By Keith Huffman
When it comes to beginning or enhancing a career, some companies may offer opportunities that can help give a little boost, or leg up, in an increasingly competitive job market.
Then there are companies like GE Aviation, who can ensure that careers not only take flight, but soar to extraordinary heights.
This is especially true for prospective applicants in Auburn, where GE Aviation has welcomed local talent and beyond into its area plant since opening its doors in 2013.
A subsidiary of General Electric and headquartered in Evendale, Ohio, GE Aviation is a global, high-tech leader in supplying aircraft engines.
Its Auburn facility, a 300,000-square foot manufacturing plant located at 2400 Innovation Drive, works with innovative technologies, such as additive manufacturing or 3D printing, and produces jet engine components, primarily high-pressure turbine engine blades, according to Executive Plant Leader Andrea McAllister.
“We don’t just make lightbulbs,” McAllister said, referring to the facility’s parent company. “We are one of the leading manufacturers in jet engine components for commercial use.”
GE Aviation chose to break ground on the Loveliest Village on the Plains due to the close proximity to multiple universities, plus the availability of a diverse group of talent and strong workforce, according to McAllister.
Positions that are needed to keep the Auburn facility in operation each day range from entry-level manufacturers up to advanced engineers, McAllister also highlighted.
These positions require “anywhere from two years manufacturing experience upwards to a four-plus-year degree,” she said.
Always aiming to recruit good, solid talent, McAllister said the things that make GE Aviation the best place in Auburn to work include its promotion and reinforcement of a very inclusive, team-oriented environment, where creative employees are provided with “room for growth and opportunities.”
“Every associate has authority and ownership to control what they produce,” McAllister added.
Opportunities for growth and cutting-edge creativity considerably increased in 2019, when GE Aviation announced its intent to invest $50 million toward expanding the Auburn site’s additive manufacturing production, as reported by the Opelika-Auburn News.
“GE Aviation is at the leading edge of advanced aerospace additive manufacturing, and the company’s expansion plans at the Auburn facility will strengthen its technology leadership position,” Gov. Kay Ivey, who announced the company’s plan, had said in a statement from her office. “We look forward to seeing where the great partnership between Alabama and GE Aviation will take us both in an exciting future.”
Auburn Mayor Ron Anders has expressed his appreciation of GE Aviation as well. Likewise, he continues to look forward to the city’s future with the company.
“For years, GE Aviation has been a steady source of high-quality jobs and high-tech production in the Auburn community,” Anders said. “We’re excited about the success they’ve seen here in Auburn and would like to thank them for their continued investment. With the resources at Auburn University and their efforts in additive manufacturing research and training, we are hopeful about what this partnership will continue to bring in the future.”
Auburn has proven to be a beneficial site location for GE Aviation, as it offers potential for growth, a diverse culture, and access to community resources, according to McAllister. In fact, those are the highlights she would note to other industries who may be searching for an ideal location for business.
Plus there are “five universities within an hour driving distance,” McAllister further noted.
For more information about career opportunities with GE Aviation, go to jobs.gecareers.com. Students and graduates can also obtain information from the company’s website regarding internships and co-ops, leadership programs, and direct hire opportunities.
When it comes to embracing a career, don’t just take flight. Soar with GE Aviation in Auburn.