Virginia College Becomes Latest to Join ATC ‘Fast Track’ Program

Shenandoah University is the 13th university and first from Old Dominion State to join FAA’s E-CTI initiative.

Jack Daleo

Friday, September 18, 2026 at 09:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

The FAA is turning to universities in order to swell the ranks of air traffic controllers. [Credit: iStock/Jason Doiy]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA is actively expanding its Enhanced Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (E-CTI) with universities, adding Shenandoah University as the 13th school, to address a significant, long-standing shortage of air traffic controllers.
Graduates of E-CTI programs can bypass the FAA Academy and proceed directly to facility-specific training, accelerating the pipeline of certified controllers and augmenting the academy's limited resources.
Despite efforts to increase hiring and offer financial incentives, the FAA faces challenges including a low training completion rate at its academy, ongoing controller retention issues, and a lack of union involvement in setting staffing targets.

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The FAA continues to expand its use of universities as hubs for training the next generation of air traffic controllers as it contends with a long-standing shortage of personnel.

Shenandoah University on Thursday became the 13th school and first in Virginia to join the agency’s Enhanced Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (E-CTI). The program will allow graduates to bypass the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, where most ATCs receive initial training, and immediately begin instruction on the airspace they will one day oversee.