New Jersey Funds Air Traffic Controller Pipeline

The New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) announced the awarding of $3.5 million under the New Jersey Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (NJ AT-CTI) grant program, designed to grow the pipeline of aerospace professionals from New Jersey and address a national shortage of certified air traffic controllers.

The FAA operates the Air-Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) with accredited colleges offering FAA-aligned aviation curricula, allowing graduates to bypass some standard FAA Academy requirements. Eligibility for the state grant was contingent on active participation or plans to join the federal AT-CTI partner network.

Three institutions were selected: Atlantic Cape Community College and Kean University each received $1.5 million, and Warren County Community College received $500,000.

"New Jersey public colleges and universities are critical to developing the next generation of aviation professionals and setting students up for a lifetime of advancement beyond their first job," said Acting Secretary of Higher Education Margo Chaly. "By supporting institutions to build programs and enhance training opportunities that feed into FAA certification pathways, we are developing routes into well-paying, stable careers for residents who will serve New Jersey and the nation over the decades to come."

Atlantic Cape Community College will use the funding to become an Enhanced AT-CTI partner, supporting FAA-aligned curriculum, advanced simulation training and instructional capacity. Kean University will create a new FAA-aligned Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management and expand its drone minor into a Drone Operations major, alongside a Center for the Study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. Warren County Community College will develop an air traffic control certificate program connecting students to other FAA-certified AT-CTI programs, including Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

The civil aviation industry supports 173,000 jobs in New Jersey and generates an estimated $37 billion in economic output, per FAA data.