WSU Tech’s National Center for Aviation Training (NCAT) is seeking an exceptional, highly motivated individual to join our Aviation Workforce & Development team as an Industry Training Operations Apprentice. This is not a traditional entry-level position — it is a deliberate, structured leadership development program built around one purpose: preparing the right person to lead.

Successful candidates who complete this apprenticeship will be positioned for advancement into director-level leadership within the Industry Training division. From day one, you will work directly alongside the Industry Training Director — learning the full scope of operations, building real employer relationships, managing financial workflows, and taking on progressively greater responsibility as you prove your readiness.

If you are ambitious, accountable, and ready to invest 18–24 months into accelerated professional growth, this opportunity was built for you. Wage increases are tied to defined performance milestones — the faster you grow, the faster you advance.

• Department: Aviation Workforce & Development
• Salary: $50,000
• Duration: 18-24 months

What You Will Do

Operations & Administration

• Manage daily operations of the Industry Training division, ensuring training programs, schedules, and employer commitments are executed on time and without disruption to contracted services
• Maintain primary responsibility for office administration, scheduling coordination, and operational workflow within the division
• Adapt rapidly to shifting priorities, reassigned tasks, and evolving program needs — this role moves at the speed of business and requires composure under pressure
• Track, manage, and meet hard deadlines tied to employer training contracts and delivery schedules; missed deadlines directly impact employer relationships and program credibility
• Complete assigned projects and progressively assume increased operational responsibility throughout the apprenticeship period
• Participate in a minimum of 20 hours of structured professional development activities

Employer Relations & Business Development

• Build and sustain professional relationships with employers across all scales — from local and regional Wichita-area companies to national OEM partners such as Boeing, Textron, and other aviation industry leaders
• Represent WSU Tech NCAT in employer meetings, site visits, and industry partnership discussions with professionalism and institutional knowledge
• Identify workforce training needs and opportunities through active engagement with employer partners and workforce organizations
• Support contract development, training proposals, and partnership negotiations under the direction of the Industry Training Director

Billing, Finance & Cross-Functional Coordination

• Process and manage employer invoicing for training services, ensuring accuracy and timely submission in coordination with the WSU Tech Business Office
• Support budget reconciliation for training contracts, tracking expenditures against contracted amounts and flagging variances
• Serve as a consistent point of coordination between the Industry Training division and internal stakeholders including Finance, the Business Office, and other college departments
• Interface regularly with external organizations — employer partners, funding agencies, and industry associations — on financial and contractual matters
• Maintain compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations and institutional financial policies