The FAA plans to hire thousands of air traffic controllers over the next several years, but the agency has come under fire for relaxing its standards for potential new hires. New rules that went into effect this week do not count previous training and experience in formal air traffic control education programs.
Television station KCRA reports that the FAA is moving to an "off the street" standard for potential trainees, according to Scott Miller, a professor of aeronautics at Sacramento City College. Miller said that under the new rules, "any candidate who happens to be a U.S. citizen can apply. A high school diploma is not a requirement to become an air traffic controller."
Miller said that about 60 students who graduated from the college's program were told to reapply for positions even though they had completed a specialized program. He said that the agency may lose some of the best-qualified candidates due to the lower standards.
The FAA anticipates replacing 10,000 air traffic controllers as people currently in those jobs reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 over the next 10 years. The agency said it is trying to remove barriers to "equal employment opportunities" and "create a more diverse work force," according to the report.
FMI: www.faa.gov

Does that company still offer controllers disability insurance? I remember when they first stared offering that, faking nightmares and hearing loss was the cool thing to do a few years before retirement after you of course financed two new cars and a boat. These new diploma-less controllers will fit right in.

Wow. I put in my app during the window and got rejected. The entire thing is now based on some sort of "personality assessment", without actually looking at your resume.

BS degree in meteorology from a major university, CFI, Civil Air Patrol check pilot, several GA pilot jobs and other professional experience. Always been a natural at talking on the radio. They told me to hit the bricks.

What is this "creating a more diverse work force" BS?

How about selecting the most qualified people for the job.

This sounds completely ridiculous and a dumbing down of the profession.

Agree. Looks like they are just trying to get in line with every other industry in the US with its diversity nonsense before the PC police start flexing their muscles.

How about we focus on gearing that statement toward pilots.

Anyone see them ever relaxing the maximum age requirement for new hire? Always wanted to go the controller route but being 33 I'm waaayyyy too old from what I understand.

Any controllers see this as bad juju? Would there be something wrong with hiring guys that are older than 31? Just wondering what their take is.

If they are that hard up for applicants eliminate the age 31 requirement....

What do you expect from this gov't and especially this administration?!

Hmm, followed the link and checked out the job on FAAs website. Says a bachelors degree is required.