General Electric : GE Launches Next Engineers in U.S., U.K., and South Africa to Increase Diversity in Engineering

$100 million program begins accepting student applications this month

BOSTON, MASS.- October 13, 2021 - Today, GE launched Next Engineers across three countries in four inaugural cities: Cincinnati, Ohio and Greenville, South Carolina in the U.S., along with Stafford, U.K. and Johannesburg, South Africa. Next Engineers represents a commitment of up to $100 million over ten years, dedicated to increasing the diversity of young people in engineering. Next Engineers is a global college-readiness program that will provide students ages 13 to 18 (grades eight to 12) with hands-on exposure to engineering concepts and careers and ultimately award scholarships to pursue engineering degrees. By 2030, the program aims to reach more than 85,000 students in approximately 25 cities globally.

"Engineers are critical to building a world that works, but diverse populations are woefully underrepresented in the field," said Linda Boff, President, GE Foundation and Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer of GE. "GE employs thousands of engineers around the globe and we're committed to providing the resources that will inspire the next generation of engineers and innovators wherever their careers take them."

During the next decade, the growing economy will require more skilled engineers to solve society's most pressing challenges - from sustainable flight to quality healthcare and clean energy. Yet today in the U.S., 20% of engineers are from underrepresented populations^[1]; in the U.K., women earn 17% of undergraduate degrees in engineering^[2]; and in South Africa, 11% of registered engineers are women^[3].

Next Engineers is a program of the GE Foundation, an independent charitable organization funded by GE. Globally, the GE Foundation has partnered with FHI 360, an international nonprofit working to improve the health and well-being of people around the world, to develop the program framework. Locally, the GE Foundation is partnering with the University of Cincinnati, Clemson University, MyKindaFuture and PROTEC to implement Next Engineers in each community. Across the four communities, Next Engineers represents an investment of up to $16 million, including grants to local partners, tuition for 3,200 youth participating in Engineering Camps, and scholarships for 600 Engineering Academy students.

Next Engineers offers three inspiring programs to engage students on their paths to engineering studies. Starting today, students can begin applying for the third program - Engineering Academy - at www.nextengineers.org:

• Engineering Discovery for students ages 13 to 14 (eighth grade) and their guardians with the goal of increasing awareness through multiple one-hour exploratory experiences and hand-on activities connecting students to real engineers. Sessions are delivered by volunteers in the classroom or in the community to inspire youth early and highlight the broad array of engineering careers;
• Engineering Camp for students ages 14 to 15 (rising ninth grade) with the goal of developing engineering identities through a week-long immersive camp experience over school break where students interact with experienced engineering faculty and staff, complete design challenges solving real-world problems and interact directly with professional engineers and business leaders;
• Engineering Academy for students ages 15 to 18 (grades nine to 12) with the goal of guiding and encouraging students to pursue engineering degrees. Engineering Academy is a three-year college readiness program for upper secondary students that helps them learn to think and act like engineers and prepare them to select and succeed at an engineering major at the university level. The program provides 80 hours per year of out-of-school programming. The program will include longer challenges and a capstone project, career coaching to expose students to different engineering pathways, and college-readiness workshops. Students accepted to higher education engineering programs will also receive a scholarship from the GE Foundation.

The GE Foundation has a nearly century-long track record supporting education and uplifting underrepresented communities, beginning with the Charles A. Coffin Foundation in 1922, which encouraged and rewarded service in the electrical field. Over the decades, the organization has supported multiple education initiatives, from the GE Educational Fund in 1945 to the Urban-Disadvantages Grants Program in the 1960s, and the College Bound Initiative in the 1980s to the Developing Futures in Education investment in the early 2000s, all with the goal of supporting equity and quality in K-12 public education in the U.S.

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About GE

GE (NYSE:GE) rises to the challenge of building a world that works. For more than 125 years, GE has invented the future of industry, and today the company's dedicated team, leading technology, and global reach and capabilities help the world work more efficiently, reliably, and safely. GE's people are diverse and dedicated, operating with the highest level of integrity and focus to fulfill GE's mission and deliver for its customers. Learn more at www.ge.com.

About the GE Foundation

The GE Foundation, an independent charitable organization funded by GE, is committed to transforming our communities and shaping the diverse workforce of tomorrow by leveraging the power of GE. Through Next Engineers, we are increasing the diversity of young people in engineering. In our hometown of Boston, we are working to improve workforce diversity, attack the opioid crisis, and drive STEM education in public schools. We are also inspiring others to act by connecting GE people with communities through our Matching Gifts Program and Disaster Relief. The GE STAR awards provide financial support to children of eligible children of GE employees for their achievements. Learn more at www.gefoundation.com or follow the us on Twitter at @GE_Foundation.

About FHI 360 and FHI Partners

FHI 360 is an international nonprofit working to improve the health and well-being of people in the United States and more than 60 countries around the world by partnering with governments, the private sector and civil society. Using a 360-degree approach, its team of more than 4,000 professionals provide technical expertise and a deep understanding of local conditions to help create jobs, educate children, provide lifesaving health care and bring about positive social change. Learn more at www.fhi360.org or follow us on Twitter @fhi360.

FHI Partners is a wholly owned subsidiary of FHI 360 that uses an agile, client-centered approach to leverage the technical expertise and global platform of FHI 360 to create customized solutions for corporations and foundations seeking to accelerate their social impact. Learn more at www.fhipartners.org or follow us on Twitter @fhipartners.

[1]U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020

[2]EngineeringUK

[3]Engineering Council of South Africa

business unit

GE Foundation