For years, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has grappled with a persistent shortage of air traffic controllers, a situation highlighted by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) in January, noting a 6 percent drop in personnel over the last decade. In response, the Trump administration is launching a fresh recruiting effort aimed at gamers, coinciding with the annual air traffic control hiring period beginning April 17th.

Despite this new initiative, the path to becoming a qualified air traffic controller remains fraught with hurdles. According to the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General (OIG), the FAA faces “significant challenges with training,” which include a lack of qualified instructors, limited training capacity, an outdated curriculum, and high rates of training failures.

A promotional video from the FAA, featuring clips from popular games like Madden NFL, Fortnite, and League of Legends, highlights the potential rewards of the job, boasting an average salary of $155,000 per year after three years, and suggests that gaming skills are ideal preparation for the role.

The FAA, in a press release, points out that former air traffic controllers have credited gaming with enhancing their ability to think rapidly, maintain focus, and manage complex situations. The FAA’s application process encourages candidates to “level up” their careers. Notably, this isn’t the first time gamers have been targeted for such roles; as reported by The New York Times, the Biden administration initiated a similar “Level Up” campaign in 2021, reaching out to gamers, women, and minority groups.

Increasing the number of air traffic controllers has been a priority for Sean Duffy, Secretary of Transportation under President Trump. Shortly after taking office last year, Duffy unveiled an ambitious hiring plan. By March 2025, the campaign had drawn over 10,000 applications, with around 600 trainees advancing to the Controller Training Academy, according to the OIG. The GAO notes that some attrition in the hiring process could be avoided, pointing out that the complex hiring procedure may lead candidates to accept other jobs before receiving an offer.

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), representing the interests of air traffic controllers, supports innovative recruitment strategies. In a statement, NATCA president Nick Daniels expressed approval for outreach efforts targeting individuals with high-level skills, such as gamers, as a means to diversify and expand the candidate pool.