US Government Hires 2,000 Gamers as Air Traffic Controllers

According to Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, as reported on the social media platform X, the achieved result is 94% of the annual hiring goal. The government also stated that the selection process was the fastest in history for this sector, which accelerated the entry of candidates into the FAA technical training academy.

In addition to the recently hired employees, the agency continues to evaluate another 2,000 applicants. The FAA is not the first to try and attract people connected to gaming culture; in 2021, it ran the 'Level Up' campaign to update and diversify the workforce in commercial aviation.

This campaign used communication inspired by popular games such as Fortnite and flight simulators like Microsoft Flight Simulator, using the slogan 'You trained for this...' to highlight qualities valued in the profession. The campaign targeted young people with hobby-related skills such as quick decision-making, spatial orientation, strategic thinking, and the ability to process multiple pieces of information simultaneously.

Air traffic controllers are responsible for guiding aircraft in motion, directing pilots, and responding to route changes and weather conditions. To make the career more attractive, the program portal mentioned benefits such as paid training, federal benefits, and an average annual salary exceeding $155,000 USD (equivalent to approximately 850,000 Brazilian reais at the direct exchange rate) after three years of work. According to Polygon, salary is one of the main reasons for the staff shortage in the sector.

This campaign aims to respond to a decline of approximately 6% in active controllers over the last decade. The situation is exacerbated by government shutdowns, mass retirements, training interruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, and lack of salary stability. In April, the FAA had about 11,000 active controllers and 4,000 trainees, according to data cited by CNN, which is considered insufficient to meet the operational demand of US airports.

Staff shortages are cited as one of the main reasons why the profession is considered one of the most stressful, which also raises safety concerns. For example, in March, the collision between an Air Canada Express plane and a fire truck traveling at over 160 km/h on the runway reignited discussions about the country's deficit.