SWCC to expand workforce development programs

Southwest Virginia Community College in Cedar Bluff is expanding its workforce development programs this year with the help of three grants totaling $307,142 from the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority. These grants will support the college’s existing automotive technology and workforce development scholarship programs and help launch a new electric vehicle and hybrid vehicle training program, all responding to burgeoning industry needs while lifting local job prospects.

One grant of up to $100,000 will fund emerging workforce scholarships for an estimated 40 students in 2025. The scholarships, which will offset tuition, testing and related fees, aim to stimulate enrollment in certification programs in high-demand, high-paying fields not eligible for federal Pell Grants. Since 2017, scholarships funded by VCEDA have helped more than 80 SWCC students get credentialed in varying fields like agriculture, renewable energy, transportation and logistics, medical services and unmanned aerial systems.

Another grant will provide up to $105,142 to expand the college’s automotive technology program to include a new two-year EV and hybrid vehicle technology certificate. The certificate, expected to welcome its first 24 students this fall, will help meet rising demand for EV and hybrid mechanics currently scarce in the Southwest Virginia region, according to Susan Lowe, the college’s vice president of institutional advancement. Funds have already been drawn down to procure equipment, including “trainer” cars designed to help students practice their skills; grant funds will also be used to cover instructor training and tuition assistance. Additionally, funding will help students in the new program gain other credentials sought after by local dealerships and repair shops.

Lastly, the college has already used a $102,000 grant to purchase an additional tractor-truck and trailer to expand the college’s Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training program. The equipment will allow the school to add a new cohort to its existing in-demand CDL program, increasing annual enrollment capacity by 48 students for a maximum of 144.

“We’ve seen that the workforce has become the preeminent factor in companies locating in an area, as well as existing companies being able to expand,” says VCEDA Executive Director Jonathan Belcher. “The community colleges in our region do a great job of preparing the workforce for the jobs that are here today while thinking proactively about the jobs of tomorrow, like EV and hybrid technology.”