Trump team turns to unlikely group to fill much needed air traffic controller jobs - gamers [View all]

Source: The Independent

Friday 10 April 2026 19:05 EDT


Facing a national shortage of air traffic controllers, the Trump administration has turned to an unconventional pool of people for help: video game enthusiasts. On Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration released a one-minute YouTube ad, urging gamers to swap their Xboxes and PlayStations for radar displays.

“You’ve been training for this,” the ad declares over the pulsing beat of song “Heads Will Roll.”. “Become an air traffic controller,” it continues. “It’s not a game. It’s a career.”

The video highlights an average salary of $155,000 after three years, and notes that the FAA will begin accepting applications April 17.

The FAA, which oversees aviation safety across the country, said in a statement that applicants must be U.S. citizens, under 31 years of age and fluent in English. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reposted the ad on X, urging his followers to “watch this.”

Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/air-traffic-controller-jobs-gamers-trump-b2955577.html

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Hopefully they are reminded over and over that "It's not a game!!!". The "games" that are being played are basically flight sims and/or FPS (First Person Shooters), so they are not "managing traffic in the air and/or on a runway".