FAA sets records in effort to hire gamers as air traffic controllers
Transportation — which oversees the FAA — launched an ad campaign on April 10 targeting video gamers, saying in a press release that the effort “aims to reach young adults who possess useful skills that are transferable to a career in air traffic control.”
A YouTube video associated with the campaign begins with the Xbox One logo before breaking into snippets from Twitch streams and then a montage of air traffic controllers and planes, telling viewers to “level up” and apply for positions beginning at midnight on April 17.
The FAA launched a similar “level up” campaign in 2021 that was also focused on hiring 18- to 30-year-old gamers to be air traffic controllers.
“With only about 25 percent of controllers holding a traditional college degree, this effort is focused on reaching talented young people pursuing alternative career paths, many of whom are active in gaming,” Transportation said in a press release. “Feedback from controller exit interviews reinforces this, with several controllers pointing to gaming as an influence on their ability to think quickly, stay focused, and manage complexity.”
During an appearance at the Semafor World Economy event on Friday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the department had already received 6,000 applicants since the application portal opened. As of Saturday, applications were no longer being accepted.
Duffy called the hiring push “wildly successful,” and said that “we’ve had a flood of young people coming in that want to be air traffic controllers.”
In a subsequent Facebook video shared on Duffy’s account on Saturday, the department said that it had received 12,350 applications, “more than double the previous record.” Of these applicants, 10,779 were identified as being qualified for air traffic controller roles.
The job call, which led to a posting for an “Air Traffic Control Specialist - Trainee” role, said “no prior air traffic experience is required,” and that potential hires would begin with training at the FAA Academy.
Transportation said there are almost 11,000 current air traffic controllers, “with more than 4,000 trainees in the pipeline.” But new hires are needed to meet rising demands and to replace personnel leaving the workforce.
A January Government Accountability Office report found that the total number of air traffic controllers has decreased by roughly 6% over the past decade, even as the number of flights relying on these personnel has increased by 10%.
The effort to attract young applicants with non-traditional backgrounds comes amid a broader governmentwide push to fill critical job vacancies — particularly those in cybersecurity or technology areas — by expanding hiring criteria.
The Office of Personnel Management issued new standards for technology employees last week that no longer include degree requirements, part of an effort to prioritize job aptitude over educational background.
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