The FAA has met its goal to hire 1,500 air traffic controllers in 2023, bringing the number of controllers currently in training to approximately 2,600. The agency set the goal as part of an effort to rebuild its training pipeline following disruptions related to COVID. The FAA noted that, due to the pandemic, it closed its training academy for six months in 2020 and paused on-the-job training at its facilities for nearly two years. According to the agency, controller certification for specific airspace positions at a facility varies from 18 to 24 months depending on airspace complexity.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/flight-safety/faa-regs/faa-meets-1500-controller-hiring-goal