The college is working with community partners to prepare for a fall 2020 launch of an automotive technician program
WYTHEVILLE, Va., August 29, 2019 – Wytheville Community College (WCC) has a received $174,131 in grant funding from Virginia Community College’s FastForward Workforce Training Grant. Community colleges from around the Commonwealth received funding, a total of $2.75 million, to develop new and expand existing high-demand training programs.
WCC plans to use the grant funding to continue development of an automotive technician program. The college will be using space at the Wythe County Technology Center (WCTC) for the program. “We’ve been working toward this opportunity for a while,” said Perry Hughes, vice president of workforce development. “With the grant, we can build on what WCTC is already offering by providing several different Snap-on certifications, Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certifications, and access to state of the art equipment.”
Hughes said that WCC is building a quality program that meets the needs of service mechanics and automotive dealers in the regions the college serves. “We are working with the dealers to strategically determine the right curriculum and learning objectives to meet their needs,” said Hughes. “In today’s world, there is a different skill set needed than in the past. For example, automotive technicians need more computer skills than in the past. Thanks to this grant, we can build the program and supply the space at WCTC with the equipment needed to prepare the high school and WCC students for successful careers.”
The automotive technician program will be part of WCC’s FastForward training program, which is offered through WCC’s Workforce Development Department. Other FastForward programs offered at WCC are: commercial truck driving, power line working, nurse aide, welding, and underground power. The college will add mechatronics to the program mix this year, too.
The college is proud to provide the educational environment to change students’ lives through workforce programs. Hughes says that WCC’s workforce programs have the potential to change the community, as graduates are able to complete their training within a year, earn a salary that supports their families, and contribute to the local economy.
About the FastForward program:
FastForward is a high-demand program helping Virginians get the jobs they want and the salaries they need. FastForward programs are short-term training courses offered through Virginia’s Community Colleges to help you fast track your career. Job applicants with workforce credentials are twice as likely to be hired as applicants with no credentials. For more information about WCC’s FastForward programs, contact Vicki Marrs at (276) 223-4717 or visit www.wcc.vccs.edu/workforce.
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