Regional Workforce
17.2%
of Southern Virginia’s workforce is in the manufacturing sector.
541,388
Workforce in 60-Minute Drive Radius
1,485,395
Workforce in 90-minute Drive Radius
Education System & Workforce Training Pipeline
- Exposing middle school students to additive manufacturing, CNC machining, welding, robotics, metrology, manufacturing engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and health sciences
Secondary School (Ages 14-18) Advanced Manufacturing Certificate
- University Credit, Industry Recognized Credentials, Dual Enrollment
Two-year Technical College Precision Manufacturing Technology
- University Diploma, Advanced Industry Credentials
Advanced Manufacturing Training Integrated Machining Technology Program
- University Degree, NIMS Certifications, Yellow Belt – Six Sigma Certification, Lean Flow Cell, Manufacturing, Principals
Development of Manufacturing Engineering Technology Degree
- University Degree established between Old Dominion University and Patrick and Henry Community College
Articulation Agreements in place between community colleges and universities in North Carolina and Virginia for a seamless transition.

Recruiting Engineering Graduates in the Region
886 Community College Students Yearly
1705 Community College Students Yearly
939 Post-Grad Engineering Awards Yearly

The SVRA Region is comparable in size to MSA’s Topeka, KS; Lafayette, IN; & Athens, GA

Population from SVMS
45 Minute Drive:
219,571 Total Employees
470,152 Total Populationn
90 Minute Drive:
1,485,395 Total Employees
2,988,152 Total Population
60 Minute Drive:
541,388 Total Employees
1,099,533 Total Populationopulation
Easy one-day access to Portland (ME), Chicago (IL),
St. Louis (MO), and Orlando (FL).
Labor Shed Within a 60-mile Radius
The labor shed in a 60-mile radius of Danville VA (highlighted in red) overlaps with the labor sheds of Lynchburg, Roanoke, Greensboro and Raleigh Durham. This provides easy access to skill sets in advanced manufacturing, nuclear/electronics, life science and R&D.


Universities & Colleges
More than 40 Colleges and Universities within a 50-mile radius
The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR)
Serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation. IALR provides optimization of processes and launch space for manufacturing in the region as well as applied research and customized industry credentials. IALR’s Applied Research division includes: Analytical Chemistry, Advanced Materials, Life Sciences & Biotechnology and Precision Agriculture. The Advanced Manufacturing division focuses on meeting and exceeding the optimization and workforce needs of new and existing industry.

Averett University
Averett University is a private college that offers 4 Bachelor’s Degree programs, 7 Master’s Degree Programs, and 2 Master’s Certificate Programs in areas including Accounting, Business, Criminal Justice, Data Analytics, Education, Nursing, and Sociology. Small classes are led by industry-experienced instructors and course formats make balancing work, family, and higher education more convenient.

New College Institute
NCI’s Center of Advanced Manufacturing provides technology education, manufacturing training, and consulting services that contribute to continuous workforce and technology development and busines success. Their advanced manufacturing team, innovative solutions, and low cost pricing helps companies of all sizes access the training and pipeline development needed to remain economically competitive. In addition to college-level degree and certification programs, NCI offers experiential learning opportunities such as the NCI Internship Program and regional cybersecurity and engineering competitions.

Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SVHEC)
Provides college and career training opportunities and short-term hands-on credential based training in information technology, mechatronics, and welding. R&D Center for Advanced Manufacturing & Energy Efficiency (R&D CAMEE) provides three core services to small and medium sized businesses: technology adoption, custom production runs, and applied research.

Training Facilities
Regional training facilities include the following:
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