CINCINNATI — Over the next five years, GE Aerospace will invest $30 million into its new workforce program.
It comes at a time of high demand from airliners and a growing need for manufacturing workers.
GE Aerospace held an event Tuesday, in part to announce how its new program will help bridge that gap. We spoke to Chief Human Resources Officer Christian Meisner about the new program.
"We've got demand for new aircraft, which means new engines, as well as the airlines wanting to keep their fleets flying," Meisner said.
Hear how GE is hoping to increase skills for manufacturing workers in the video below:
The company said it's hoping to increase the number of highly skilled manufacturing workers by 10,000 beginning next year.
GE Aerospace is also partnering with educational programs across the country, including in Cincinnati.
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College will receive $250,000 from GE Aerospace. That money will fund two new aviation maintenance technician instructors to help expand the program capacity from 185 students to 350.
"One of the greatest things you can do to retain that talent is show a career path," Meisner said.
At the event, we spoke with Dylan Haigwood, a technician at CVG and a Cincinnati State graduate.
"I think it helped me, so any addition to that will be great," Haigwood said.
Haigwood said he feels the new program will help students when they transition to the workforce.
"It'll just put Cincinnati State's name out there too as a, I don't want to say competitor, but bigger name in the game," Haigwood said.
Meisner said GE Aerospace is hoping the new program will benefit everyone involved.
"Having the talent to fuel that growth is really what this program is all about," Meisner said.
