The Federal Aviation Administration has approved the first Texas college to join its Enhanced Air Traffic – Collegiate Training Initiative (E-CTI), expanding the academic pipeline for training future air traffic controllers.
The announcement was made by Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy, as part of an ongoing effort to broaden the network of higher education institutions preparing candidates for controller positions. The newly approved Texas institution joins a growing list of colleges that offer coursework aligned with FAA requirements, providing graduates with a more direct path into air traffic control careers after successful completion of required assessments.
The move follows a series of recent E-CTI expansions to colleges in Colorado and California, underscoring a wider campaign to strengthen recruitment and training capacity for the national air traffic control system. Under the E-CTI framework, participating schools integrate FAA-focused curriculum designed to build foundational skills in airspace structure, procedures, and aviation safety.
This latest addition reflects the FAA’s broader strategy in 2026 to increase the pool of qualified controller candidates through partnerships with universities and colleges, in parallel with ambitious hiring objectives already announced for the agency’s workforce.