuable source of applicants for air traffic controller positions.

The Enhanced AT-CTI program is one of the many actions the FAA is taking to increase the number of controllers and improve training following the release of the National Airspace System Safety Review Team Report. This includes year-round hiring for experienced controllers from the military and private industry, filling every seat at the FAA Academy and finishing the deployment of upgraded tower simulator systems in 95 facilities by December 2025.

 

[CaptainObvious]

We’ll take them, as long as they’re worth half a shit

 

[GulfCharlie]

We’ll take them, as long as they’re worth half a shit

Long as people can do the job, that is all that matters to me.

 

[32andBelow]

Maybe they should unban certified controllers from teaching these courses

 

[FightingIrish2012]

if they renew the slate book I hope every staffing initiative completely fails. Bring on the OT, it’s the only way to build income vs cost of living now.

 

[Foppery&Whim]

We’ll take them, as long as they’re worth half a shit

Wonder if they can actually start direct staffing to level 8 and 9. If the CRWG passes, some faciltiies needs an additional 10+ CPCs and we are already on 6 10s.

 

[bomber996]

It will be interesting to see how this gets implemented. What type of facilities, EnRoute vs Terminal get which school's graduates. Some CTI schools focus only on terminal operations. Sending one of their graduates to a center would be a disaster. Some CTI schools have ERAM simulators and decent tower simulators. Considering that in the past the majority of OTS hires went to EnRoute facilities, the path these CTI graduates take will be interesting.

 

[GulfCharlie]

It will be interesting to see how this gets implemented. What type of facilities, EnRoute vs Terminal get which school's graduates. Some CTI schools focus only on terminal operations. Sending one of their graduates to a center would be a disaster. Some CTI schools have ERAM simulators and decent tower simulators. Considering that in the past the majority of OTS hires went to EnRoute facilities, the path these CTI graduates take will be interesting.

According to the article, schools have to apply and meet a certain standard. What that might be I could not even begin to speculate.

 

[32andBelow]

It will be interesting to see how this gets implemented. What type of facilities, EnRoute vs Terminal get which school's graduates. Some CTI schools focus only on terminal operations. Sending one of their graduates to a center would be a disaster. Some CTI schools have ERAM simulators and decent tower simulators. Considering that in the past the majority of OTS hires went to EnRoute facilities, the path these CTI graduates take will be interesting.

A center can train from zero. The academy barely teaches you anything. I think they are more worried about the academics. You can also make a non radar lab anywhere

 

[bomber996]

A center can train from zero. The academy barely teaches you anything. I think they are more worried about the academics. You can also make a non radar lab anywhere

Legally yes, a center can do "stage 1" or the Academy portion of training. In reality tower transfers to centers centers can be just a difficult, if not more difficult to train due to the lack of experience with ERAM that AGs get. The Academy provides the hands on experience with ERAM, despite the other bullshit shortfalls of the Academy. This is my opinion anyway.

 

[32andBelow]

Legally yes, a center can do "stage 1" or the Academy portion of training. In reality tower transfers to centers centers can be just a difficult, if not more difficult to train due to the lack of experience with ERAM that AGs get. The Academy provides the hands on experience with ERAM, despite the other bullshit shortfalls of the Academy. This is my opinion anyway.

The academy labs are redundant. The school can teach the book work and administer the academic tests. All academy labs are are fake d side training. The students can just do their initial d side training on their actual airspace. Not every en route facility even uses eram. So it’s already being done in the NAS

 

[ClearanceClarence]

Legally yes, a center can do "stage 1" or the Academy portion of training. In reality tower transfers to centers centers can be just a difficult, if not more difficult to train due to the lack of experience with ERAM that AGs get. The Academy provides the hands on experience with ERAM, despite the other bullshit shortfalls of the Academy. This is my opinion anyway.

You get plenty of hands on experience at the center anyways. You’re in the lab for months before you ever hit the floor.

 

[Foppery&Whim]

According to the article, schools have to apply and meet a certain standard. What that might be I could not even begin to speculate.

To reach any type of standard you obviously need money. Expect CTIs to charge the wazoo to students to find actual simulators.

 

[GulfCharlie]

To reach any type of standard you obviously need money. Expect CTIs to charge the wazoo to students to find actual simulators.

Aye, poor bastards. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds.

 

[GulfBravoPapa]

To reach any type of standard you obviously need money. Expect CTIs to charge the wazoo to students to find actual simulators.

Some already have actual simulators.....

 

[Logical_Mongoose]

It will also be interesting to see how they handle the ATSA hurdle. The FAA should, but likely won't, stipulate that the ATSA (or whatever its future equivalent might be) should be administered as an entrance exam for the CTI school. I can see a future where Johnny ATC Jr breezes through CTI school racking up years of loans only to get sucker-punched out of the selection process at the end by failing the ATSA.

Will also be interesting to see if "dream" facilities will get to essentially direct hire CTI grads and keep screwing NCEPT people over even more.

 

[32andBelow]

It will also be interesting to see how they handle the ATSA hurdle. The FAA should, but likely won't, stipulate that the ATSA (or whatever its future equivalent might be) should be administered as an entrance exam for the CTI school. I can see a future where Johnny ATC Jr breezes through CTI school racking up years of loans only to get sucker-punched out of the selection process at the end by failing the ATSA.

Will also be interesting to see if "dream" facilities will get to essentially direct hire CTI grads and keep screwing NCEPT people over even more.

We used to take the AT SAT during our first year at CTI. That way you could re take it the following year if you failed.

 

[Sir_Unable]

A center can train from zero. The academy barely teaches you anything. I think they are more worried about the academics. You can also make a non radar lab anywhere

It taught me if there’s a single aircraft in the EDST at 4000 in another state, you sure as hell better not give a departure clearance to 4000 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Phillytroll69]

Sooooo we will go full cycle and bump up staffing then can cti again? I'd be very hesitant to go...I wonder if they'll guarantee employment after a cti program or something.
Also wasn't one of the bids canned for nepotism (2011) strictly because candidates from local schools were getting hired at higher rates after having interned or student volunteering or whatever. Wonder if this will impact Jorge Rosa's? Lawsuit

 

[POINTOUT]

Sooooo we will go full cycle and bump up staffing then can cti again? I'd be very hesitant to go...I wonder if they'll guarantee employment after a cti program or something.
Also wasn't one of the bids canned for nepotism (2011) strictly because candidates from local schools were getting hired at higher rates after having interned or student volunteering or whatever. Wonder if this will impact Jorge Rosa's? Lawsuit

Honestly the CTI school I went to in 2007 told myself and my parents that we were automatically hired after graduating. Fucking scam artist, I got hired off the street after putting myself 20k in debt. Fuck them.