GE to create more than 400 new aviation jobs

By Rachel Constance on 13-Feb-2012

More than 400 aviation manufacturing and maintenance jobs are to be created by General Electric Co. (GE), with the opening of three new plants.

The electronics and engineering giant is currently constructing three new aviation plants in Ellisville, Miss., Auburn, Ala., and Dayton, Ohio. They are part of its $580 million investment in building its US aviation footprint through its globally popular jet engines.

The plants are also part of a bigger general investment scheme in its operations, which will see the construction or rebuilding of 16 plants and the creation of some 12,000 new roles.

Certainly with the aviation jobs – and potentially with many of the other new roles – the company is seeking to harness the expertise of former military personnel. GE is working with the US Chamber of Commerce to sponsor some 400 job fairs through the Hiring Our Heroes initiative, and is hoping to take on as many as 5,000 veterans.

GE chief executive, Jeff Immelt, said they were hoping the new jobs would play a role in aiding the wider recuperation of the US economy. He explained. “We should have the confidence to act and to restore American competitiveness.”