According to Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, people typically play video games about controlling traffic in the air? Or the quote was just completely butchered to be something completely else than what was said:

> "A lot of what they do playing games ... is what they do ... controlling traffic in the air," Duffy told CBS News

https://airport.apunen.com/

> Historically, fewer than 10% of applicants met the FAA's requirements to work as an air traffic controller and gain admission to the agency's training program.

It sounds like they are weeded out before even being accepted.

The requirements themselves are at https://www.faa.gov/air-traffic-controller-qualifications

    Individuals must meet the following minimum qualifications in order to be eligible for an Air Traffic Controller position:

    Be a United States citizen
    Be under the age of 31
    Pass a medical examination
    Pass a security investigation
    Pass the FAA air traffic pre-employment tests, including the Air Traffic Controller Specialists Skills Assessment Battery (ATSA)
    Speak English clearly enough to be understood over communications equipment
    Have one year of progressively responsible work experience, or a Bachelor's degree, or a combination of post-secondary education and work experience that totals one year

    Air Traffic Controller candidates must have the capacity to perform the essential functions of these positions without risk to themselves or others. Candidates must be physically and mentally fit and meet standards for vision, hearing, cardiovascular, neurological and psychiatric health.

    Applicants must demonstrate distant and near vision of 20/20 or better in each eye separately. The use of bifocal contact lenses for the correction of near vision is unacceptable.

It goes on for the training requirements...

    Entry-level applicants must complete required training courses and spend several months at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. Applicants are paid while in training. After graduating the academy, individuals are placed in locations across the country and must gain 2-3 years additional training, both classroom and on-the-job experience, before becoming a certified professional controller. This rigorous training includes close supervision and evaluation by senior controllers that ensures controllers are competent, professional, know their airspace environment and can deal with the pressures and high pace of the job. 

I would, literally, fly my training flights a few times using full VATSIM and then show up IRL to do the same thing. It made a massive difference.

My instructor even said it makes his job so much easier. He had to do nothing with me.

I was able to cut my rental time over half. It paid for itself a dozen times over. Like literally it saved me $5k or so.

I recently gifted my yoke and controls to my GF who is getting her commerical cert. She is so excited. She is already flying her training flights using it. It's so helpful.