Advertisement

Header Utility Menu

  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Events

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Get Our App

  • Login

Virginia Business

Mobile Menu

  • Issues
  • Industries
    • Banking/Finances
    • Law
    • Real Estate
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Energy/Green
    • Federal Contracting
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Hotels/Tourism
    • Insurance
    • Ports/Trade
    • Small Business
    • Startups
    • Technology
    • Transportation
  • Regions
    • Central Virginia
    • Eastern Virginia
    • Northern Virginia
    • Roanoke/New River Valley
    • Shenandoah Valley
    • Southern Virginia
    • Southwest Virginia
  • Reports
    • Best Places to Work
    • Business Person of the Year
    • CEO Pay
    • COVID-19
    • Generous Virginians Project
    • Legal Elite
    • Most Influential Virginians
    • Maritime Guide
    • Site Locator
    • The Big Book
    • Virginia CFO Awards
  • Company News
    • For the Record
    • People
  • Opinion
  • Lists
  • Awards/Events
    • 2022 Virginia Business Political Roundtable
    • Women in Leadership
    • Diversity Leadership Series
    • Virginia 500
    • Legal Elite
    • CFO Awards
    • Big Book of Lists
    • 100 People To Meet
    • Best Places To Work
  • Virginia 500
    • Read The Issue
    • Power Up Virginia 500
    • Buy an award plaque
    • Suggest execs for 2023

Advertisement

Header Primary Menu

  • Issues
    • February 2023
    • January 2023
    • December 2022
    • November 2022
    • October 2022
    • Issues Archive
  • Industries
    • Banking/Finances
    • Law
    • Real Estate
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Energy/Green
    • Federal Contracting
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Hotels/Tourism
    • Insurance
    • Ports/Trade
    • Small Business
    • Startups
    • Technology
    • Transportation
  • Regions
    • Central Virginia
    • Eastern Virginia
    • Northern Virginia
    • Roanoke/New River Valley
    • Shenandoah Valley
    • Southern Virginia
    • Southwest Virginia
  • Reports
    • Best Places to Work
    • Business Person of the Year
    • CEO Pay
    • COVID-19
    • Generous Virginians Project
    • Legal Elite
    • Most Influential Virginians
    • Maritime Guide
    • Site Locator
    • The Big Book
    • Virginia CFO Awards
  • Company News
    • For the Record
    • People
  • Opinion
  • Lists
  • Awards/Events
    • 2022 Virginia Business Political Roundtable
    • Women in Leadership
    • Diversity Leadership Series
    • Virginia 500
    • Legal Elite
    • CFO Awards
    • Big Book of Lists
    • 100 People To Meet
    • Best Places To Work
  • Virginia 500
    • Read The Issue
    • Power Up Virginia 500
    • Buy an award plaque
    • Suggest execs for 2023

Home News Regions Southern Virginia South Boston is birthplace of training initiative

South Boston is birthplace of training initiative

Published January 30, 2013 by Veronica Garabelli

South Boston is becoming a training ground for advanced manufacturing.

Several facilities in the Halifax County town will be a part of the Manufacturing Skills Institute (MSI), an initiative sponsored by the Virginia Manufacturers Association and ECPI University.

“I think we all should be very proud of this initiative that’s being put forth here today and that we’re being considered as a destination site. It’s very important. It’s very key,” Douglas Corrigan, executive director of the Riverstone Energy Center in South Boston, said at a MSI announcement ceremony in December. 

Riverstone’s Modeling & Simulation Center of Excellence and its National Center for Coatings Application, Research and Education (C-CARE) are education partners in MSI as is the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center in South Boston.  Other educational and industry partners will be added as the program expands.

Brett Vassey, the president and CEO of the manufacturers’ association, says MSI is needed to help train a new generation of manufacturing employees. In the next couple of years, 20 percent of Virginia’s manufacturing employees are expected to retire.

Vassey says the industry is trying to reintroduce young people to manufacturing’s new image. In the past 25 years, manufacturing has changed from a labor-intensive to a technology-driven industry, a development that requires employees with highly developed skills, he says.

“At the end of the day …it’s a wonderful environment for folks who can get the skills because it’s great pay,” Vassey says.

MSI, which doesn’t have a brick-and-mortar home, will provide advanced manufacturing education and training programs, with each partnering institution contributing to a piece of the pie. Paul Dockery, business development specialist for ECPI University, says the institute “is not going to sit in South Boston, because it’s portable, but that will be one of the locations you can obtain a lot of the training.”

Kevin Paveglio, president of ECPI University’s Virginia Beach campus, says he hopes MSI eventually will train existing manufacturing employees as well as students trying to enter the industry. Training could take place at any of MSI’s education partners or at a manufacturing site. 

When thinking of partners for the initiative, Dockery says that the well-equipped Southern Virginia Higher Education Center was one of the first organizations that came to mind. SVHEC’s Innovation Center, for example, has an advanced machining center and a multi-use classroom.

ECPI will offer select advanced manufacturing skills certificates, which can be used for college credit. The cost of the training programs will be based on aspects such as class size and location. 

The Virginia Manufacturers Association says the commonwealth has more than 5,000 manufacturers employing more than 230,000 workers.

Related Stories

Virginia Business logo

College is expanding programs to meet demand

Virginia Business logo

Applied Felts plans to expand in Henry County

Karen Jackson. Photo courtesy New College Institute

Unmanned Systems Association of Va. names board chair

Former state Secretary of Technology Karen Jackson will help promote unmanned systems industry

Trending

13th annual Best Places to Work

Making strides

It’s back!

After the crisis

Fort Monroe development moving forward

Sponsored Stories

Working at Pinnacle Financial Partners

What Logistics issues will have the biggest impact on you in 2023?

In the New Year, Aim for Better Cybersecurity

4 innovative ways to create capacity

WHERE IS THE SUPPLY CHAIN WHEN YOU NEED IT?

P.A.I.N.T. Your Financial Mountain

5 Benefits of Treasury Management Services from Atlantic Union Bank

Blazing trails in the digital landscape

Advertisement

Advertisement

Trending

13th annual Best Places to Work

Making strides

It’s back!

After the crisis

Fort Monroe development moving forward

Sponsored Stories

Working at Pinnacle Financial Partners

What Logistics issues will have the biggest impact on you in 2023?

In the New Year, Aim for Better Cybersecurity

4 innovative ways to create capacity

WHERE IS THE SUPPLY CHAIN WHEN YOU NEED IT?

P.A.I.N.T. Your Financial Mountain

5 Benefits of Treasury Management Services from Atlantic Union Bank

Blazing trails in the digital landscape

Get Virginia Business directly on your tablet or in your mailbox!

Subscribe to Virginia Business

Advertisement

Advertisement

Footer Primary Menu

  • virginiabusiness.com
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Footer Secondary Menu

  • Industries
  • Regions
  • Reports
  • Company News
  • Events

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Sign Up

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Get Our App

Privacy Policy Cookie Policy

Footer Utility Menu

Copyright © 2023 Virginia Business. All rights reserved.

Site Maintained by TechArk