Shenandoah University has added an Undergraduate Certificate in Air Traffic Control to its growing list of academic offerings to help fill a national deficit of air traffic controllers. Students began taking the initial class for the undergraduate certificate, ATC-101, in Fall 2026, and Shenandoah is anticipating the program’s full launch in Spring 2027.
“The air traffic controller shortage is real, and it’s serious,” said Shenandoah University Director of Aviation Studies Tony LaRosa, M.S., a former air traffic control specialist at the Federal Aviation Administration. “I’m proud that Shenandoah is stepping up to prepare students to meet the challenge. The new certificate program will be five courses over two years, and it will give students the credentials needed for the actual career of an air traffic controller.”
The FAA announced on Sept. 17 that Shenandoah University has joined the FAA’s Enhanced Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI), which expedites students’ paths to becoming certified air traffic controllers. Students who complete Shenandoah’s air traffic control program can bypass the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City and move straight into on-site facility training in FAA air traffic control towers.
Shenandoah is the first school in Virginia – and the 13th in the country – to become an Enhanced AT-CTI certified program.
“At Shenandoah University, we are committed to offering innovative, career-focused programs that directly address critical workforce needs and prepare our students to lead in high-demand fields,” said Shenandoah University Provost Karen Abraham, Ph.D. “Becoming Virginia’s first FAA Enhanced AT-CTI program reflects our dedication to academic excellence and our proactive approach to equipping students with the real-world skills and credentials needed to safeguard our nation’s skies.”
“I’m thrilled to congratulate Shenandoah University on becoming the latest school to join the Enhanced Air Traffic – Collegiate Training Initiative and to welcome this program to Virginia,” said U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (Virginia). “This federal initiative is helping build a strong pipeline of talented air traffic controllers, strengthen our nation’s aviation workforce, and most importantly, continue the vital work of keeping the traveling public safe. Educating the next generation of air traffic controllers is an important part of keeping our nation’s skies safe and reliable.”
To qualify for Enhanced AT-CTI certification, Shenandoah invested in a state-of-the-art simulator system from UFA, a U.S.-owned company that provides training solutions for air navigation service providers, military organizations, and top collegiate programs around the world. The new air traffic simulators will be used by instructors to help students practice skills in typical traffic as well as emergency scenarios that cannot be replicated without risk.
“The key to training future controllers is the simulators,” said LaRosa. “Our students need the most realistic simulation possible so they can ensure safety on day one. And in a profession like air traffic, which is fundamentally about communication, that means our students need hyper-realistic visuals and voice recognition.”
Shenandoah’s simulator system includes proprietary, AI-enabled speech recognition and response technology for realistic air traffic communication practice, as well as an electronic flight strip board; digital event recording and playback for debrief; and a dedicated instructor station for creating, monitoring, and evaluating scenarios. Shenandoah also invested in an innovative digital tabletop, which can display air traffic in blackboard or table mode using the same voice technology, to provide gamified instruction and build team skills.
“Our objective was to deliver a turnkey training solution that not only satisfies Enhanced AT-CTI requirements, but also provides students with an authentic operational experience,” said Ron Taylor, former air traffic controller and project manager at UFA. “It’s exciting to see that UFA’s simulators are helping Shenandoah to prepare the next generation of controllers.”
