Virginia Beach Public Schools held a grand opening for its new welding lab at the Virginia Beach Technical and Career Education Center on Friday.
The ceremony began with opening remarks from David Swanger, director of the Technical and Career Education Center, who said this expansion doubles the enrollment capacity of maritime career preparation at the center.
Watch: Secretary of Navy, Labor promote maritime industry during visit to Newport News
Secretary of Navy, Labor promote maritime industry during visit to Newport News
“Now a total of 80 students will learn both the theoretical and practical aspects of welding,” Swanger said. “With 40 students completing the program each year, all of whom will be prepared to get in the workforce directly.”
John Hood The new teaching space is an approximately $2 million investment to help VBCPS bridge the skills gap in the Hampton Roads’s shipbuilding industry.
The Hampton Roads Workforce Council said the maritime industry will need about 40,000 new workers in the next five years to meet the needs of our national defense.