New aviation tech training in NC to be offered outside Fort Bragg
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- GE Aerospace donates $500,000 to fund veteran training for FAA A&P.
- Program launches spring 2026 at Fayetteville Tech with civilian aviation focus.
- Program links to Heroes MAKE America and targets veterans exiting military.
GE Aerospace is funding a new workforce training program for military veterans outside Fort Bragg, helping those who want to work in the aerospace industry as civilian technicians.
North Carolina is known as a top military-friendly state and beyond Fort Bragg, is also home to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, Marine Corps Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in Craven County. More than 50,000 military service members are stationed at Fort Bragg, and more than 90,000 total in the state, according to the N.C. Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
The new program will be offered at Fayetteville Technical Community College.
“North Carolina was first in flight. We are also the future of flight,” Gov. Josh Stein said Monday, announcing the $500,000 donation from the GE Aerospace Foundation.
Thousands of military personnel transition to civilian life in NC every year
N.C. Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Secretary Jocelyn Mitnaul Mallette said that every year 20,000 veterans transition out of the military in North Carolina. Mallette, an Air Force veteran, was one of them in 2017, she said.
Mallette said that the training program funding is “more than a donation. It’s an investment, investment in people who have already proven their capacity to lead, adapt and excel under pressure.”
Christian Meisner, GE Aerospace chief human resources officer and chair of the GE Aerospace Foundation, said Monday that they chose the location to be near service members who are transitioning out of the military and who may already have a background in aviation.
Meisner said that 20% of the 2,000 employees at GE Aerospace’s five North Carolina facilities are veterans.
Details about aviation tech certificate offered in NC
Here’s what to know about the new program:
- It is a Federal Aviation Administration Airframe and Powerplant Certificate.
- The certificate program begins in the spring semester of 2026 at Fayetteville Technical Community College.
- The training is for veterans who are entering the civilian workplace.
- It is part of the Manufacturing Institute’s Heroes MAKE America program, which has multiple locations.
- The funding is from GE Aerospace Foundation, which is a charity funded by GE Aerospace.
- The certification is offered as an accelerated, seven-week course.
This story was originally published October 20, 2025 at 3:11 PM.
