Polk County Public Schools recently unveiled state-of-the-art simulators, which will be used to train students seeking careers as air traffic controllers (ATC).

The simulators were installed at Bartow Executive Airport as part of a new ATC program available through Traviss Technical College, designed to help address a critical staffing shortage of air traffic controllers and improve safety across the national airspace.

Polk County is one of a few school systems in the nation that provides this level of ATC training. The new simulators were developed and installed by UFA, a global provider of simulation and speech recognition technologies.

The technology will allow Polk County students to engage in comprehensive ATC training, with competency-based tools that ensure students master skills needed to move to the next phase of their education. The system provides safe, cost-effective instruction for students simulating both normal and emergency conditions.

“Our new program is designed to give students an opportunity to enter a career of critical importance, and develop the knowledge necessary to become successful air traffic controllers,” said David H. Wiggs, director of Traviss Technical College.

“PCPS is one of the few school systems in the country to have similar training equipment used by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),” Wiggs said. “Using this simulator technology, students will better develop their skills and be prepared to help keep air travel safe when they become air traffic controllers.”

The addition of simulator training comes at a crucial time for ATC education, as local, national and international organizations are launching incentives to attract a new generation to the profession.

Within the past weeks, the FAA has announced financial incentives to increase recruitment and retention of air traffic controllers amid a shortage of approximately 3,000 safety-critical workers. Incentives include $5,000 payments to new hires who complete initial qualification training, and $10,000 to those who take positions in the 13 most difficult-to-staff facilities in the country.

David Wolff, CEO of UFA said: “We are proud to partner with Polk County in providing state-of-the-art training to the next generation of aviation professionals. Polk County will join an elite group of programs that can prepare students to join the field of aviation at a truly critical time.”

PCPS’ program enhancements are on track to produce new graduates with the skills and knowledge to help address the ATC staffing challenge.