Taking Off: Students Get Exclusive Bizav Career Insights at NBAA-BACE Collegiate Connect

Contact: Dan Hubbard, 202-431-5970, [email protected]

Washington, DC, Sept. 2, 2025 - As the industry seeks to grow the ranks of future leaders, the National Business Aviation Association's (NBAA's) 2025 Collegiate Connect program will provide college students with a firsthand look at the many opportunities business aviation has to offer.

Collegiate Connect takes place Thursday, Oct. 16, on the final day of the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), Oct. 14-16 in Las Vegas.

Free to college students, faculty and chaperones with a school/university ID, the program will present student-focused programming and opportunities, including the opportunity to hear from industry leaders and meet with hundreds of exhibitors at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

"Collegiate Connect is an essential event for any student exploring a career in business aviation," said NBAA Senior Vice President Events and Professional Engagement Jo Damato, CAM. "This program provides an unmatched chance to engage directly with industry leaders and connect with the companies shaping the future of the field. It gives students the opportunity to stand out and become more than just a name on an internship, or job application."

After a welcome from NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen, the first panel discussion will be "Navigating Your Career in Business Aviation: Insights from Industry Professionals."

Attendees will get perspectives from industry pros representing a range of career stages - from up-and-comer, to seasoned veteran - and learn tips about breaking into the industry and developing a career in areas such as management, maintenance, dispatch, piloting and flight operations.

The idea for the panel came from former NBAA team member Noah Yarborough, who today is regional vice president, North America for Signum Aviation. Yarborough attended the program in the late 2010s as a college student, which first led to an NBAA internship, and later, full-time employment at the association.

"NBAA's Collegiate Connect is an ideal networking opportunity, because everyone is so welcoming, and wants to involve students as much as possible, because they're the future," he said. "It can be scary as a college student, you might think, 'Oh, I'm just a student, that people don't want to talk to me.' But in fact, it's not true. People want that interaction. They want to help you develop your career."

Following that session will be a networking tour, where students will choose from nine career categories. The breakout groups will include like-minded students, along with young professionals who work in each of the nine fields, and will offer an opportunity to network, ask questions and visit exhibitors relevant to their career interests.

The career categories include:

• Airport business
• Business management
• Broker/sales
• Flight/cabin attendant
• Innovation and technology
• Maintenance
• Marketing
• Pilot
• Scheduler/dispatcher

Collegiate Connect ends with an afternoon Career Fair, where students can connect with NBAA, speak with recruiters and get their headshot taken. They can also enter a giveaway for a $200 Amazon gift card.

"When you're in a collegiate program, and the airlines are dominating the conversation and other kids are just focused on military service, you don't realize the large portion of the industry that business aviation makes up," Yarborough said. "Collegiate Connect attendees come out of NBAA-BACE with something tangible."

Learn more about Collegiate Connect.

Taking place this year Oct. 14-16, NBAA-BACE is the world's most powerful business aviation event of the year, showcasing the industry's latest innovations and services, and hosting the leaders who are shaping its future. Learn more about NBAA-BACE.

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Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. The association represents more than 10,000 company and professional members and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), the world's largest civil aviation trade show. Learn more about NBAA at nbaa.org.

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