EKU launches air traffic program

RICHMOND, Ky. — A new program at Eastern Kentucky University aims to help address the nation’s ongoing shortage of air traffic controllers by creating a direct path from the classroom to the workforce.

With $5 million in state funding, EKU’s School of Aviation is expanding and plans to launch an Air Traffic Management Program next spring. University leaders say the program is designed to prepare more students for careers in a field that has faced persistent staffing shortages.

“I think aviation, by its very nature, is an exciting field to work in,” said Tim Holt, chair of EKU’s School of Aviation. “So I think most people are looking for careers within that field, be it as a jet mechanic or an aircraft mechanic or a pilot or drone work. Air traffic management falls within that spectrum.”

According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the hiring and training process for controllers has created a bottleneck that has limited how many people ultimately enter the field.

Holt said EKU students will have an advantage because of the hands-on experience they can gain while still in school.

“What you see behind me, those are students,” Holt said. “So students are helping manage the airfield. Students are working in dispatch. So it’s not just a matter of you’re here as a student, you’re gaining practical job experience while you’re here. That’s big.”

Supporters say the program could have a regional impact.

Larry Crowder, CEO of the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, called EKU’s new offering transformational and said it could help fill a major gap in aviation education across Kentucky and nearby states.

“If you looked at our region, there was a gigantic hole in terms of where the programs were being taught, and we said, EKU can fill this gap in this region,” Crowder said. “That’s good for Kentucky. It’s good for Ohio and the surrounding states for us to be able to educate our future controllers at EKU.”

The state will also provide $1.5 million in annual support once the program is operational.

EKU said the new program reflects growing student interest in aviation. The university’s School of Aviation currently serves more than 500 students.