Orange Coast College, armed with a $900,000 investment, will soon begin training a new generation of air traffic controllers under a federal program aimed at addressing the in the field in nearly three decades.
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The funding, which came from a donor to the Orange Coast College Foundation, will allow the school to procure simulators and other specialized equipment for hands-on training, renovate classroom space and implement a full set of courses by fall of 2027, officials said.
“Getting an education that can lead to viable employment is our mission,” said Patricia Falzon, executive director of the foundation.
The Federal Aviation Administration has partnered with a dozen colleges for its Collegiate Training Initiative (E-CTI), a certified program that allows graduates to begin on-site job training without having to first attend the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. The initiative will help address critical workforce needs, officials said, with the agency facing a shortage of 3,000 controllers and projecting 2,200 openings per year over the next decade.
OCC is in the process of pursuing E-CTI status to fast-track graduates into the workforce, Falzon said. Sacramento City College was the first California school to receive the designation in January.
Falzon said OCC is well positioned to train aspiring air traffic controllers, as the school has an established aviation science program and expanding aerospace initiatives, including a new program in rocketry science.
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The new program will be led by Stanley Harriman, the college’s department head of aviation science. The goal is to enroll 40 to 50 students in the program each semester and up to 100 each year, Falzon said.
Though the full curriculum is still being developed, interested students can register for an introductory course starting this fall.
“OCC expects the program to become a significant workforce pipeline for Southern California, serving hundreds of students during its first five years and helping meet the nation’s growing demand for qualified controllers,” the school said in a news release.
After graduation, it can take more than two years for a new-hire controller to be fully certified. The annual pay for air traffic controllers is about $145,000, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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