Great at gaming? US air traffic control wants you to apply
Great at gaming? US air traffic control wants you to apply
The U.S. government is urging individuals skilled in video games to explore careers in air traffic control, aiming to resolve a persistent workforce gap. To attract attention, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched a fresh advertising initiative, directly inviting gamers to apply for roles during the upcoming hiring period. The campaign opens with the X-box One emblem, transitioning into a sequence blending scenes of players engaging in online games with air traffic controllers—both male and female—operating in control towers, focusing on their computer screens.
“You’ve been training for this,” the ad states, emphasizing the connection between gaming and air traffic control. The promotional material also underscores the financial benefits, noting that controllers can earn $155,000 after three years of service. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy remarked in a statement that the FAA must innovate to engage younger generations. He highlighted that the agency is targeting a demographic of young adults equipped with the technical abilities needed for the job.
A nod to the past: the ‘level up’ campaign
This effort builds on a 2021 initiative under the Biden administration, titled “level up,” which used gaming terminology to symbolize progress in the profession. That campaign also aimed to draw from the gaming community to fill vacant positions. Air traffic control remains vital for ensuring safe aircraft operations, with controllers responsible for monitoring and directing flights to prevent collisions and other incidents at, above, and around airports.
Controllers are expected to demonstrate rapid decision-making under pressure alongside advanced technical knowledge. Despite this, vacancies have plagued the field for years, with the shortage anticipated to rise in the coming years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The FAA previously noted that it would be fully staffed with 14,663 active controllers. However, it was at least 3,000 short and projected that twice as many would leave by 2028.
“Our union supports innovative strategies to broaden the talent pool, such as reaching out to individuals with strong aptitude skills like gamers, as long as all candidates meet the strict standards required for this safety-critical role,” said Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.
The push for recruitment follows notable accidents involving air traffic control. In early 2025, an army helicopter collided mid-air with a passenger jet near Ronald Reagan Airport in Washington, DC, resulting in 67 fatalities. This year, an Air Canada flight crashed into an airport fire truck at La Guardia Airport in New York, claiming the lives of two pilots.
