Textron Aviation Launches $40M Career & Learning Center to Strengthen Future Workforce and Industry Leadership
In a bold move to future-proof its workforce and fortify its leadership position in general aviation, Textron Aviation Inc., a subsidiary of Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT), has officially opened the doors to its newly completed, state-of-the-art Career & Learning Center. Strategically located on the company’s expansive East Wichita Campus in Kansas, the facility is now fully operational, welcoming current employees, new hires, and even future aviation professionals through its innovative, multi-zone design.
This transformative initiative, which represents an investment of over $40 million, is the latest milestone in Textron Aviation’s long-term workforce development strategy. With over 75,000 square feet of dedicated training space, the facility is designed to streamline the candidate journey—from recruitment to onboarding to advanced technical training—while also nurturing early interest in aviation careers among students and young learners.
A Strategic Investment in People and Potential
For Textron Aviation President and CEO Ron Draper, the Career & Learning Center is more than just a physical expansion—it is a strategic bet on the future of aviation and the human capital that will shape it.
The Textron Aviation Career & Learning Center is an important investment in building the next generation of aviation manufacturing, support and professional talent,” Draper stated. “Recruiting, hiring and training a world-class workforce is vital to our ability to provide the best aviation experience for our customers.
With a decades-long legacy in the design and manufacturing of legendary aircraft across the Beechcraft, Cessna, and Hawker brands, Textron Aviation has long recognized that its competitive edge lies in its people. This new center ensures that edge continues, empowering employees with the tools, skills, and environment they need to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving aerospace landscape.
Purpose-Built for the Full Employee Journey
One of the defining features of the Career & Learning Center is its carefully segmented layout, which supports distinct phases of the workforce lifecycle. Divided into four primary zones—Career Zone, Pre-Employment Zone, Learning Zone, and the Design. Build. Fly. Zone—the facility offers a holistic approach to talent development.
Career Zone: First Impressions Matter
The journey begins at the Career Zone, which serves as an accessible, walk-in recruitment hub where potential employees are welcomed by a dedicated team of recruiters. The zone is open to the public during business hours (7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with extended hours until 6 p.m. on Wednesdays) and is designed to remove barriers from the job-seeking process.
Inside, applicants receive personalized assistance with everything from resume refinement to job matching and online application guidance. The welcoming space not only reflects the company’s values of openness and support, but also enables Textron Aviation to attract diverse talent across skill levels—from high school graduates seeking hands-on roles to seasoned professionals looking for their next challenge.
Pre-Employment Zone: Seamless Onboarding
Once an applicant is selected, the journey transitions into the Pre-Employment Zone. Here, the emphasis shifts to preparation and onboarding. By centralizing processes such as WorkKeys testing, documentation, and new hire orientation, Textron Aviation reduces friction and accelerates time-to-productivity for new employees.
By locating these processes on-site, the company ensures a seamless, one-stop experience that reduces uncertainty and builds early confidence among recruits. This efficiency is particularly valuable in a competitive labor market where speed and candidate experience can significantly influence hiring success.
Learning Zone: Training for Excellence
At the heart of the Career & Learning Center lies the Learning Zone—an expansive, high-tech space designed to support both professional development and technical upskilling. It features modern classroom environments as well as a fully equipped simulated manufacturing floor located in the west bay hangar.
Here, newly hired mechanics undergo an intensive eight-week training program that blends theoretical learning with hands-on practice. The simulated shop floor mimics the complexity and pace of actual production environments, allowing new employees to develop job-ready skills before they step into permanent roles.
This unique approach to training not only improves retention and performance but also boosts employee confidence, especially for those new to the aviation manufacturing industry. By providing a controlled environment for mistakes and growth, Textron Aviation helps employees gain critical experience that translates directly to operational efficiency and quality.
