College readiness program for aspiring engineers to reach 4,000 students over four years in Grand Rapids
January 12, 2026 — CINCINNATI — The GE Aerospace Foundation today announced a significant expansion of its Next Engineers college and career readiness program, adding Grand Rapids, Michigan, as its newest program site. The Foundation will also extend its existing program in Cincinnati, Ohio, through 2035 and add three additional locations to be announced in following years. These steps further the program’s mission to inspire and prepare young people to pursue careers in engineering.
Next Engineers is focused on strengthening the pipeline of future engineers by providing students with hands-on design challenges, guided learning, and career coaching.
“More than 30,000 students around the world have experienced the power and possibility of engineering through our Next Engineers program and the dedicated GE Aerospace volunteers who make it possible,” said Meghan Thurlow, President of the GE Aerospace Foundation.“With its ties to aerospace, automotive, and other engineering fields, Grand Rapids is a natural fit as we expand our program with today’s announcement.”
The GE Aerospace Foundation will identify an academic partner to be announced in late 2026. Programming will begin in early 2027 and include Engineering Discovery, for students ages 13 to 14, and Engineering Academy, for students ages 15 to 18. Engineering Discovery is an introduction to engineering that brings exploratory, hands-on activities into the classroom for younger students. Engineering Academy is a two-year program that teaches students to think and act like engineers through immersive design challenges and offers scholarships for qualifying graduates.
“Our employees are thrilled to welcome the Next Engineers program to Grand Rapids, where they are looking forward to showing area students what a career in engineering can look like,” said Dev Rajakrishna, Grand Rapids site leader at GE Aerospace. “Bringing Next Engineers to Grand Rapids will expand access to hands-on engineering experiences and help build robust talent pipelines for the future.”
Grand Rapids was selected based on a range of criteria, including GE Aerospace’s employee footprint, the strength of the company’s local manufacturing and engineering presence, and anticipated employee-volunteer engagement to support the program. GE Aerospace has a strong history of volunteering in local communities, including long-standing support for STEM education.
The extension of Next Engineers in Cincinnati, which has graduated nearly 100 Engineering Academy students to date, reinforces the program’s momentum and impact since its launch in 2021, ensuring continued support for students across middle school and high school who are interested in engineering careers.
In 2024, the GE Aerospace Foundation committed $20 million in new funding to expand Next Engineers to four new locations. The Next Engineers program currently serves students in Cincinnati, Ohio; Greenville, South Carolina; Staffordshire, United Kingdom; Johannesburg, South Africa; Warsaw, Poland; Bengaluru, India; and the New York Capital Region – reflecting GE Aerospace’s global reach and impact in communities around the world.
About the GE Aerospace Foundation
The GE Aerospace Foundation, an independent charitable organization funded by GE Aerospace, complements the company’s purpose to “lift people up” in communities where employees live and work around the world. The Foundation’s philanthropic strategy and programs focus on engineering education, workforce development, and disaster relief. We also support GE Aerospace employees through programs such as Matching Gifts and STAR Awards. When GE Aerospace launched as an independent company in 2024, the GE Foundation was relaunched as the GE Aerospace Foundation, commencing a new chapter that builds on the successful, 100+ year legacy of the previous GE Foundation. Learn more at www.geaerospace.com/company/philanthropy.
About GE Aerospace
GE Aerospace is a global aerospace propulsion, services, and systems leader with an installed base of approximately 49,000 commercial and 29,000 military aircraft engines. With a global team of approximately 53,000 employees building on more than a century of innovation and learning, GE Aerospace is committed to inventing the future of flight, lifting people up, and bringing them home safely. Learn more about how GE Aerospace and its partners are defining flight for today, tomorrow and the future at www.geaerospace.com.