Throughout the year, the Southwest Virginia Alliance for Manufacturers (SVAM) prepares events specifically tailored for students interested in career development throughout Southwest Virginia. In an effort to promote manufacturing and dispel manufacturing myths, events such as these are vital networking opportunities within community colleges, colleges, and universities.

One of these events was recently held at Emory and Henry College. The panelists invited represented General Dynamics Mission Systems, Utility Trailer, Wolf Hills Fabricators, and Strongwell. Panelists were involved in: project management, human resources, entrepreneurialism, and marketing.

For this forum, each panelist was encouraged to share their nonlinear career path into manufacturing, as well as their career evolution within manufacturing. Students engaged in questions regarding job skills, methods of networking, internships, and benefit allocation. Students were also inquisitive as to how supportive and direct manufacturing operations worked in tandem with one another.

Strongwell would like to extend a special thanks to the Ampersand Center at Emory and Henry College, representative companies, and SVAM for another opportunity to share the importance of advanced manufacturing towards the growth of Southwest Virginia.