ACA Classical & CTE Institute, a partnership between the County of Appomattox, Central Virginia
Community College (CVCC), and the Appomattox Christian Academy (ACA), will develop an institute to offer workforce training for youth and adults in welding and machining. CVCC, which already offers degree-track classes on-site, will operate the welding program at the institute. The facility will enable CVCC to expand its program, now at capacity in Lynchburg, and better prepare graduates for the workforce with space to simulate real-world work experiences. The GO Virginia board approved a total of $565,000 in state funds for the project, which is leveraging $1,328,989 in non-state sources.
“This funding will add capacity for 35 more welding students annually throughout the Central Virginia
Planning District and enhance the educational experience of every CVCC welding student by introducing the first dedicated fabrication shop for welders-in-training in the region,” said Bruce Boone, board chairman of Appomattox Christian Academy. “Every CVCC welding student would have access to the shop, where they would learn related tasks like prep, measuring, and bending, along with welding.”
The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development administratively approved the following application:
NRV Materials and Machinery Cluster Scale-Up (New River Valley Regional Commission)
NRV Materials and Machinery Cluster Scale-Up will convene regional partners and develop a 10-year roadmap for supporting materials and machinery scale-up in the New River Valley. The process will include building and strengthening the capacity of the coalition of NRV stakeholders interested in growing the materials and machinery cluster through regular discussions and planning; mapping out assets and resources that could support industry scale up in the NRV; and identifying and prioritizing unique projects that could support ecosystem growth and transformation of the cluster. The project will build on the successful application to the U.S. Economic Development Administration for a Tech Hubs designation and is in partnership with the Virginia Tech Center for Economic and Community Engagement and Onward New River Valley. The GO Virginia board approved a total of $98,859 in state funds for the project, which is leveraging $109,000 in non-state sources.
“We can tell from our application development that a coalition already exists informally with relationships
between firms, local and regional economic developers, and higher education partners, but we know it needs to be much more robust to take it to the next level,” said Kevin Byrd, executive director of the New River Valley Regional Commission. “With a focus on additive materials and advanced manufacturing, the project will help the region move forward in regards to challenges such as the electrification of vehicles. The final roadmap will scope out and detail 2-3 prioritized projects, designate regional champions for advancing those projects, identify possible funding sources for those projects, and propose steps for advancing those projects.”
