Textron Aviation receives Excellence in Manufacturing Training Award

As a leader in general aviation with a commitment to excellence, innovation and the future of flight, Textron Aviation has been honored with the 2025 Excellence in Manufacturing Training Award. The award recognizes the company’s unwavering dedication to workforce development through its world-class training programs and employee development initiatives.

The award, presented by SME — a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating widespread adoption of manufacturing technologies and building North America's talent and capabilities — celebrates manufacturers that demonstrate exceptional dedication to integrating learning and development into their business processes, ensuring a skilled and adaptable workforce.

Embedding training into daily operations and aligning development initiatives with business goals has lead the company to exemplify best practices in manufacturing workforce development. A key initiative in this endeavor is the Career & Learning Center, a more than $40 million project that is part of the company’s multifaceted approach for developing its workforce.

Serving prospective, current and future employees, this facility provides an elevated employee experience during the application, hiring, training and ongoing career development processes. The Career & Learning Center features a simulated manufacturing floor, preparing newly hired mechanics with unparalleled hands-on experience. With up to eight weeks of training and support, this industry-leading model is designed to equip employees new to aviation manufacturing with the technical knowledge needed to move seamlessly into permanent roles with increased confidence and productivity.

“Our Career and 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,” said Maggie Topping, senior vice president, Human Resources and Communications, Textron Aviation. “ We are honored to receive SME’s Excellence in Manufacturing Training Award and remain committed to advancing workforce development.”

Textron Aviation is actively hiring and welcomes walk-in applicants at the Career & Learning Center, where dedicated recruiters provide prospective employees with personalized support, from resume assistance to role matching. Pre-employment processes, including onboarding, WorkKeys testing and new hire training are housed onsite for a convienient one-stop location for new employees.

The company's robust paid high school and college internship programs continuously feed the talent pipeline, with many interns transitioning to full-time roles. In parallel, the company strengthens ties between industry and education by actively engaging educators through externships, classroom presentations and facility tours.

In 2024, Textron Aviation delivered more than 29,000 hours of professional training to more than 3,900 employees — reinforcing the company’s commitment to continuous learning and career development. Complementing this investment, Textron Aviation’s mentorship program plays a vital role in talent development, with nearly 500 employees participating in the most recent cohort. By fostering cross-functional relationships and encouraging knowledge sharing, the program enhances professional growth through both mentor-mentee and peer-to-peer connections.

By combining practical skill-building with comprehensive career support, Textron Aviation raises the bar for workforce development in the manufacturing industry and ensures that its employees are equipped with the skills and support needed to provide the best aviation experience for its customers.

Applicants are encouraged to join the Textron Aviation team by exploring current job openings at txtav.com/careers or visiting the Career & Learning Center at Suite 400, 293 S. Greenwich Rd, Wichita, Kansas 67206.