by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 9:05 AM ET, Wed August 12, 2026
The U.S. Department of Transportation is turning to a unique subset of younger generations to fill critically needed gaps in a large air traffic controller shortage: video gamers.
The FAA launched a hiring campaign in April 2026 seeking new workers with skills that coincide with frequent video gaming, such as multitasking, spatial awareness and problem-solving skills.
“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,” according to the DOT.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, August 9, congratulating the apparent success at hiring over 2,000 new trainees, the most candidates hired in a single year.
“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,” said Secretary Duffy in his post.
The video, attached below, shows some of the new trainees, who will go through rigorous training and testing to become a certified air traffic controller, with some explaining how the video gaming campaign piqued their interest in applying.
While some commenters were happy about the new hires, others were more wary, both about the gamers’ level of competency in solving real-world problems with a high level of human risk and about whether the new hires will stay on when facing mandatory overtime, potential government shutdowns and staffing shortages.
According to the National Academy of Sciences’ Transportation Research Board, the nation lacks nearly 13,000 certified air traffic controllers, based on forecast demand. While 2,000 new trainees is a great start, the DOT is still a long way from filling critically missing gaps in the nation’s system.
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