Students and faculty are invited to the 2023 Collegiate Connect, NBAA’s premier event focused on workforce development and community engagement. This year’s career day will be held on Thursday, Oct. 19 in Las Vegas, NV during the third day of the annual NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), the world’s largest and most important business aviation event of the year.

NBAA recognizes the value in introducing students to the global business aviation industry and inspiring young people to explore the diversity of aviation careers. College students, as well as their school’s faculty and chaperones, are invited to attend for student-focused programming and opportunities, including access to hundreds of exhibitors and a wide variety of business aircraft on display.

Admission to the one-day Collegiate Connect on Oct. 19 is free for all registered students, faculty and chaperones. You must present your school/university ID at a registration counter to obtain your student badge for NBAA-BACE.

Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023

9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Collegiate Connect: Welcome From NBAA

Location: Las Vegas Convention Center, N245

Don’t miss this welcome from NBAA President & CEO Ed Bolen and other NBAA leaders. This introduction to Collegiate Connect will review the program and present Young Professionals in Business Aviation (YoPros) starting new career roles in 2023. All YoPros who started a new job in 2023 should attend for a “Class of 2023 New Hire” group photo.

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

YoPro Secrets to Career Success

Location: Las Vegas Convention Center, N245

Several NBAA Business Aviation Top 40 Under 40 winners will share their success stories and how they’re ascending in their own non-traditional business aviation career paths. Learn more about working in a multi-generational industry that values inclusiveness and diversity of thought.

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Student/YoPro Networking

Location: Las Vegas Convention Center, N245

Students are encouraged to self-select from among nine career categories that will bring them together with other like-minded students and YoPros currently working in those fields. There will be an opportunity to network, participate in Q&A, and take a walking tour of the exhibit floor to engage with an exhibitor directly connected to that career field. The categories are the following: airport business; business management; broker/sales; cabin attendant; innovation & technology; maintenance; marketing; pilot; and scheduler/dispatcher. The tour will conclude at the NBAA Career Fair where students can connect with NBAA, speak with recruiters, and enter a giveaway for a $200 Amazon gift card.

12:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Collegiate Connect Career Fair

Location: Las Vegas Convention Center, C8348

Students are encouraged to attend the NBAA Career Fair at the conclusion of Collegiate Connect to connect with NBAA, speak with recruiters, and enter a giveaway for a $200 Amazon gift card.

Any person who attends an NBAA convention, conference, seminar or other program grants permission to NBAA, its employees and agents (collectively "NBAA") to record his or her visual/audio images, including, but not limited to, photographs, digital images, voices, sound or video recordings, audio clips, or accompanying written descriptions, and, without notifying such person, to use his or her name and such images for any purpose of NBAA, including advertisements for NBAA and its programs.