GE Aerospace Foundation initiative, ‘Next Engineers’ Program to Bengaluru

Bengaluru: The GE Aerospace Foundation has announced the expansion of its global engineering education initiative, ‘Next Engineers’, to Bengaluru, aiming to inspire young students to pursue careers in engineering. This marks a significant step in the foundation’s efforts to build a robust engineering talent pipeline in India, leveraging Bengaluru’s status as a hub for engineering and innovation.

The program, which prepares students from middle school to college for engineering careers, is currently active in cities such as Cincinnati and Greenville in the United States, Johannesburg in South Africa, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom, and Warsaw in Poland. With its introduction in Bengaluru, the program is set to engage students locally through mentorship, hands-on learning, and career guidance.

“GE Aerospace in India has been at the forefront of advancing new technologies for over 25 years,” said Alok Nanda, Chief Technology Officer at GE Aerospace’s India Technology Centre. “The Next Engineers program will deepen our engagement with students and encourage more young minds to explore engineering as a career.”

The selection of Bengaluru was driven by factors including GE Aerospace’s significant presence in the city, its manufacturing and engineering capabilities, and its history of STEM education initiatives in the local community. The company also plans to collaborate with an academic partner, which will be announced later this year, to facilitate the program’s rollout.

Meghan Thurlow, President of the GE Aerospace Foundation, expressed enthusiasm for the expansion, highlighting the program’s global impact. “To date, nearly 22,000 students worldwide have benefited from the Next Engineers program. With this expansion, we hope to inspire even more students in India to envision the possibilities of an engineering career.”

The foundation has committed $20 million globally through 2030 to expand the program. This initiative aligns with the foundation’s mission to support engineering education, workforce development, and community upliftment, as well as GE Aerospace’s broader purpose to “lift people up” in communities where it operates.