ECU students prepare for takeoff at Aviation Center for Excellence

Students at East Carolina University pursuing careers in engineering, industrial technology, aviation and advanced manufacturing now have a new pathway to hands-on learning and workforce opportunities with the opening of the Senator Jim Perry Aviation Center for Excellence at the North Carolina Global TransPark in Kinston.

The significance of the new facility was on full display May 19 as educators, industry leaders and elected officials celebrated the center’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, culminating more than two years of partnership building, strategic planning and research led by ECU’s Office of National Security and Industry Initiatives and faculty from the College of Engineering and Technology. Working alongside Lenoir Community College, the Global TransPark and industry partners, ECU has helped lay the foundation for a center that provides students with real-world experience while supporting innovation across North Carolina’s rapidly expanding aerospace sector.

Dr. Allen Guidry, associate provost for learner operations at ECU, listens to ECU’s Dr. Sharon Paynter, senior vice provost for research and innovation. (Photos by Bobby Ampezzan)

The North Carolina Global TransPark is a 2,000-plus-acre aviation and industrial hub run by the state that provides opportunities for collaboration in applied research and workforce development, helping connect ECU students with the necessary skills, experiences and industry partnerships needed to succeed in the aviation and aerospace sector.

Dr. Allen Guidry, associate provost for learner operations at ECU, said the partnership is more than education but about creating long-term opportunity for both students and the local area.

“We have to attract talent, grow talent and keep talent here. That means meeting students where they are and giving them flexible pathways to succeed,” he said. “This partnership creates opportunities that can change individual lives while also helping to build an industry that has the power to transform an entire region.”

Local leaders say Lenoir Community College’s $25 million, 57,000-square-foot training center will play a key role in building a workforce pipeline for high-paying careers as the region’s aviation industry continues to grow. For some students, courses at the center may begin while they are still enrolled in high school — many of them may continue to bachelor’s and advanced degrees at ECU.

The average annual salary for NCGTP workers is approximately $85,000, compared with the county average of about $50,000.

“The university’s involvement was a strategic response to the rapid growth of the aerospace maintenance, repair and overhaul sector at the Global TransPark,” said Keith Wheeler, executive director of ECU’s Office of National Security and Industry Initiatives. “Our role extends beyond traditional partnership agreements by integrating university-developed technology directly into the facility.”

That collaboration is already underway. Researchers from ECU are working alongside the community college and Global TransPark to explore how emerging technologies can improve aviation operations, enhance workplace safety and support future industry growth.

Keith Wheeler, executive director of ECU’s Office of National Security and Industry Initiatives.

Through ECU’s Center for IoT Engineering and Innovation, researchers have installed its Platform for IoT Open Networks (PITON) monitoring system throughout the center to collect environmental and operational data. The technology monitors conditions such as temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide levels and sound in classrooms and hangar spaces. Researchers believe the information could help aerospace companies improve efficiency, reduce costs and create safer working environments.

Wheeler said the long-term goal is to prepare the next generation of aviation and aerospace professionals through a seamless educational pipeline that links high school coursework, community college training, university education and workforce development programs.

“Dedicated education pathways, both existing and planned, will help meet those workforce needs,” Wheeler said. “Once the full pathway is up and running, we can envision high school and community college students from Lenoir, Jones and Greene counties attending classes at the Aviation Center for Excellence taught by both LCC and ECU faculty while also participating in internships with employers such as Fleet Readiness Center East, flyExclusive, Draken International and Airbus.”

That momentum is expected to continue. The U.S. Navy recently signed a 10-year agreement to operate a maintenance hub for military C-130 aircraft, a project expected to bring approximately 400 jobs to the region and further increase demand for skilled aviation workers.

“The ribbon cutting marks the culmination of years of effort aimed at positive transformation in eastern North Carolina,” said Dr. Sharon Paynter, ECU’s senior vice provost for research and innovation. “The Aviation Center for Excellence reflects the power of partnership linking Lenoir Community College, East Carolina University and regional industry and military partners to create new pathways for students while also advancing opportunities for applied research and innovation that supports workforce and economic growth.”

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