Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has touted the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) collegiate training program aimed at bolstering the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) staff.
Staffing Up
In a post on the social media platform X on Thursday, Duffy shared that the Department of Transportation (DOT), as well as the FAA, added Sacramento City College to the agency’s Collegiate Training Initiative program as the 10th institute to join the initiative, as well as the first institute in California to do so.
The initiative aims to provide training for college students interested in pursuing a career in Air Traffic Control. The initiative “creates more opportunities for young patriots to get certified and keep passengers safe,” Duffy shared in the post.
In an official statement by the FAA on Thursday, Duffy shared that the move would help address staffing woes. “We are moving at the Speed of Trump to address the decades-long air traffic controller shortage,” he said. The statement also outlined that the agency had hired 2,026 new controllers, which exceeded the agency’s hiring goals for 2025.
Government Shutdown Caused Chaos
The news comes as the historic Government Shutdown last year, which lasted for 43 days, caused severe travel disruptions and delays as controllers worked without pay. The staffing shortages also led the FAA to announce flight cuts at major airports.
However, as the shutdown ended, the administration announced backpay guarantees for the staff as well as a $10,000 bonus for controllers who did not miss a single day of work during the shutdown.
The shutdown also impacted flight operators, with Delta Airlines Inc. (NYSE:DAL) reporting a $200 million impact related to the shutdown, which translated to over 25 cents per share.
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