In order to assure a steady pipeline of qualified workers for the regional aerospace and advanced manufacturing industries, Sedgwick County Technical Education and Training Authority (SCTETA)  is developing the $54 million (222,000 square foot) National Center for Aviation Training. NCAT will be a world-class aviation and advanced general manufacturing training center on the grounds of Jabara Airport in northeast Wichita. NCAT will have capacity to provide technical training for at least 1,300 students. Wichita Area Technical College will serve as managing partner and coordinate course offerings. NCAT training will be employer-driven to flexibly adapt to industry needs. NCAT facilities will allow realistic hands-on training on the latest equipment in aviation and advanced manufacturing, including a composites materials lab and an autoclave for heat-curing aviation plastics.

NCAT will also incorporate new facilities for Wichita State University's National Institute for Aviation Research. NIAR provides applied aerospace research in such areas as composites and advanced materials, CAD-CAM and advanced joining technology. NIAR has been named an FAA Center of Excellence for Advanced Materials and a NASA National Center for Advanced Materials Performance. NCAT-NIAR partnership will allow NIAR to develop new materials and techniques in the lab and then rapidly train workers in how to use them. This combination of NIAR research expertise and high-tech training facilities will expedite bringing new technologies to the factory production floor.

NCAT facilities will include three buildings: Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center, Aviation Service Center and the Assessment and Administration Center or “Gateway Building” for admissions, student services and employment placement. To meet the critical need for skilled aviation workers, program development includes:

• Aviation Maintenance Technician
• Manufacturing Specialist
• Avionics Technician
• Robotics Technology
• Composite Materials Technician
• Interiors Installation
• Quality Technician (Non-Destructive Testing)
• Aircraft Completion

NCAT has received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval. Groundbreaking occurred in March 2008, and classes at the site are slated to begin in 2010. While the campus is under construction, programs are being incubated in temporary facilities to build enrollment and address industry needs. The Aviation Maintenance Technician program is operating at full capacity with 240 students in the 18-month program. It is the fourth largest school of its kind in the United States. Manufacturing Specialist Certification was launched in 2006, with a sheet metal assembly component attached to the short-term training. With initial programs approved, new programs will be introduced at an accelerated rate.