Your gaming skills might help you land a $155K job in the US
Gaming may not be a waste of time after all, as the US government is encouraging video game fans to pursue a lucrative career as air traffic controllers.
On Friday, the US Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation launched a campaign aimed at recruiting gamers for air traffic control.
An advertisement posted on the Department of Transportation’s YouTube channel suggests that gamers have been training for the role all along, adding: “It’s not a Game. It’s a Career.”
The ad also says: “You’ll keep millions of people safe. (And make a lot of money).”
The phrase “a lot of money” is followed by a figure of an average salary of $155K per year after three years on the job. Air traffic controllers handle about 45,000 flights per day.
“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,” said US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy.
The targeted skills, as described by the department, are:
- High cognitive functions
- Multitasking
- Spatial awareness
- Strategy and problem-solving
According to the official press release, several controllers suggested that gaming has a positive impact on their ability to think quickly, stay focused, and manage complexity. Since only about 25% of controllers hold a traditional college degree, the government is now looking for talented young people pursuing alternative career paths, “many of whom are active in gaming.”
“With no requirement for a college degree and a salary projection over six-figures within three years in the field, air traffic control is one of America’s most appealing career paths,” the press release says.
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It adds that there are almost 11,000 controllers in service, with more than 4,000 trainees in the pipeline. This, according to Bloomberg, is still more than 3,000 short of targeted staffing levels. The Trump administration has already introduced incentives for new hires and for controllers who are already eligible for retirement to stay longer.
This year’s applicants can expect to start faster than usual as the hiring process is being streamlined.
The hiring window will close once the FAA receives 8,000 applications.
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