FAQs | Next Engineers

FAQs

Find answers to common questions about Next Engineers and engineering.

What is Next Engineers?

In 2021, GE launched Next Engineers, a global college- and career-readiness program to increase the diversity of young people in engineering. The goal is to reach more than 14,000 students in four cities globally over the next five years. The program engages students (ages 13 to 18) in hands-on engineering concepts and careers and ultimately awards partial higher education scholarships to pursue engineering degrees. The four Next Engineers locations are: Cincinnati, Ohio, and Greenville, South Carolina, U.S.A.; Johannesburg, South Africa; and Staffordshire, U.K. GE is committed to providing the resources that will inspire the next generation of engineers and innovators, wherever their careers take them.

What is an engineer?

An engineer asks questions and uses science and math to solve problems. Engineers figure out how things work and find practical uses for scientific discoveries. The key to being an engineer is imagining and seeing something new, something no one has imagined before. An engineer is also a creator and makes things for everyday life. Engineers solve real-world problems, like bringing affordable, clean energy to more people and making clean water available everywhere.

There are different types of engineers, such as:

Civil engineers design and build roads, bridges, buildings, dams and other structures and make sure they are safe and last a long time.
Mechanical engineers design and build machines like ambulances, jet engines, telescopes, and Ferris wheels.
Electrical engineers work with electricity to make essential things like traffic lights, or they use electricity to power cars and design electric airplane engines.
Chemical engineers combine raw materials into new products to make things like more efficient solar panels and larger storage batteries.

Visit our page What Do Engineers Do? to learn more about engineering from GE engineers and through our career profiles.

Why is the GE Foundation focusing on engineering?

Inspiring engineers is core to our purpose. Next Engineers:

Addresses Global Challenges: Engineers are creating blueprints for a world that works, and engineers from diverse backgrounds can bring the varied perspectives we need to address the world’s most pressing challenges – from clean energy to quality healthcare and more sustainable flight.
Lights Pathways: Anyone who wants to be an engineer and shows aptitude for engineering should be able to become an engineer. Next Engineers provides opportunities and support for all participants. By investing in students now, we can ensure we’ll be able to meet the future demands for skilled engineering talent and increase diversity in engineering.
Changes the Narrative about Engineering: Many young people have preconceived notions about engineers. By introducing students to engineering role models from diverse backgrounds, we are inspiring more students to pursue engineering careers and building a more diverse engineering workforce.

Next Engineers is designed to show students how engineering can solve global challenges connected to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), such as clean energy, sustainable transportation, and quality healthcare. The initiative is meant to inspire and nurture a pipeline of students, each bringing their unique perspective to the field, to become the next generation of global problem solvers.

Why does the Next Engineers start with students who are age 13?

It is critical to introduce students to engineering early. In fact, research shows that youth introduced to engineering principles by age 13 are more likely to pursue engineering in higher education and as a career.

Next Engineers starts with raising awareness as early as age 13, ignites interest and provides guidance throughout high school (ages 14 to 18), and provides financial support to higher education through partial scholarships.

How can my child participate in Next Engineers?

Thank you for your interest in Next Engineers! The full Next Engineers program - including Engineering Discovery, Camp, and Academy - currently runs in 4 locations: Cincinnati, Ohio; Greenville, South Carolina; Staffordshire, U.K.; and Johannesburg, South Africa. For Engineering Discovery, the majority of events take place in schools, so students do not register for events. Engineering Camp runs once a year, usually between June and August. Because space is limited, students must apply and will be randomly selected into Camp sessions. Each session is 1 week long. For Engineering Academy, students must apply before or early in their 10th grade year (Year 11). Students who meet the eligibility criteria will be randomly selected into the program.

Visit your Location page to learn more about what is available in your area.

Not in one of our 4 locations? Check out the Challenge Yourself page for free activities you can do at home.

Are Next Engineers programs free?

Yes. All Next Engineers programs are fully-funded by GE Foundation. Engineering Discovery brings engineering to 13-14 year olds in their classrooms and at community events. 14-15 year-olds can attend the Engineering Camp for one week free of charge. And Engineering Academy provides 3 years of free out-of-school programming for students starting at age 15.

I'm having trouble logging in - what should I do?

To protect student privacy and data, many of our application forms require users to create website accounts and log in. Creating an account on NextEngineers.org is a two-step process. First, you must complete the form to create a new account. Please make sure you're using a real email address that you have access to and that you have typed your email correctly. The website will then send you an email with the Subject line "Account details for [username] at Next Engineers" with a link to finish setting up your account. Create your password and finalize your account. Now, you will be able to sign in.

If you forget your password, you can reset it here.

For more detailed directions on applying to our programs, read our Camp and Academy instructions.

Why is there an application for the Engineering Academy? What is required to apply?

The Engineering Academy accepts 50 students per site annually who demonstrate strong interest in engineering, show academic strength in the related science and math courses, and are committed to participating in the program over three years. The program is designed to be smaller so that students can engage in in-depth, real-world engineering learning activities. Additionally, students will work closely with their teams and instructors over a longer period of time. The extended, immersive nature of the program helps participants learn to think and act like engineers with a curriculum that becomes more challenging over the course of the Academy.

Students are expected to submit an application, including their academic achievements (including grades), short explanations of why they're interested, and a letter of recommendation. Interested students can access the application for their local Academy through Next Engineers Locations.

Connect

Want to know more or how to get involved? Are you an aspiring engineer or do you know one? We want to hear from you. Send us your questions and follow us on social media:

Follow GE

Cities navigation

Inspiration navigation

News navigation

Resources navigation