FAA courts gamers to become air traffic controllers — boasts $155k average annual salary after three years as the agency prepares for 8,000 applicants

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) just released a YouTube video targeted at gamers, asking them if they’re ready for a challenge and saying they’ve been training for it. This clip is part of the agency’s move to hire more personnel as the nation grapples with an air traffic controller shortage, with the FAA estimating that it would need to add 3,000 more fully certified controllers to its ranks. According to the New York Times, gamers are valued for their hand-eye coordination, decisiveness when facing complex situations, and the ability to focus on screens for hours on end — crucial traits built over hours of gaming, which, incidentally, are also useful in the high-stress environment of air traffic control (ATC).

Air Traffic Control Hiring: It’s Not a Game. It’s a Career. – YouTube

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“To reach the next generation of air traffic controllers, we need to adapt,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement. He also added that the recruitment effort “taps into a growing demographic of young adults who have many of the hard skills it takes to be a successful controller.” Still, gamers who want to work in ATC must work hard to join the FAA despite their talent and skills in games. “When you bring on someone who has gaming experience, particularly with air traffic control, they have an edge up,” Aerospace consultant Michael O’Donnell told the publication. “They’re coming in with a skill set. But it doesn’t replace aptitude, or discipline, or decision making under pressure.”