College students interested in careers in business aviation received practical guidance from industry leaders, recent graduates and experienced professionals during the 2026 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) Collegiate Connect program, held Oct. 22 in Las Vegas.
Through inspiring presentations and panel discussions, participants learned about the industry's diverse career opportunities, the importance of building professional relationships and how unexpected challenges can lead to rewarding career paths.
"Keep your eyes, your ears and your minds open today," said Elayna Hall, NBAA manager for professional development, who recalled attending NBAA-BACE eight years ago as a student at the University of North Dakota.
"This industry is so vast,” she added. “There’re so many outstanding opportunities, so many incredible companies doing incredible things.”
Hall also encouraged students to explore NBAA resources, including scholarships, student membership, opportunities through the NBAA Mentoring Network and the association's annual Business Aviation Insider Student Edition.
Rep. Titus Highlights Aviation Opportunities
Next, Rep. Dina Titus (D-01-NV) welcomed attendees to Las Vegas, emphasizing the city's importance to aviation and the growing opportunities created by emerging technologies, infrastructure investments and workforce development initiatives.
She also pointed to the diversity of aviation activity in Southern Nevada, from business aviation and military operations to drone technology and advanced air mobility and highlighted congressional efforts to support general aviation and expand workforce development programs.
"When people think about careers in aviation, they used to think about being a flight attendant, a pilot or maybe being an air traffic controller," Titus said. "But it's so much more than that. These are exciting high-tech jobs, and they're good paying jobs.
“Opportunities are great,” she added, “whether you're interested in design and engineering, or the service end of things or even the political end of things.”
Embracing Challenges and Unexpected Opportunities
Engineer, pilot and content creator Xyla Foxlin encouraged students to embrace uncertainty, pursue ambitious goals and recognize that expertise develops through practice and perseverance.
Drawing on experiences with a variety of engineering projects, learning to fly and building a vintage Pientenpol experimental aircraft in her garage, Foxlin described early setbacks that taught her to approach new challenges with confidence.
"Everything we do takes practice,” she said. “That's why we're always counting our hours in aviation. The biggest misconception is that in order to practice, you need to know how to do it; the whole point is that you don’t know how to do it and then figuring out what you're doing along the way."
Reflecting on her unconventional career, Foxlin encouraged students to remain receptive to unexpected opportunities. "I have never had a plan," she said. "I've really enjoyed all of the side quests that life has taken me on."
Recent Graduates Reflect on Entering Industry
Next, the panel "If I Knew Then What I Know Now" featured recent college graduates who discussed their transition to business aviation, emphasizing internship opportunities, mentorship, networking and looking beyond conventional career paths.
"There's so many unique opportunities out there that you might not know even existed in the first place," said Andreas Borgh, an NBAA professional engagement contractor. "By coming to [events] like this is, you're already ahead of your peers."
Jacob D’Leon, a scheduler with NetJets, encouraged students to pursue experiences beyond the classroom, including internships, flight department visits and discussions with working professionals.
"Getting out of the classroom not only gets you out of your comfort zone; it helps you build confidence," he said. "The next step is to get uncomfortable. You've got to get okay with that and get curious."
Helena Lind, a flight instructor at University of North Dakota, who also competed in this year’s Air Race Classic, emphasized that students shouldn't feel pressured to determine their entire career trajectory before graduation.
"There's nothing wrong with not knowing what to do,” she said, “especially if it's a big question right after graduation. Keep progressing in a direction you’re comfortable and find the next step; if that's not the one for you, the next one might be it.”
Exploring A Wide Range of Career Opportunities
The panel "Career Possibilities in Business Aviation: Beyond the Obvious" examined unconventional career opportunities and the ways professional experiences can translate into new roles.
Moderator Eric Gerlach of The Hershey Company described his own transition from military aviation maintenance into business flight operations. “The biggest eye opener when I first joined business aviation was how many weird and interesting jobs there are out there,” he said.
Panelist Kara Wolf traced her career from an internship with Bombardier through positions with Textron Aviation and Honeywell, to her current role acquiring business aircraft to part out.
"Every role that you have, there is something that you should be taking to your next role," Wolf said. "There's always an opportunity to learn, whether that's from a potential mistake that was made or something you found really interesting that you could take to your next job."
Colin Dunne with Aerojet Dynamics discussed his transition from the oil and gas industry to aircraft brokerage and aviation advisory services. "If you have the ability to take a problem, fix it and give the answer to someone, you'll go very far in your career," he said.
Cara Madeley with JSSI described being laid off from a flying position during an economic downturn, which allowed her to discover opportunities that ultimately broadened her aviation career. "Take any job that's going to expose you to the people who you want to work with and work for," she said. "Just be an excellent person, show up, hustle and expose yourself in some way in the industry."
Following the morning’s sessions, participants connected with young professionals working in their areas of interest and explored the NBAA-BACE exhibit floor, along with additional career resources and networking activities in the show's Career Zone.