Event Report | Sept. 15, 2026

2026 Engineering and IT Career Fair Connects Students with Employers

The Shocker Career Accelerator welcomed 450 students and 38 employers to the 2026 Engineering and IT Career Fair at the Rhatigan Student Center on Sept. 15, 2026.

Students met directly with recruiters and industry professionals to explore internships, applied learning experiences and full-time opportunities across engineering, computing and technology fields.

Event Highlights

450 Students attended
38 Employers participated
401 Attendees represented the College of Engineering
369 First-generation students

Students from every academic classification participated, from freshmen through graduate students. Aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, electrical engineering and cybersecurity were among the most represented majors. Students from business, data science, engineering technology, mathematics and other academic programs also attended.

Students said the opportunity to speak directly with recruiters, discover available positions and learn what employers seek in candidates were among the event’s most valuable benefits.

“Giving students the opportunity to talk to recruiters face to face … gives a huge advantage.”

Student attendee

Employer Experience

Thirty-three of the 38 participating employers completed the post-event evaluation.

100% Rated their overall satisfaction as excellent or above average
100% Rated the event location as excellent or above average
100% Rated the service provided by Shocker Career Accelerator staff as excellent or above average

Employers identified networking with students, finding qualified candidates and sharing information about their organizations as leading benefits of the event. Building their brand at Wichita State was another frequently selected benefit.

“Student quality was up this year. The nametags with majors were great.”

Participating employer

“Best turnout of electrical engineering candidates we’ve seen ever.”

Participating employer

“We had a steady influx of students the entire time.”

Participating employer

Participating Employers

  • Aerospace Systems International
  • Air Force Sustainment Center – Tinker AFB
  • Airbus
  • Boeing – Wichita
  • Bombardier
  • Bosch Home Comfort
  • Building Controls and Services, Inc.
  • Burns & McDonnell
  • CED – Consolidated Electrical Distributors
  • Evergy
  • Federal Aviation Administration
  • GAF
  • GE Aerospace
  • GuideTech
  • HF Sinclair, Inc.
  • INTRUST Bank
  • JEO Consulting Group Inc.
  • Kansas Air National Guard, 184th Wing
  • Knowmadics
  • Koch Industries, Inc.
  • MKEC Engineering, Inc.
  • NetApp
  • NextEra Energy
  • Novacoast
  • OGE Energy Corp.
  • P1 Service
  • POET
  • Professional Engineering Consultants
  • Spirit Defense
  • Sunflower Electric Power Corporation
  • Textron Aviation
  • The Atlas Group
  • The Bradbury Group
  • TRIMEDX
  • Viavi Solutions
  • Viega LLC
  • WSU Ennovar
  • WSU National Institute for Aviation Research