Strengthening the Company and Foundation’s Effort to Grow an Advanced Manufacturing Workforce
October 14, 2025 – CINCINNATI – The GE Aerospace Foundation will launch a $30-million, multi-year workforce skills training program, part of GE Aerospace’s overarching efforts to help meet the growing need for advanced manufacturing workers nationwide. GE Aerospace Chairman and CEO H. Lawrence Culp, Jr., made the announcement at a workforce event hosted by AXIOS this morning, where he was joined by Chancellor Mike Duffey of the Ohio Department of Higher Education and Delta Air Lines Executive Vice President and President – International Alain Bellemare.
“Inventing the future of flight requires workers with the cutting-edge skills ready to bring our visions to life,” Culp said. “Today’s investment will build on our efforts to train new workers internally and in communities across the country as part of our commitment to revitalizing U.S. manufacturing.”
GE Aerospace sponsored the AXIOS event that brought together a range of local business, government, and non-profit leaders at the company’s Customer Technical Education Center, where more than 4,000 workers from GE Aerospace and its customers receive training on the company’s engines annually.
Cincinnati State President Dr. Monica Posey, Ohio State Rep. Adam Mathews, and Cincinnati Regional Chamber President and CEO Brendon Cull also joined the discussion to share perspectives on workforce challenges and how governments, organizations and private companies can work together to meet them.
The GE Aerospace Foundation’s new flagship program aims to increase the number of highly skilled manufacturing workers by 10,000 beginning in 2026. The program represents a commitment of $30 million over five years for local programs to purchase new equipment, help hire new instructing staff and expand curricula, and alleviate financial barriers for students. According to a recent study by the Aerospace Industry Association, 76% of companies face difficulty finding engineering talent, and 56% in skilled manufacturing.
GE Aerospace and its Foundation also announced $2.5 million in new donations for this year to support existing workforce training efforts. Contributions will help partners develop and expand technical programs and reduce cost barriers for individuals seeking critical skills. Program examples:
- $250,000 from the GE Aerospace Foundation to Cincinnati State in Cincinnati: Will fund two new Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) instructors to support current efforts to expand the program capacity from 185 students to 350.
- $250,000 from the GE Aerospace Foundation to Tarrant County Community College in Fort Worth, TX: Will fund scholarships, technology, and training tools for students pursuing aviation maintenance and mechanics skills.
- $125,000 from GE Aerospace to Vaughn College in Queens, NY: Will support new training equipment and the expansion of current aviation maintenance faculty and curriculum.
- $125,000 from GE Aerospace to the University of the District of Columbia: Will support the acquisition of new equipment for the university’s Aviation Maintenance Technology Program.
“We are fortunate to receive this donation and thrilled to continue to work alongside GE Aerospace,” said Cincinnati State President Monica Posey. “Expanding this critical program will not only benefit our aviation maintenance program but will also strengthen the foundation of our regional aviation maintenance industry.”
Today’s announcement builds on GE Aerospace and its Foundation’s ongoing commitments to workforce training. In February, the GE Aerospace Foundation announced a $1 million donation to the Advanced Manufacturing Training Expansion Program (AMTEP) in the Massachusetts North Shore region. This commitment expanded AMTEP through 2027, which has enrolled 600 local adults to date, offering long-term career opportunities with an 83 percent job placement rate across more than 140 area companies.
In 2024, the GE Aerospace Foundation donated $1 million to the United Way of Greater Cincinnati to launch the Future of Manufacturing Fund, a multi-year partnership to address critical gaps in the advanced manufacturing workforce. In September, the program announced its second round of grantees which seek to grow the advanced manufacturing workforce pipeline through collaboration, coordination, and quality improvement.
Learn more about GE Aerospace and its Foundation’s workforce efforts at www.geaerospace.com/workforce
