Free machining skills certification program aims to help transitioning military members

The Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) and Southside Virginia Community College are offering a free course to train veterans or transitioning military members as computer numeric controlled machinists.

“This is a huge opportunity worthy of consideration,” Bruce Sobczak, director of workforce development at CCAM, a Prince George County-based research consortium between industry and university researchers, said in a statement. “A lot of job openings exist in this area, and the need for qualified workers is enormous.”

The 18-week program, which launched last year, requires no prior experience or special qualifications. The course will include seven weeks of online training and 11 weeks of lab training at the Southside Virginia Education Center in Emporia. Each class is typically limited to 10 individuals, Sobczak says.

“They are required to get a minimum of five industry recognized certifications before the end of the program, ” he says.

CCAM will help graduates of the course with job placement through its connections with corporations such as Rolls-Royce, Newport News Shipbuilding, Kosmo Machine, BGB Technologies and Enclos Inc.

To apply candidates must contact Soldier for Life – Transition Assistance Program at 804-734-6615. That office will assist with a federal funding approval application under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act. Interested applicants also should contact Debra Smiley, SVCC’s director of workforce development and continuing education at 434-949-1060.