Warren Community College among recipients of $3.5 million to train New Jersey’s next generation of air traffic controllers

NEW JERSEY — Warren Community College is among three public colleges receiving state funding to help address the nation’s shortage of air traffic controllers and expand New Jersey’s aerospace workforce.

The New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education announced Tuesday it is awarding $3.5 million through the New Jersey Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative grant program. The funding is intended to strengthen aviation education, expand FAA-aligned training programs and prepare students for careers in air traffic control and related aerospace fields.

Atlantic Cape Community College and Kean University each received $1.5 million, while Warren Community College was awarded $500,000.

The grants support institutions participating in, or planning to join, the Federal Aviation Administration’s Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative network. Graduates of FAA-approved programs can bypass portions of the FAA Academy curriculum, allowing them to enter on-the-job training more quickly.

“New Jersey public colleges and universities are critical to developing the next generation of aviation professionals and setting students up for a lifetime of advancement beyond their first job,” said Acting Secretary of Higher Education Margo Chaly. “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.”

Warren Community College will use its grant to expand its air traffic control certificate program, which is designed to connect students directly with FAA-certified Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative programs, including Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The college also plans to add an airport management and operations course to broaden career opportunities for students entering the aviation industry.

“We are profoundly grateful to OSHE for investing in the future of our aviation workforce,” said Will Austin, Ed.D., president of Warren Community College and founder of the college’s nationally recognized WarrenUAS program. “This initiative does more than just strengthen air traffic control and airport management programs; it fundamentally transforms the career trajectories of our students by providing them with access to world-class, accessible foundations right here in Northwest New Jersey before they advance to four-year partners.”

Atlantic Cape Community College will use its funding to expand its existing FAA Standard Collegiate Training Initiative partnership into an Enhanced AT-CTI program, while also developing additional FAA-aligned curriculum, advanced simulation training and expanded instructional capacity.

“By strengthening and bridging the pathway from education to employment, this initiative will help Atlantic Cape prepare additional qualified air traffic controllers to meet today’s workforce needs throughout the aviation industry,” said Jason Abreu, Ed.D., president of Atlantic Cape Community College. “As a member of the National Consortium for Advanced Aerospace Transportation, Technology and Training (NCAATTT) with more than 15 years of Air Traffic Control education experience, Atlantic Cape is one of the leading aviation education centers in New Jersey and in the mid-Atlantic region.”

Kean University will use its grant to launch a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Management, expand its drone minor into a Drone Operations major and establish a Center for the Study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, along with a drone research center at its Skylands campus.

“This grant will position Kean University as a regional leader in aviation and emerging aerospace technologies,” said Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D., president of Kean University. “We are grateful for the state’s support as we build on Kean’s commitment to innovation through new academic programs and research.”

According to the FAA, New Jersey’s civil aviation industry supports approximately 173,000 jobs and generates an estimated $37 billion in annual economic output.

In addition to the grant program, the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority offers an Air Traffic Controller Loan Redemption Program that provides up to $100,000 in student loan forgiveness for eligible FAA air traffic controllers working at qualifying facilities serving the region’s airspace.