GE Aviation Tour

Last Thursday, about twenty of us took a VIP tour of GE Aviation in Hooksett. The twenty included about nine from CHS, as well as other leaders from our eight sending schools, and the President of NHTI. The purpose of the tour was to learn about GE’s operations, and in doing so, to better focus school energies and resources on preparing students to be successful in the workplace.

The two-hour tour was an eye opener. They have a very modern and extensive operation employing over 800 people in Hooksett. The plant makes particular parts for GE jet engines used in commercial airlines. The tour was led by their division leaders who gave us information on their materials, design, and fabrication process, as well as the skill set required of employees to be effective. All in all, GE’s operation mixes old and new. For example, they machine many parts (as they have done so for many years), but to do so the operator must ALSO be able to write and run a computer script (CAD CAM) as well as use lasers, CAD design, and in some cases, robots.

The average age of their employees is 50+ with many retiring in the next decade. Presently they are struggling to find qualified candidates to fill the few jobs available. At the same time, they are expanding with construction on a new plant starting this summer.

GE has a partnership with Nashua Community College for students majoring in Advanced Manufacturing. Students do their classroom work at NCC and during that time also intern and do summer work for GE. Students with an Associate’s Degree start at GE at about $30/hour with full benefits. GE also pays for additional schooling to earn a Bachelor’s for example. Their compensation package is impressive.

GE, like BAE, NH Ball Bearing, and many other “clean” manufacturing shops throughout the state, wants to reinvent their partnerships with secondary and postsecondary schools. Of interest, is that many of their key employees are technical and/or

community college graduates. They are not per se traditional fouryear college graduates. They have proven “thinking,” as well as technical skills, and they grow with the company. As GE’s Plant Manager made clear, when he is looking to hire, and reviewing resumes, he is much more interested in work history then educational background.

We all left the tour appreciating the opportunity and thinking quite a bit.