The growing Great Opportunities in Technology and Engineering Careers (GO TEC®) program is significantly impacting Virginia middle school students, school divisions and economic development efforts. Several leaders recently highlighted that impact and discussed future growth as part of a panel discussion during the GO Virginia State Board Retreat hosted at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) Conference Center.
GO TEC is a talent pathway that provides Virginia middle schoolers with hands-on introductions to advanced manufacturing and technology careers. IALR serves as the fiscal agent and program lead for GO TEC, which is supported and guided by partners that include K12 school systems, higher education, industry and economic development.
Virginia’s initiative for growth and opportunity in each region, GO Virginia is an economic development initiative and one of the primary funders of GO TEC, having provided approximately $9 million in funding to date.
Ben Davenport, a member of the GO Virginia State Board and the IALR Board of Trustees, moderated the panel.
“GO TEC is one of the very best investments that GO Virginia has made,” he said.
Below are a few of the main ideas shared during the panel discussion by the following leaders:
- Dr. Julie Brown, Vice President, Advanced Learning, IALR
- Linda Green, Executive Director of the Southern Virginia Regional Alliance and IALR’s Vice President of Economic Development
- Dr. Mark Jones, Superintendent, Pittsylvania County Schools
A Talent Pathway
GO TEC introduces Virginia middle school students to emerging STEM-focused career fields through hands-on learning. Some modules include manufacturing engineering, automation & robotics, welding, precision machining and IT coding & networking.
GO TEC started as a pilot program in Danville Public Schools and Pittsylvania County Schools in 2018-2019.
“GO TEC has allowed us to build down and build up to create interest. It’s integrated learning at its best for middle-school students.” – Dr. Mark Jones, Superintendent, Pittsylvania County Schools
Economic Impact
The program has an impact on more than just students and school divisions.
As one of the economic development leaders for Southern Virginia, Green shared that she always takes business prospects into GO TEC classrooms, where the students’ enthusiasm and growing skillsets make a strong impression.
“The return on investment has been phenomenal for this region and the whole Commonwealth of Virginia,” Green said.
Green shared that workforce development has become a differentiator for Southern Virginia economic developers. GO TEC has tangibly demonstrated the area’s commitment to meeting industry’s workforce needs by developing a sustainable pipeline of talent earlier to allow more opportunity for expanded skill development and career readiness.
Regional Expansion
Since the program launched in just a few schools in 2018-2019, the curriculum and program have continued to expand across the Commonwealth. As a result of GO Virginia investments, strategic partnerships and many success stories, 9,000+ students in 52 middle schools across Virginia, ranging from Abingdon to Chesapeake, will experience the GO TEC curriculum annually starting in the 2023-2024 school year.
“GO TEC gets students excited about these career opportunities. This is good for young people. This is good for Virginia.” – Dr. Julie Brown, Vice President, Advanced Learning, IALR
Brown said there are two simple goals moving forward: (1) to get GO TEC in every Virginia middle school and (2) to implement more impactful career education in the 9th and 10th grades – a current gap across the Commonwealth.
Showcasing the Program
Tours of the GO TEC Teacher Training Lab at IALR and the GO TEC Mobile lab were offered as part of the GO Virginia State Board Retreat. The full team, led by Program Director Angela Rigney, was on site to demonstrate the equipment, answer questions and connect with statewide leaders.
Three additional training labs are housed across the commonwealth with in-region coordinating entities: Endless Opportunity, the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Old Dominion University Research Foundation.
School divisions, industry partners and economic development organizations that are interested in partnering with GO TEC should contact Angela Rigney, GO TEC Director.
