As it searches for 12,500 new air traffic controllers, the FAA extended the eligibility period for college students with training in ATC to become controllers. Previously, graduates of the agency’s Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) could be hired on an expedited basis only within two years of graduation. The new policy allows them to apply for a one-year extension of hiring eligibility each year until they turn 31, the maximum hiring age for controllers. The FAA has agreements with 13 colleges and universities to offer courses in ATC.