Central Virginia Advanced Manufacturing Initiative

This project at Piedmont Virginia Community College is developing an advanced manufacturing education and training program to meet regional and statewide employment needs. Developing and maintaining a highly skilled workforce is a vital factor in sustaining a strong economy. This program responds to that need by training, educating, and certifying a technical workforce to international industry standards. The degree of collaboration among post-secondary faculty, technical educators, and industry is improved by this initiative and the pathway between secondary and post-secondary institutions is being strengthened. The student recruitment plan is carefully designed to attract and retain a diverse population. An organized effort is in place to disseminate the effective practices and outcomes resulting from this project to a broad audience.

This grant is working towards the following goals: developing an innovative education and training program in advanced manufacturing; enhancing the advanced manufacturing career pathway between secondary and post-secondary institutions; developing training capacity by establishing an advanced manufacturing lab, an open access curriculum, and project-based-learning (PBL) modules; and supporting regional economic development in advanced manufacturing. The program is being developed by incorporating the multiple fields of engineering technology into one integrated curriculum. The new courses provide students with a broad understanding of advanced manufacturing and the ability to apply the new knowledge in a lab environment that simulates the work environment. By educating students in this manner, as opposed to the usual route of focused training in one field, the industrial base is being presented with well-trained employees.