The Federal Aviation Administration is hiring thousands of air traffic controllers, but the window to apply will only be open for a short time.
The FAA has issued a call to action, requesting anyone and everyone meeting the relatively accommodating standards. They will have to bolster their numbers soon, with plans to hire 1,800 more controllers this year, and another 2,000 in 2025. In order to apply, the FAA prefers applicants to be US citizens, English speakers, pass a medical/security exam, pass a pre-employment test, and hold more than 3 years of "general work experience" or a bachelor's degree. Aside from that, be younger than 31 years of age, and the job might be yours.
Trying to motivate would-be applicants, the FAA cited a current employee in the ATC industry, who said the job is great.
“Aviation is an amazing career field in general. And being an air traffic controller, you get to come to work every day and pretty much do something new,” said Leah Montes, air traffic controller in Southern California. “You are talking to pilots, you're watching the skies, you're safely and efficiently getting planes from one place to the other. It's super exciting and it's a great career field.”
“The safety of the U.S. Aviation system is due in large part to our skilled and dedicated air traffic controllers, so hiring and training new controllers is a major priority,” said FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker. “We are encouraging anyone interested in a new challenge and rewarding safety career to explore this opportunity.”
The FAA stresses that the application window will only be open from April 19th through the 22nd of 2024.
FMI: www.faa.gov/be-atc
