The Federal Aviation Administration is looking for video gamers to help fill an air traffic controller shortage, turning to a group that already spends hours making split-second decisions under pressure. The pitch is aimed at young people who may not be headed for traditional careers, even as the agency says it needs fresh talent fast.
The need is stark. A U.S. Government Accountability Office review found the FAA employs 6% fewer controllers than it did a decade ago, while the number of flights has risen by 10% over the same period. That gap matters now because the skies are busier and the agency is trying to build its pipeline before the shortage gets worse.
In April, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the FAA received a record 12,000 applicants in 24 hours after opening its application window. He also said there are about 11,000 current air traffic controllers and more than 4,000 in training, a sign that the agency is trying to staff up while it still faces a capacity crunch.
At the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Christina Baker, a junior who plays strategy and first-person shooter games, said the appeal of gaming is not just competition but teamwork. “It feels really competitive, and I like being with a team,” she said. Baker said players have to think quickly, adapt and communicate well to win, and she added that when there are “a lot of people in your ear” and things get “kind of crazy,” gamers have to work under pressure without folding.
John Borchert, UNCG’s director of esports, said gaming can prepare people for the real world. He said playing video games is not just a high-tech skill, but one that builds social understanding, a sense of community, team skills and complex problem solving around scenarios similar to what the FAA is looking for.
The recruitment push reflects how the FAA is trying to widen its pool beyond conventional job paths. Baker said gamers are often dismissed as if it were “just some little hobby,” but that recruiting people who have spent years building those skills would validate the effort they have put into it. The question now is whether that message can turn enough players into applicants, and enough applicants into controllers, before the shortage and rising flight demand put more strain on the system.