Branch builds career pipeline for girls
Women made up about 11% of the construction workforce in 2021, but that doesn’t mean they were all on site wearing a hard hat. That percentage includes women in office and administrative roles, positions more traditionally filled by females, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. And so, many recruiters see women as an […]
Site Selection ranks Va. 1st for biz climate
Virginia rose to first place in Site Selection magazine’s 2022 Business Climate Rankings. The commonwealth unseated North Carolina and ranked above Georgia, which had an eight-year streak in the top spot. Last year, Virginia was tied for 10th place. “I’m pleased that Virginia has won the best business climate; it’s incredibly exciting to see the […]
A step up the ladder
Internships often help college students learn what they want to do as a profession by expanding their horizons, providing on-the-job experience or helping them change paths to follow a new passion. For instance, an internship helped Virginia Commonwealth University student Oscar Kemp discover that his interest in domestic social work applied just as well to […]
Workforce development resources
The Apprentice School Founded in 1919, The Apprentice School in Newport News has trained 11,000 shipyard workers over its long history. The school at Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding division offers four-, five- and eight-year paid apprenticeships in 19 shipbuilding disciplines and eight advanced programs of study, including supply chain management and marine engineer[...]
Accelerating the solar workforce
When local school systems decided to add solar arrays to their buildings, regional environmental nonprofit Appalachian Voices and other members of the Solar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia counted it as a victory in their six-year efforts to develop a renewable energy cluster in Virginia’s coalfield counties. In January, Southwest Virginia Community College and Mountain Empire […]
U.Va. program guarantees job interviews for certificate students
The University of Virginia is partnering with companies to guarantee job interviews for some certificate students. The program comes from an agreement between U.Va’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies, which offers part-time, online programs, and various employers. It is designed to improve the workforce pipeline for in-demand fields, the university said in a news […]
Work it out
The Virginia Community College System is experiencing what one top official describes as a “tectonic shift.” Although transfer programs to four-year colleges still account for the largest enrollment demand in community colleges, fewer students are interested in academic programs that can provide transfer credits to a four-year institution, a traditional mission of community colleges. Instead, [...]
Carilion Clinic receives $1M gift for education program
An anonymous couple has given Carilion Clinic a $1 million gift to support its employee career advancement program, the Roanoke health system announced Thursday. The Your Efforts, Supported program (YES) will launch later this year, with a goal to assist entry-level health care employees to earn certifications and further their education to meet career goals. […]
SW community colleges to create wind manufacturing workforce
The presidents of four community colleges in Southwest Virginia signed a memorandum of understanding Wednesday to establish a wind manufacturing workforce development partnership. “Today’s MOU signing is meaningful because it demonstrates our resident and abiding interest in collaborating. Our four community college presidents are setting an example of how to find ways to work together[...]
Bank of America grants VUU $1M
Bank of America granted Virginia Union University $1 million for its new banking and financial services workforce development program, the university announced Monday. VUU’s Sydney Lewis School of Business will lead the program, called MORE for My Opportunity is Real Essential, in partnership with the university’s workforce development division and its Evelyn Reid Syphax School [&helli[...]
GMU establishes health workforce center
George Mason University has established the Mason Center for the Health Workforce, the university announced Monday. The new center, directed by PJ Maddox and Caroline Sutter, will address the shortage and immediate need for health care workers in Virginia. It will serve as a technical assistance center for health workforce research, program evaluation, planning and […]
VHCC tech center to expand welding, diesel tech
Demand for welders is so great that some of Eddie Fultz’s Virginia Highlands Community College students are being hired for part-time jobs while they’re still completing their training. “We’re in a manufacturing area where we cannot meet the demand,” says Fultz, coordinator of VHCC’s welding program. “It’s a great problem to have for the college. […]