Aerospace

As the largest aerospace manufacturer in the Southeast, Gulfstream employs nearly 13,000 workers locally, but they aren’t the only ones calling Savannah home. More than 30 aerospace-related companies are located in Savannah, making the area a true aerospace supplier cluster.

Savannah’s workforce talent pipeline includes a wide variety of job seekers and skilled laborers including six times the national average of aerospace engineers, and was ranked 4^th by PricewaterhouseCoopers for aviation manufacturing talent.

With the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield, as well other military bases in the area, 37,300 total active duty military personnel are located within 45 miles of Savannah. More than 350 trained and disciplined “Heroes for Hire” leave the military each month.

Savannah’s aerospace industries enjoy the same benefits as other businesses in the city’s advanced manufacturing sector, including state and local incentives, easy access to the Port of Savannah, the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport and nationally recognized workforce training programs, among others.

Industry-Specific training

Savannah’s educational institutions play a pivotal role in supplying a skilled workforce tailored to the aerospace industry’s needs. Georgia is among the highest producers of aerospace graduates in the nation, and the Savannah area offers a number of educational options for those interested in careers in the field:

• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Pooler campus offers associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees, along with undergraduate certifications, in a number of industry-related fields.
• Savannah Technical College’s Aviation Technology Department offers programs of study in aircraft structures manufacture and repair, luxury craft cabinetmaking, and aircraft electrical equipment repair and installation. Savannah Tech’s 30,000-square-foot Aviation Training Center features a 5,000-square-foot hangar, four labs designed and equipped for hands-on, instruction and classrooms.
• Georgia Southern University’s College of Engineering and Computing plays a pivotal role in preparing students for a diverse array of engineering fields.
• Savannah College of Art and Design’s top-ranked industrial design program’s students have worked with some of the most recognizable brands in the world — including Coca-Cola, Hewlett-Packard, AT&T, Dell, Mattel, Microsoft, Reebok and Fisher-Price — to invent practical solutions to real world challenges.
• Savannah State University offers Bachelor of Science degrees in civil, electronics and mechanical engineering technology.
• Several high school programs have high school pathways that lead students to a career in the aerospace industry including Groves High School, which has a aviation choice program.

Regional Employers in this Industry

Legend: Headquarters in Savannah International