In a major push to address a worsening national shortage of certified air traffic controllers, the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) on Tuesday announced the awarding of $3.5 million in state grants.
Funded through the newly established New Jersey Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (NJ AT-CTI) grant program, the money will be divided among three Garden State public colleges. The funding aims to build a robust local pipeline of aerospace and civil aviation professionals, modernizing local training to bypass certain standard Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Academy hurdles.
According to FAA data, the civil aviation sector is a major economic driver for New Jersey, supporting 173,000 jobs and generating roughly $37 billion in annual statewide economic output.
Expanding the aviation pipeline: The awardees
The $3.5 million investment will directly support aviation curricula, advanced simulation technology, and regional aerospace research at three institutions:
- Atlantic Cape Community College ($1.5 Million): A premier aviation education hub in the mid-Atlantic, the college will use the funds to upgrade its current FAA partnership to become an “Enhanced AT-CTI” partner, developing advanced simulation training and expanding its instructional capacity.
- Kean University ($1.5 Million): Kean will establish a brand-new, FAA-aligned Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management, expand its drone minor into a full Drone Operations major, and launch a unique Center for the Study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) alongside a UAP-Drone Research Center at its Skylands campus.
- Warren County Community College ($500,000): Expanding on its nationally recognized WarrenUAS program, the college will build out an air traffic control certificate program designed to bridge students directly into four-year FAA-certified training institutions, such as Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
“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,” Acting Secretary of Higher Education Margo Chaly, said.
Traditionally, entering the air traffic control field requires a lengthy, highly competitive stay at the central FAA Academy. However, institutions operating under the federal AT-CTI umbrella teach FAA-aligned courses, allowing local graduates to skip a portion of the baseline academy requirements and jump directly into specialized, on-the-job training.
The state-level grants ensure New Jersey institutions possess the high-tech simulators and specialized faculty needed to maintain active status within this critical federal network.
To complement the academic funding, the state is also utilizing the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) to offer the Air Traffic Controller Loan Redemption Program.
Under this initiative, air traffic controllers who secure jobs with the FAA at qualifying regional regional radar and tower sites can receive up to $100,000 in student loan redemption, providing a powerful financial incentive for local graduates to remain in the tri-state area.
The grant programs are officially backed by funding from the state’s Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations Act.
