VaHigherEd.com

We are frequently asked how workforce services at community colleges are meeting the demands of business and industry. At Danville Community College, an entire class of 18 students in an intense manufacturing technician certification program was hired by Swedwood North America, a furniture manufacturer and subsidiary of IKEA that is building its North American manufacturing operation in Pittsylvania County and the City of Danville. The new facility represents the second largest investment ever in Southside Virginia.

Students said the program was intense, but worth every minute they spent in class at DCC’s Regional Center for Advanced Technology & Training.

“It’s everything I hoped for and the outcome was just what I wanted - I got a job!” said William Stapp, who also said he liked being part of Swedwood. “To be a part of something that brings wood manufacturing back when everything is going overseas is great.”

This program serves as a great example of how colleges are meeting the needs of their community and how pooling resources and working as a team can pay large dividends. The Danville/Pittsylvania Chamber of Commerce handled coordinating all the potential community partners:

“With the demands of today’s advanced manufacturing facilities, we must prepare our workforce with the skill sets and knowledge required by our new and existing employers,” Chamber president Laurie Moran said. “The Chamber served as the liaison between the business community and the training providers to make the connection between education and commerce, and the necessity of a well-trained workforce to support our growing economy.”

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Posted by Heather Millar