GE Expands Hiring In Michigan By Adding 300 New Jobs

DETROIT -- A day after an open house at its Wayne County operations and a day before its annual shareholder meeting in Detroit, GE (NYSE: GE) announced it will add 300 new jobs at the Van Buren Township Advanced Manufacturing and Software Technology Center.

The IT and research jobs will bring the total eventual employment to 1,400 at the center and 1,600 across the state.

GE also announced it will expand by 25 percent its summer internships and co-ops for college students at the AMSTC and at several of its GE Aviation locations in Michigan.  GE in the process of hiring about 110 students for summer assignments in engineering, IT, finance and supply chain operations.

Said GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt: "When we opened our new IT and research center in 2009, we knew that in Michigan we had a partner who was not only resilient but ready to lead in the areas of advanced manufacturing and information technology. This community has delivered, and that's why GE is adding more jobs at our center.  With its highly skilled workers, outstanding universities and willingness to partner with business, Michigan provides a recovery blueprint for other manufacturing communities."

GE has a strong presence throughout the state, with over 3,000 employees in Van Buren Township, Muskegon, Kentwood, Livonia, Grand Rapids, St. Joseph, and Southfield. Employment will reach about 3,800 in the next few years. GE also has about 4,000 retirees in the state.

In 2009, GE had announced that it would develop the AMSTC and create 1,100 jobs at the site.  Since the announcement, GE has hired nearly 850 engineers and IT professionals at the AMSTC – roughly 90 percent of whom are from Michigan. The AMSTC has grown to occupy roughly one-third of Grace Lake Corporate Center (formerly known as Visteon Village). These new jobs will build on GE's recent $163 million investment in the Detroit area, and focus on bringing together IT experts in software development, data architecture, business intelligence, and program management, as well as researchers developing future manufacturing technologies for the next generation of aircraft engines.

GE continues to hire at the center, at the rate of about two people per day.

"When looking for opportunities to continue to grow, Michigan was an easy choice," said Charlene Begley, President and CEO of GE Home & Business Solutions and Senior Vice President and CIO for GE. "The exceptional number of talented, experienced professionals – coupled with the state's strong advanced technology manufacturing capabilities will help both GE and Michigan compete and win."

Tuesday's announcement was part of a three-year trend of GE investing in technology centers in cities across the country. In Glen Allen, Virginia, GE opened the Information Security Technology Center that will house 200 high-tech IT security professionals. In San Ramon, Calif., GE's Global Software Center will hire 400 software professionals focused on increasing the pace of innovation, collaboration and commercialization of new technologies. In New Orleans, La., GE's Technology Center will hire 300 IT professionals focused on developing innovative new software, processes and technologies to drive excellence for its financial services business, GE Capital.

GE also is investing in U.S. manufacturing. Over the last three years, GE has announced the creation of more than 14,100 new U.S. jobs and is building or refurbishing 16 U.S. factories.

In May 2010, GE announced the creation of 220 additional high-tech manufacturing jobs to support growth in next generation technologies that improve the fuel efficiency of current and future jet engines. Since that announcement, GE has hired nearly 160 employees.