The USA's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched a recruitment campaign aimed gamers. The FAA wants them to consider becoming air traffic controllers. There is a shortage workers the sector, so the government hopes people skilled gaming could fill the growing number vacancies. The US currently needs least 3,000 controllers. Nick Daniels, president the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said: "Our union welcomes innovative approaches to expanding the candidate pool, including outreach individuals high-level skills, such as gamers, so long as all pathways maintain the rigorous standards required this safety-critical profession."
The recruitment drive has a video an Xbox logo on it. The tag line is explicitly aimed gamers. It says: "You've been training this... Become an air traffic controller. It's not a game. It's a career." The promo adds: "You'll keep millions people safe every year. And make a lot money." The enticing salary is $155,000 a year. US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said the country needs to tempt "a growing demographic young adults who have many the hard skills it takes to be a successful controller". Some current controllers have said gaming could be a useful skill. They said it had "an influence their ability to think quickly, stay focused, and manage complexity".
