Training Tomorrow’s National Security Workforce in Kansas

In today’s rapidly evolving defense landscape, America’s strength depends not just on breakthrough technologies, but on the people who design, build, and sustain them. Kansas is stepping up in a big way by preparing the next generation of innovators, engineers, and technicians through a mix of K–12 programs, university partnerships, apprenticeships, and state-backed initiatives that connect students directly to defense and dual-use careers.

Across the state, schools are laying the groundwork early. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education is being built into classrooms through both national programs and district-led efforts. Project Lead the Way (PLTW) is active in districts like Wichita (USD 259), Olathe (USD 233), Blue Valley (USD 229), Salina (USD 305), and Derby (USD 260), giving students hands-on exposure to engineering, computer science, and biomedical fields as early as kindergarten.

FIRST Robotics and FIRST LEGO League teams are thriving in Wichita, Goddard (USD 265), Maize (USD 266), Manhattan-Ogden (USD 383), and Shawnee Mission (USD 512), helping students build technical and problem-solving confidence through competition. Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in cybersecurity, aerospace, engineering, and manufacturing are growing rapidly in Wichita, Salina, Hutchinson (USD 308), and schools across Johnson County.

Wichita Public Schools also stand out for its aviation pathways, giving high schoolers the chance to earn FAA credentials before graduation. Salina, Newton, and McPherson districts offer training in aviation maintenance and unmanned systems, while rural districts are getting students hands-on with robotics, ag-tech, and precision manufacturing. Opportunities aren’t just concentrated in metro areas, they’re statewide.

Kansas colleges and universities are turning that early exposure into career-ready expertise. Wichita State University leads with its applied learning model, connecting students to internships and real defense projects. At the National Institute of Aviation Research (NIAR), students work on Department of War–aligned programs ranging from Army helicopter modernization (WSU Black Hawk Project) to digital engineering for next-generation aircraft (B-1B Digital Twin Story).  The Innovation Campus at Wichita State University puts students shoulder-to-shoulder with aerospace and defense companies every day.

Kansas State University is growing its programs in cybersecurity, mechanical engineering, and unmanned systems, while partnerships with Fort Riley and Army Futures Command give students access to real defense problem sets. The University of Kansas is building the cyber and IT workforce of the future through its Institute for Information Sciences, where students work on networking, signal processing, and national security communications. Pittsburg State University also contributes through its College of Technology and the National Institute for Materials Advancement (NIMA), which provide applied training and research in advanced manufacturing and materials that support defense and dual-use production. Meanwhile, Fort Hays State and Emporia State are expanding access through online and hybrid programs that bring IT and business training to rural Kansas.

Hands-on training doesn’t stop at the classroom in Kansas. Apprenticeships and industry partnerships give students real-world experience and clear pathways into defense manufacturing and tech careers. Spirit AeroSystems, Textron Aviation, and advanced manufacturers across the state are training students in CNC machining, composites, and precision tooling. On the cyber side, firms and the Midwest Cybersecurity Center are building talent pipelines that protect critical infrastructure and national security systems. These programs don’t just educate - they directly support the defense industrial base.

At the state level, the Kansas Department of Commerce is helping connect the dots. Through Registered Apprenticeships and Workforce AID, employers help shape rapid training programs that align with sector needs. The ACCEL-KS (Accelerating Concept to Commercialization in Kansas), managed by the Office of Innovation, supports early-stage technologies with funding, mentorship, lab access, prototyping, and business planning. Operating through hubs like Groover Labs in Wichita and KU Innovation Park in Lawrence, the program ensures statewide impact with at least 30% of projects coming from rural areas. With approximately $800,000 in state investment and commercialization partners behind it, the ACCEL-KS helps move ideas from concept to defense and dual-use applications.

Kansas’ strength lies in how these efforts connect. From high schoolers earning industry credentials, to engineering students working on Army modernization, to apprentices learning advanced manufacturing on the shop floor, the state is developing a workforce ready to meet national security demands. America’s defense industrial base is in good hands and many of those hands are in Kansas.

At the OnRamp Hub: Kansas, we’re proud to be part of that mission. Together with our education, industry, and government partners, we’re helping connect talent to opportunity and ensuring Kansas remains a cornerstone of America’s defense innovation future.