A Virginia Manufacturers Association Certified Assessment Center opened its fifth center at Skyline College in Roanoke. VMA Certified Assessment Centers are being established at all ECPI University locations in Virginia. The centers will make access easier to advance technology industry credentials from the association’s new workforce development division, the Virginia Council on Advanced Technology Skills. The new center opened today.

Here is the press release from Skyline College.

Roanoke, VA – The 5th Virginia Manufacturers Association (VMA) Certified Assessment Center is opening today at ECPI University’s Skyline College location in Roanoke. ECPI and VMA are establishing VMA Certified Assessment Centers at all ECPI University locations across the Commonwealth to increase accessibility to advanced technology industry credentials produced by the association’s new workforce development division, the Virginia Council on Advanced Technology Skills (VCATS). Industry assessments offered will initially include the VCATS Level 1 Manufacturing Technician, VCATS Manufacturing Specialist and Industrial Energy Auditor credentials. The Skyline College dedication ceremony was held this morning at 10:30 a.m.

A key factor in maintaining the long-term health of Virginia’s Manufacturing sector is to ensure an adequate pipeline of trained manufacturing workers. The goal of the VMA-ECPI partnership is to increase the number of industry-certified skilled workers in Virginia. In a recent Western Virginia Industry Workforce Forecast prepared by Fletcher Mangum of Mangum Economic Consulting, employment projections between 2008 and 2018 show 2587 annual openings; 1804 annual openings or 70% are in “middle-skill” occupations. Comparing the average demand to the estimated average annual supply of trained workers shows that the largest anticipated gap (minus 1804) is in the “middle-skill” occupations that are linked to a certificate or degree program, but generally only require on the job training (OJT) or skills training below the one-year or two-year college level.

“It is a great opportunity to be able to offer this testing center at ECPI’s Skyline College campus,” said Walter Merchant, Skyline College’s campus president. “Not only will our students benefit but the entire community in advanced technology industries will be able to make use of the assessment center.”  Individuals in pursuit of employment or looking to advance their careers within advanced technology industries, such as manufacturing, will be able to assess and certify their skills, resulting in key credentials which employers are seeking when evaluating job applicants.

“ECPI University is an educational institution that connects learning with earning and recognizes the potential for career advancement through skills development and attainment of industry-recognized certifications. The partnership is a model for connecting jobseekers and students with employment opportunities using targeted training and assessment as the gateway,” said Katherine DeRosear, VMA’s Director of Workforce Development.  VMA-Certified Assessment Centers have already been established at ECPI University locations in Virginia Beach, Richmond (Moorefield & Innsbrook campuses) and Manassas. Future Centers are slated for the Shenandoah Valley, Southside and Southwest Virginia.

About ECPI University
ECPI University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate, baccalaureate, and master degrees and diploma programs. With campuses in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, ECPI, a private university established in 1966, offers convenient classes during the day, evening, and online; graduate employment services are provided. Continuing education certification classes and testing are also available. In June of 2011, ECPI became a university, reflecting the diversity of programs and various levels of education offered by the institution.

ECPI’s fields of study include: TECHNOLOGY: Cyber and Network Security, Information Systems, Healthcare IT, Web Development, Simulation and Game Programming, Database Programming, Electronics Engineering Technology, Mechatronics, Biomedical Technology, Medical Imaging Technology; BUSINESS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE: Accounting, Business Administration, IT Management, Food Service Management, Criminal Justice, Homeland Security; HEALTH SCIENCES: Healthcare Administration, Health Information Management, Medical Administration, Physical Therapist Assistant, Massage Therapy, Dental Assisting, Medical Assisting, Medical Radiography, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Surgical Technology, Nursing (BSN), Registered Nursing, Practical Nursing; CULINARY: Culinary Arts. (Program field availability varies by campus.) For more information, visit www.ecpi.edu.

About Virginia Manufacturers Association (VMA)
The Virginia Manufacturers Association is the only statewide association exclusively dedicated to manufacturers and their network of service providers. The organization has been Industry’s Advocate™ since 1922 through successfully advocating for constructive public policies at all levels of government. The VMA also supports a broad array of business services and programs to help ensure that Virginia manufacturing companies can be productive, profitable and competitive in Virginia. Virginia’s 5,000+ manufacturers employ over 230,000 individuals, contribute $34 billion to the gross state product, and account for over 80% of the state’s exports to the global economy. For more information about the VMA, please visit www.vamanufacturers.com.