Design. Build. Fly. Zone: Inspiring the Next Generation
Textron Aviation’s commitment to workforce development doesn’t stop with its current employees—it begins much earlier. The Design. Build. Fly. Zone is a dedicated space for K-12 outreach, designed to inspire curiosity about aviation and STEM careers.
This area accommodates students and educators through a variety of age-appropriate, hands-on learning activities. From learning about aircraft mechanics to testing flight principles using the world’s most popular trainer aircraft simulator—the iconic Cessna Skyhawk 172—the experience is meant to plant the seed of aviation interest early.
“We are passionate about creating environments where future and current employees can be inspired and thrive,” said Maggie Topping, Senior Vice President of Human Resources & Communications. “The Career & Learning Center is equipped with the latest technology to provide realistic environments for training scenarios that mimic the reality of our manufacturing operations, setting our employees up for success from day one.”
Backed by Kansas and Built by Wichita
The Career & Learning Center is more than a corporate project—it is a community partnership that underscores the shared importance of aviation to Kansas’ economy and identity. Recognizing the center’s potential to boost the state’s talent pipeline, Kansas contributed $3,325,000 through the Aviation Learning Opportunities & Funded Training (ALOFT) grant program.
Textron Aviation also leaned on Wichita’s local ecosystem of vendors and professionals to bring the project to life. The facility was designed by SPT Architecture, constructed by Conco Construction, and engineered in partnership with Professional Engineering Consultants (PEC)—all firms headquartered in the Wichita area.
This local collaboration not only ensured a deep understanding of the region’s workforce needs but also demonstrated Textron Aviation’s dedication to reinvesting in its community.
Addressing an Industry-Wide Challenge
Aviation companies across the globe are grappling with workforce shortages, especially in skilled trades and technical roles. As demand for aircraft production and support services rebounds, the talent gap is emerging as a major constraint to industry growth.
Textron Aviation’s proactive approach to talent development—including in-house training, targeted recruitment, and early education outreach—positions it to weather these challenges and emerge even stronger.
Rather than waiting for skilled talent to come to them, the company is creating a robust internal pipeline that nurtures raw potential into certified expertise. In doing so, Textron Aviation is redefining what it means to be a modern aerospace employer: adaptive, inclusive, and invested in long-term human capital.
More Than a Facility: A Cultural Statement
While the Career & Learning Center is impressive in size and scope, its true significance lies in what it represents. It signals a cultural evolution at Textron Aviation—one that values continuous learning, employee empowerment, and community engagement.
By creating a dedicated space for recruitment, training, and inspiration, the company is embedding learning into the fabric of its operations. It’s no longer just about filling roles; it’s about fostering careers and building a resilient, forward-looking organization.
How to Get Involved
Textron Aviation continues to welcome applicants interested in shaping the future of flight. Those seeking to explore career opportunities can visit the Career Zone in person at Suite 400, 293 S. Greenwich Rd, Wichita, Kansas 67206, or explore job openings online at txtav.com/careers.
Whether you’re an experienced professional looking to take your next step in aviation, a new graduate curious about technical training, or a student beginning to explore career paths, the Career & Learning Center offers a place to grow, learn, and launch.
About Textron Aviation
Textron Aviation has been a cornerstone of the global aviation industry for more than 95 years, producing iconic aircraft under the Beechcraft, Cessna, and Hawker brands. Its product lineup spans business jets, turboprops, piston aircraft, special mission platforms, military trainers, and defense products. With more than half of all general aviation aircraft worldwide built by Textron Aviation’s workforce, the company is widely regarded as a benchmark for performance, innovation, and reliability. Customers in over 170 countries trust Textron Aviation for both cutting-edge aircraft and dependable global support.
About Textron Inc.
Textron Inc. is a globally diversified company known for its powerful brands across aviation, defense, industrial, and financial services. Its well-known subsidiaries include Bell Helicopter, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, Textron Systems, and TRU Simulation + Training. Leveraging this diverse portfolio, Textron delivers innovative solutions that help solve complex problems across industries and markets.
