Virginia Western Community College is pleased to announce the College’s new role with the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3) with designation as an NC3 Leadership School. This will enhance regional opportunities in advanced manufacturing and industrial technology.
Virginia Western’s Workforce Solutions division hosted an event Thursday, July 2, to showcase the impact this will have on students and highlight the College’s advanced, industry-informed lab spaces.
Skill sets obtained in the mechatronics career pathway are transferable among many industries, in fields such as advanced manufacturing and industrial technology. The NC3 Leadership School designation represents the highest level of participation within NC3, designed for leading educational institutions that aim to model world-class career and technical education.
As an NC3 Leadership School, Virginia Western will now offer applied mechatronics courses:
• Applied Fluid Power with Vacuum Technology
• Applied Mechanical Systems
• Applied PLCs and Smart Sensors
“Nationally, NC3 has supported more than 430,000 students and issued over one million stackable certifications,” said Dr. Elizabeth Wilmer, Vice President of Academic and Workforce Solutions at Virginia Western. “We are delighted that students in our region have been successfully earning certificates at the fundamentals level, and we know that offering applied level courses as a Leadership School will advance regional opportunities that much more.”
As part of NC3’s mission to elevate learning environments, being named as an NC3 Leadership School creates new opportunity for advancing instruction. The organization hosts NC3 Train-the-Trainer events, which allow instructors to gain hands-on expertise and bring advanced skills back to their classrooms. Faculty gain opportunities to become NC3 Master Instructors, mentoring other educators, along with networking. They also receive access to tour NC3 model campuses as a resource when enhancing curriculum and facilities.
Regional employers recognize how the NC3 Leadership School designation will have a positive impact on their workforces and business operations.
“Our industry is always changing, and it’s important that our technicians keep learning and have access to the best tools and training available. We want to give our employees the opportunity to build their skills, do their jobs well, and provide the best service possible to our customers,” said Ginger Hultquist, Business Operations for Jewell Machinery in Rocky Mount. “The program at Virginia Western Community College gives us that opportunity. The ability to schedule classes around our work demands makes it easy for employees to participate while gaining valuable knowledge and hands-on training that they can use every day.”
NC3 Leadership Schools provide students with industry-recognized, portable certifications that are aligned with national skill standards.
“StikPak is proud to collaborate with Virginia Western’s advanced manufacturing program to help develop the skilled talent our region depends on. Several of our team members have participated in the mechatronics curriculum, yielding exceptional results,” said C. Shay Whitlow, Director of Human Resources and Safety for Rocky Mount’s Stik-Pak Solutions, Inc. “Through this training, employees have acquired valuable technical expertise and earned industry recognized credentials, with several advancing into leadership and higher responsibility positions within our company. This new designation and the expansion of educational pathways will further enhance workforce development and provide manufacturers like StikPak with the talent needed to drive growth, innovation, and long-term success.”
This result was echoed by Doug Agner, General Manager of Salem’s Graham-White Manufacturing, a Wabtec company, a leading advanced manufacturer supporting the global rail industry through innovation in electro pneumatic systems. “The partnership with Virginia Western reflects our commitment to building a skilled, future-ready workforce,” Agner said. “The NC3 Leadership School status and enhanced mechatronics courses will strengthen our talent pipeline and accelerate adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies.”
