GE Aerospace Foundation's Lifting Futures Invests $1M in Dallas-Fort Worth Workforce Training

4 local organizations to receive support as part of Lifting Futures' goal to train 10K across aerospace industry

DALLAS - Oct. 14, 2026 - The GE Aerospace Foundation today announced plans to invest $1 million to support industry workforce training efforts across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex through Lifting Futures, its flagship workforce program, during an event with regional aerospace leaders.

The initial investment will support four local partners during 2027 to expand hands-on learning opportunities, grow the talent pipeline, and improve coordination between education and industry. The investment is in support of the program's overall goal to train 10,000 workers across multiple communities for the aerospace industry by 2030.

"The Metroplex is one of the country's key aerospace hubs, and its future depends on successfully training the people who build, design and run it. Lifting Futures is investing right here in Texas to make sure we are ready for that future, building on a strong foundation to reach more veterans and local workers needed to meet growing demand," said Christian Meisner, Chief Human Resources Officer at GE Aerospace and Chair of the GE Aerospace Foundation, during the Axios "Aerospace's Workforce Moment" event.

The investment reflects input from community meetings held this summer with more than 30 organizations representing educators, civic leaders, and industry. These meetings found that while the region has one of the strongest aerospace manufacturing industries, it is at an inflection point due to limited awareness of career opportunities, growing demand and inconsistent coordination between organizations. First-year grants will benefit more than 1,100 people in 2027, including many veterans, by:

• Adding instructors at Dallas College to expand capacity across its CNC Machine Operator, Industrial Maintenance Technician, Aviation Maintenance Technician, and Warehouse & Aerospace Logistics Technician programs, reaching 125 additional students per year.
• Expanding Tarrant County College's Aviation Maintenance Technician labs to allow another 25 students each semester.
• Supporting the Manufacturing Institute's Heroes MAKE America initiative, which helps veterans transition to civilian careers, including one program to assist around 1,000 veterans translate their experience into skills and credentials that manufacturers recognize.
• Increasing student recruitment into established manufacturing training programs, through efforts led by Big Thought.

Additional investment for these and other recipients will occur through the life of the Lifting Futures program.

Leaders from the region's aerospace industry took part in the Axios event including: Christian Meisner, Chief Human Resources Officer at GE Aerospace; Mike Patton, Vice President, Operations at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control; Michael Deslatte, Senior Vice President of Bell 525 at Bell; Phillip Craig, Department Chair of Aviation Maintenance Technology at Tarrant County College; and Laura Ward, President and CEO of Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas.

"Manufacturers have long faced a need for more skilled talent and the military veteran community provides a great opportunity to fill these roles. Thanks to the GE Aerospace Foundation's support for Heroes MAKE America, we will be able to help those who have served translate and connect their experience and skills to manufacturing careers," said Carolyn Lee, president of The Manufacturing Institute.

Lifting Futures will also provide subscriptions of Let's Go Aerospace magazine to public middle school libraries across Dallas and Tarrant counties. The magazine is designed to educate and inspire students about opportunities in the aerospace industry.

In addition to Lifting Futures, GE Aerospace and its Foundation have supported more than 20 workforce programs that have helped nearly 10,000 individuals since becoming a standalone company in 2024. This includes $250,000 to Tarrant County College in 2025 for student scholarships, tablets and tools, and to develop a prep course for an FAA technician test.

Learn more about the GE Aerospace Foundation's Lifting Futures program at liftingfutures.org.

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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 50,000 commercial and 30,000 military aircraft engines. With a global team of approximately 57,000 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 at www.geaerospace.com.