Great Opportunities in Technology and Engineering Careers (GO TEC®) is excited to announce the grand opening of its new GO TEC Training Lab at the EO Regional Workforce and Child Development Hub in Abingdon, Va. A ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house were held Thursday, Dec. 5, marking a significant milestone in the program’s commitment to advancing technology and engineering education in Virginia.
Construction of the new training lab was a part of the $26.5 million renovation project EO, the in-region coordinator for Go Virginia Region 1, executed on the former Kmart located at 300 Towne Center Road for the EO Hub.
From left to right: Dr. Barry Yost, Washington County Public Schools; Jake Taylor, GO TEC Technical and Training Manager; Deb Hutchinson, WIOA Region 1; Crystal Breeding, EO Companies; Tim Kilbourne, GO TEC Region 1 Training Coordinator; Bethany Meyers, GO TEC Region 1 Program Coordinator; Angela Rigney, GO TEC Director; Jeff Dunnack, Somic America; Robbie Cornett, Thompson Litton
“The renovation of this training lab is a testament to EO’s ongoing efforts to support and foster our workforce,” said Crystal Breeding, Director of Education + Emerging Workforce at EO. “We are committed to providing high-quality workforce development training that will help middle school teachers inspire their students to explore the ever-evolving technology and engineering industries in our region.”
The GO TEC Training Lab will provide state-of-the-art resources and training for GO TEC Career Connections middle school teachers in GO Virginia Region 1. The lab features industry-relevant, hands-on equipment used to inspire middle school students in the region to pursue careers in technology and engineering. Program curriculum is developed by industry experts to ensure students receive the most up-to-date training.
Angela Rigney, GO TEC Director, shared her enthusiasm for the new training lab, stating, “We believe that by equipping teachers with the necessary skills to be trained to teach an innovative program like GO TEC, we can help them engage and inspire Virginia students in their future career choices.”
The open house offered attendees a chance to tour the facility, test the lab’s equipment, speak one-on-one with GO TEC staff and learn more about GO TEC.
The Great Opportunities in Technology and Engineering Careers (GO TEC®) program, administered by the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, develops a regional workforce by engaging students at the middle school level and connecting them with high school and post-secondary learning opportunities. GO TEC curriculum exposes students to various industry sectors including Information Technology, Advanced Manufacturing and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) to create a progressive talent pipeline that stimulates job growth throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Program curriculum targets high-demand strategic industry sectors via specialized training modules that are designed to provide middle school students an early introduction to occupations and foundational training through hands-on, technology-enabled experiences. To date, GO TEC has partnerships with over 50 schools in five GO Virginia regions, has engaged with over 8,000 middle school students and has leveraged over $22 million in GO Virginia and partnership funding.
The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, GO TEC’s lead agency and fiscal agent, serves Virginia as a regional catalyst for economic transformation with advanced learning, applied research, advanced manufacturing, conference center services and economic development efforts. IALR’s major footprint focuses within Southern Virginia, including the counties of Patrick, Henry, Franklin, Pittsylvania, Halifax and Mecklenburg along with the cities of Martinsville and Danville.
