GE to hire 5,000 U.S. Veterans

The largest U.S. conglomerate unveiled the moves ahead of a four-day meeting it is convening in Washington starting on Monday to focus on boosting the U.S. economy, which has been slow to recover from a brutal 2007-2009 recession.

"We should have the confidence to act and to restore American competitiveness," Chief Executive Jeff Immelt, a top adviser on jobs and the economy to President Barack Obama, said in a statement.

The U.S. unemployment rate - seen as the main barrier to a move vibrant recovery - fell to a near three-year low of 8.3% in January, helped in part by the manufacturing sector adding about 50,000 workers. Even with that improvement, 23.8 million Americans remain out of work or underemployed, which is keeping the economy a key issue heading into November's presidential elections.

The world's largest maker of jet engines plans this year to open three new U.S. aviation plants, in Ellisville, MS; Auburn, AL, and Dayton, OH. After cutting headcount significantly during the recession - as did its major peers including United Technologies Corp and Caterpillar Inc - GE has added about 9,000 U.S. workers since 2009, and has already announced plans to hire another 4,500 people.