Manufacture Your Career Events – Fall 2024

SVAM recently hosted two Manufacture Your Career panel discussions. The first was at Wytheville Community College on November 12th and the second was at Virginia Highlands Community College on November 13th. The purpose of this program is to encourage students to pursue careers in manufacturing by changing perceptions and educating them about available opportunities. For each event, four panelists spoke to students and faculty about their companies, the benefits of working in manufacturing, and available job opportunities. They answered questions about pay and benefits, why so many have stayed in manufacturing for so long, working environments, ways that Southwest Virginia manufacturing impacts the globe, and much more.

For the Wytheville Community College event, those panelists were Jake Leonard, Human Resources and Training Coordinator with Real Performance Machinery and Brittany Cole, Manufacturing Supervisor with Somic America.

For the Virginia Highlands Community College event, those panelists were Nick Boardwine, Fullfilment Specialist with Wolf Hills Fabricators, Ryan Blankenship, Tool and Die Machinist with Strongwell, and Brooke Eskridge, Welder with Utility Trailer of Glade Spring.

After the panel discussion, many students took advantage of the opportunity to network with panelists after the event. Thank you to Perry Hughes with WCC and Lee Hunt and Michael McBride with VHCC, for hosting us for these events, and to our panelists for helping SVAM accomplish its goals.