FAA Looks to Recruit Gamers to Address Air Traffic Controller Shortage

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) have launched a recruitment push aimed at nontraditional candidates to address a critical shortage of air traffic controllers.

According to a CBS News report, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Friday, April 10, that the department would target gamers, encouraging them to consider becoming air traffic controllers.

"To reach the next generation of air traffic controllers, we need to adapt," Duffy said in a statement shared with the media organization. "This campaign's innovative communication style and focus on gaming taps into a growing demographic of young adults who have many of the hard skills it takes to be a successful controller."

"With only about 25% 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," the department stated 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."

According to a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office published in December 2025, the FAA employed 6% fewer air traffic controllers in fiscal year 2025 than in 2015, despite a 10% increase in total flights between 2015 and 2024.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for air traffic controllers was $144,580 as of 2024, the last year for which salary data was available. Pay, however, varies by experience and location.

Applications for air traffic controllers open this month, with a cap of 8,000. Candidates face aptitude tests, as well as medical and security clearances. They then move on to a four- to six-month training course at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, followed by extensive on-the-job training, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The path to becoming a certified air traffic controller can take two to six years, according to CBS News.