FAA hires 2,000+ gamers to be air traffic controllers

Transportation FAA hires 2,000+ gamers to be air traffic controllers by Joey Rather - 08/11/26 12:56 PM ET Link copied by Joey Rather - 08/11/26 12:56 PM ET Link copied

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CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — Regardless of your age, chances are you know at least one person in your life who loves video games, and a recent campaign by the U.S. Department of Transportation shows that those skills might be useful at your nearest airport.

In April 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a new campaign aimed at hiring the “next generation of air traffic controllers,” citing an increased focus on skills often synonymous with frequent gaming, such as increased problem-solving skills and multitasking abilities.

That strategy appears to have paid off.

In a social media post made Sunday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that the campaign has broken multiple hiring records for the FAA, including most candidates hired in a single year, with more than 2,000.

“In April, we launched a NEW CAMPAIGN to recruit video gamers as air traffic controllers — and supercharged the entire hiring process to get the BEST & BRIGHTEST in faster. The results are HISTORIC,” Duffy said.

The secretary also highlighted that this campaign featured “the most streamlined hiring process,” adding that more than 2,000 “best & brightest” candidates are in the hiring pipeline.

While it might seem outlandish to some to compare video games with a very important (and often very stressful) job, this idea didn’t just come to the FAA on a whim, but rather from its own employees.

“With only about 25 percent 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. 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,” the FAA said.

The FAA’s original hiring window was only available to 8,000 applicants. As of Aug. 9, Duffy has reported that 94% of the FAA’s hiring goal has been met.

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