Governor McCrory Applauds GE Aviation Expansion in West Jefferson | Eastern North Carolina Now

    West Jefferson, N.C.     Governor Pat McCrory helped cut the ribbon at GE Aviation's West Jefferson Expansion Grand Opening Ceremony today, where he was joined by Secretary of Commerce John E. Skvarla, III.

    "GE Aviation's expansion is not only a testimony to its commitment to our state, but also to North Carolina's reputation as a place where businesses can grow and prosper," Governor McCrory said. "GE Aviation has committed to hiring more than 240 employees through 2017 and knows that North Carolina is the place to find high-quality workers. Congratulations to GE Aviation on this expansion."

    Governor McCrory has announced plans by GE Aviation to expand across North Carolina in Asheville, Durham, Wilmington and West Jefferson, where GE Aviation is investing $65 million. West Jefferson employs more than 200 employees, and this expansion into an 80,000 sq. ft. facility will bring more than 100 new jobs by 2017.


    GE Aviation will also expand operations in Asheville, Durham and Wilmington with an additional $195 million investments in facilities. GE supports more than 4,800 jobs in North Carolina, with more than 1,500 of those jobs coming from GE Aviation.

    Each year, GE Aviation spends more than $270 million with suppliers in North Carolina.

    GE Aviation machines critical parts for the engine core, disks, spools and shafts. These components go into CFM56 and CFM-LEAP engines that will power the next generation of narrow body aircraft: the Boeing 737 MAX, Airbus A320 neo, and the COMAC C919 (made by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China).

    To date, GE has received more than 9,550 LEAP orders. These orders support a record backlog of close to $150 billion, which ensures a steady workload for employees in West Jefferson for decades to come.

    To keep up with this backlog, GE Aviation partnered with Wilkes Community College to find the next generation of workers.

    At Wilkes Community College, 157 people have completed a 40-hour pre-hire course with GE-approved curriculum and competency testing prior to interviews. 20 people have completed, 12 are currently taking, and 30 more are set to start a 100-hour post-hire course during first three weeks of employment. All employees are currently taking a 50-hour up-skill training program.

• Contact: Crystal Feldman
•     govpress@nc.gov