The federal government is looking for video game players to help fill thousands of open air traffic control positions.
A new video from the Department of Transportation specifically targets gamers as part of a massive hiring plan to add nearly 9,000 controllers by 2028. The video asks gamers if they are “up for the challenge” of the role but reminds them that while the skills are similar, the job is a “career” and not a “game.”
The push for more staff comes after several safety concerns, including a fatal crash at LaGuardia Airport where a plane hit a firetruck on the runway. National Transportation Safety Board investigators are looking into whether a lack of staff or distractions contributed to that accident. By recruiting people who are already used to fast-paced environments and multitasking, the FAA hopes to improve safety across the country.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, “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.”
One of the biggest perks of the job is that it doesn’t require a college degree, yet it offers a high salary. The agency says that by the third year on the job, controllers can earn an average of $155,000.
Currently, there are about 11,000 controllers working and 4,000 more in training. The FAA plans to hire 2,000 people in 2025 and continue increasing those numbers each year through 2028. Duffy noted that with the current staffing levels being the highest in six years, “There’s never been a more exciting time to become a controller and level up into a career with a strong purpose — keeping American families safe.”
New hires will be sent to the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City to start a job where they will “keep millions of people safe every day.”
🚨👀 Watch this…
YOU can be the future of air traffic control
It’s not a GAME, its a CAREER
Applications open April 17th at Midnight @FAANews pic.twitter.com/JVpgCIeF58
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) April 10, 2026
