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 significantly expanding its Enhanced Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (E-CTI) program, with Shenandoah University becoming the 13th school, to address a long-standing shortage of air traffic controllers.
E-CTI allows university graduates to bypass the traditional FAA Academy, directly entering facility-specific training, thereby accelerating the pipeline of certified controllers and combating high attrition rates.
Despite a revised workforce plan reducing the target shortfall, the FAA still has a significant deficit of certified professional controllers (over 1,500), and is also implementing other strategies such as increased hiring, salary incentives, and diverse recruitment.
While the FAA is focused on hiring and training, it still faces challenges including a lack of instructors, high attrition before retirement age, and ongoing issues with controller compensation and retention.

See a mistake? Contact us.

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.