Wichita ? Backers of a center to train workers for the aircraft industry that has long been an integral part of the Wichita-area economy are working to line up the financial support they need to make it a reality.

Money for the project, estimated to cost between $31 million and $34 million, is being sought from a variety of public sources. The center would be at Jabara Airport.

The city, county, community colleges in Cowley County and Hutchinson, the state of Kansas and possibly the federal government are expected to be asked to bear the cost. Private industry would probably be relied on to equip the center.

The Kansas Technical Training Initiative, a consortium of aircraft companies and government leaders, studied the industry’s needs and hired Schaefer Johnson Cox Frey Architecture to draw preliminary plans.

The industry says there are already shortages of some types of workers, a problem expected to increase as older aircraft workers retire.

Kent Cox, partner at Schaefer Johnson, said they hope to break ground on the center by the spring or summer.

Plans call for several linked buildings on a 32-acre site. The largest building, a 100,000 square foot Aviation Technology Center, would cost an estimated $18 million to $19 million. The building, including a 16,000-square foot hangar, would be used for training people to work as airframe and powerplant mechanics and avionics technicians.

It’s estimated there would be up to 500 students in airframe and powerplant mechanics and 100 in avionics, divided into day and night classes. It’s expected that Cowley County Community College, which already has an airframe and powerplant program, would run that building.

Hutchinson Community College would likely operate a 56,000-square foot manufacturing technology center, costing an estimated $9.5 million to $10.5 million. That would be used to train workers on composites, materials testing, tool and die making, computer-aided design, robotics, welding and more, with an estimated 600 total students, day and night.