ATLANTA — Engineering students at several Georgia universities now have a new opportunity to prepare for careers in one of the state’s top industries.

A new program launched by the Georgia Aerospace and Defense Alliance is bringing together engineering programs at Mercer University, Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern and Kennesaw State. The effort is designed to support Georgia’s aerospace industry, which is the state’s number one export.

Executive Director Ember Bentley says the goal is to strengthen the workforce pipeline and keep talent in Georgia.

“It’s all about expanding the workforce pipeline and making sure that Georgia graduates and Georgia students become Georgia employees working for Georgia companies,” Bentley said.

The alliance aims to create a unified approach between higher education and industry leaders, allowing them to work together to meet workforce demands.

Bentley says the partnership will help align research, innovation and education with industry needs.

The aerospace industry employs about 200,000 people across Georgia. Leaders say the new program will benefit both students and employers by helping prepare the next generation of workers for careers in the growing field.

WSB Radio’s Jonathan O’Brien contributed to this story.