Five companies were recently asked by the Southwest Virginia Alliance for Manufacturing (SVAM) to attend a small panel discussion organized by SVAM and King University’s Student Affairs group.

As an outreach initiative, these types of events engage myths regarding local economies and career growth opportunities throughout Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee.

The panelists for this year’s King University event included representatives from Strongwell, HAPCO, Tri-City Extrusion, Wolf Hills Fabricators, LLC, and General Dynamics Mission Systems. Students were engaged in discussions regarding effective group work, team building, new hire training, community involvement, and innovation experience. With regards to internships, companies spoke about different types of internships and how internships can be beneficial towards future job prospects.

The focus of this particular forum came on the heels of how manufacturing companies are tackling some of the cultural shifts within its communities. A topic of emphasis also included how customer service and interpersonal relationships matter within digital realms. Companies shared information regarding manufacturing processes and differences amongst each facility.

Strongwell would like to extend a special thanks to Finley Green and her team with the Student Affairs Department at King University for their hospitality in putting together this event.