gaming / air traffic control / recruiting

The FAA, under the Trump administration's Department of Transportation, has launched a recruitment campaign targeting gamers to fill 8,900 air traffic controller positions by fiscal 2028, highlighting salaries up to $155,000 by year three and no college degree requirement. The push frames gaming skills—rapid decision-making, sustained focus, and calm under pressure—as relevant to controller duties and follows data from exit interviews and a new DOT video. The effort is timed amid scrutiny after a fatal LaGuardia runway crash being investigated for potential staffing and operational failures, increasing political and safety urgency. The FAA reports recent hiring gains and a stepped plan for hiring 2,000–2,400 controllers annually through 2028.

The FAA has launched a recruitment ad campaign explicitly targeting video gamers to apply for air traffic controller roles as it seeks to fill a multi-year staffing shortfall. The video links gaming skills—fast decision-making and technical aptitude—to controller duties and highlights pay potential (about $155,000 after three years). Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy framed the effort as reaching a new generation, echoing a similar 2021 "level up" initiative. The FAA says staffing is the highest in six years but still faces thousands of vacancies and anticipated retirements; the National Air Traffic Controllers Association supports outreach if rigorous standards remain. The push follows recent high-profile aviation incidents.

The FAA has launched a recruitment ad campaign urging video gamers to apply for air traffic controller roles, arguing gaming skills map to the quick decision-making and technical aptitude needed for the safety-critical job. The video, echoing a similar 2021 "level up" push, links gaming imagery and consoles with controller work and highlights pay — about $155,000 after three years. US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy framed the outreach as adapting to recruit the next generation, while the FAA continues to face a multi-year staffing shortfall projected to worsen. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association backed the outreach if rigorous standards are maintained.

Great at gaming? US air traffic control wants you to apply