On a quarterly basis, SVAM (Southwest Virginia Alliance for Manufacturing) asks some of its member companies to visit college campuses to portray how the next generation of manufacturing has been evolving. One such forum was held at the C. Bascom Slemp Student Center at University of Virginia at Wise located in Wise, Virginia. Panelists included representatives from West River Conveyors, Komatsu, and Strongwell.

Students and panel members exchanged meaningful discussions regarding the misconceptions about safety, quality of work, average age of employees, tenure spans, benefits, community involvement, career growth, and common interview preparations.

Students were also curious as to how traditional four year degrees could add value to a manufacturer’s overall plan for growth.

Many thanks to Mandy Barker (Program Assistant- SVAM) and Neva Bryan (Assistant Director of Professional and Career Development- UVA at Wise) for coordinating this event.