Northeastern Partners With General Electric

Manufacturing an Innovative Partnership

Nearly 3.5 million manufacturing jobs will be created over the next decade. Of those, an estimated 2 million will go unfilled. The problem? A lack of skilled, qualified professionals.

That’s where Northeastern and General Electric (GE) step in—to help you step up your career.

Northeastern and GE partnered in August 2016 to launch an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Advanced Manufacturing Systems program. The degree can be completed within three years, or in as little as one-and-a-half years for those with prior college experience.

Equipping Students with 21st-Century Skills

The collaboration was made possible through the Department of Education’s Educational Quality Through Innovative Partnerships (EQUIP) experiment, an initiative aimed at improving students’ access to a high-quality postsecondary education in some of today’s fastest-growing industries. Northeastern was one of only eight colleges and universities to be selected for the program—recognized for its leadership in providing students with a hands-on, experiential education.

Northeastern and GE co-developed the BS in Advanced Manufacturing Systems, which incorporates state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques in use across the industry. Students then apply those techniques in a real-world manufacturing environment.

“Many manufacturers face challenges in finding employees with specialized skills. And with new digital technologies like 3D printing, new skill sets are emerging that are rapidly changing workforce needs. That is why participating in programs like EQUIP with Northeastern University is so important.”

— Todd Alhart, spokesman for GE Global Research, in USA Today

Work Toward a Degree While Working

Dozens of GE employees underwent an initial pilot test of the program at one of the company’s jet-engine facilities while working toward their advanced manufacturing degree. In 2018, the program was open to students across the U.S.

Students accumulate credit for on-the-job training, working toward their degree while working. Through EQUIP, federal financial aid funding is also available. As a result of this collaboration, tuition will be kept at an affordable price for this one-of-a-kind program. And, by the end of it, students will be equipped with the manufacturing skills they need to keep pace with today’s rapidly changing workforce.