FAA launches campaign to attract air traffic controllers that targets gamers

The Federal Aviation Administration is teaming up with the Transportation Department for an advertising campaign aimed at recruiting more air traffic controllers. The campaign is targeting video game players for the job.

“To reach the next generation of air traffic controllers, we need to adapt. This campaign’s innovative communication style and focus on gaming taps into a growing demographic of young adults who have many of the hard skills it takes to be a successful controller,” department Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement. 

In one video in the campaign, an Xbox logo transitions to a series of clips from various games, as well as gamers in a tournament. "You've been training for this your whole life" flashes across the screen, and then the video transitions to clips of air traffic controllers at work stations. It ends with the slogan: "It's not a game. It's a career." 

The announcement on the campaign explains the aim is to reach young adults who demonstrate high cognitive functions, multitasking ability, spatial awareness and problem-solving skills. 

The department has been scaling up the hiring of controllers in order to address a shortage. There are 4,000 trainees in the pipeline, and the agency hired 20% more controllers from January to September of last year compared to the same period the year before.