Virginia’s Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) recently won a 2012 Manufacturing Leadership 100 Award (ML100) in the category of New Workforce. The awards are presented by Manufacturing Executive, a division of Thomas Publishing LLC of New York.

Created eight years ago, the ML100 Awards recognize excellence, innovation and transformational projects in the field of manufacturing. The New Workforce category seeks to honor companies that “have come up with innovative ways to bring new workers with critically needed new skills into the workplace, and to allow them to productively collaborate with and learn from existing knowledge experts. Winning projects, for example, will involve education and training, knowledge management and transfer, and collaboration with educational institutions,” according to Manufacturing Executive.

The award criteria is a near perfect description of CCAM, which brings together leading manufacturing companies and top educational institutions to collaborate and develop new technologies that result in a more efficient manufacturing process. Canon Virginia Inc., Chromalloy, Newport News Shipbuilding, Rolls-Royce, Sandvik Coromant and Siemens are a few of the market leading companies that participate in the program with the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech and Virginia State University. CCAM’s research efforts focus on developing solutions for surface engineering and manufacturing systems. Research is already underway in labs at UVA and Virginia Tech while CCAM's 60,000 square-foot, high-technology facility is expected to open in September 2012 in Prince George County, Va.

To learn more about Virginia’s internationally recognized R&D facilities and why companies choose Virginia for its access to cutting-edge research and technology, click here.

Virginia’s Community College System was recently awarded the Innovation in Government award for the development of an online career and educational tool called the Virginia Education Wizard. The award was given by the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University as part of its Excellence in Virginia Government Awards, recognizing outstanding contributions that have a significant impact on Virginia’s citizens.

The Virginia Education Wizard, located at www.vawizard.org, allows users to narrow down their choice of career by taking a number of interest, value and skill assessment tests. It then provides information on colleges offering programs in the targeted subject area. The site also offers students and parents information on planning for college, including test preparation and financial aid. This is all accomplished with the assistance of an online guide, named Ginny, who walks users through each step.

Developed by Chmura Economics & Analytics in tandem with IT professionals at Virginia’s Community Colleges, the website pulls in real-time market data from Chmura Economics & Analytics. Since its launch in March 2009, more than 314,000 individual accounts have been created. The site also topped one million visits in August 2011. The tool is successfully being used not only by high school students, but also by career coaches and guidance counselors, as it provides one location with everything needed for the college planning process.

The success of the Virginia Education Wizard illustrates the strength of Virginia’s excellent education system, preparing a highly skilled workforce to support a wide variety of industry needs. Virginia’s Community College System was developed more than 40 years ago and provides occupational and technical training programs through its 23 schools across 40 campuses. With nearly half a million students taking classes each year, companies located in Virginia have access to a steady stream of highly trained employees.

To learn how Virginia’s quality workforce can support your industry click here.

Region 2000, representing the 2,000 square miles surrounding Lynchburg, Va., received the Public-Private Partnership award for its work in establishing a collaborative environment between leading businesses and educational institutions to foster regional economic development. The award is part of the Excellence in Virginia Government Awards given by the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Region 2000 partners with six organizations to provide economic development, regional planning, workforce training and networking opportunities for the Lynchburg area. One of its newest organizations is the Center for Advanced Engineering and Research (CAER), a R&D center established to provide local companies with access to university research to speed the development of innovative products and technologies.

The Center for Advanced Engineering and Research opened in August 2011 and currently comprises three facilities. First, the CAER Research and Education Facility, located at New London Business and Technology Park in Bedford County, includes a nuclear power plant room simulator, three-dimensional simulation computing capability, research labs and a cognitive radio test room. Second, CAER operates a Wireless Test Facility in conjunction with Liberty University. This Open Area Test Site, originally developed by Ericsson, is designed to conduct Electro Magnetic compatibility testing. Third, the Wireless Sensor Lab operates as a partnership between CAER, the University of Virginia and Central Virginia Community College. This Multiscale Agile Systems Technology Lab supports the research of motes and other miniature electronic devices.

The CAER is a prime example of the many public-private partnerships established across Virginia to expedite innovation in the technology, advanced manufacturing and energy sectors. To learn more about Virginia’s key business sectors click here.

Below  - Governor L. Douglas Wilder congratulates Region 2000 Economic Development Council Director Bryan David.

Virginia adds to its dominance in the high-tech sector by winning the new headquarters location for Acentia, a premier provider of technology and management solutions for both federal and commercial customers, which has moved from Maryland to its new home in Fairfax County. The project includes a $3.1 million investment and the creation of 60 new jobs for the Commonwealth.

While high-tech is often associated with the Silicon Valley, Virginia actually has the highest concentration of high-tech companies in the country. That’s according to the recently-released Enterprising States 2011: Recovery and Renewal for the 21st Century prepared by Praxis Strategy Group and Joel Kotkin for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In 2010 there were 12,999 high-tech firms in Virginia in industries such as Computer Systems Design Services, Engineering Services, Semiconductor and Related Device Manufacturing and Software Publishing. Over the last five years, Virginia’s high-tech sector has grown by 2,305 firms.

In addition to having the highest concentration of high-tech firms, Virginia also has the nation’s highest concentration of high-tech workers, according to the trade publication Cyberstates 2011. High-tech sector jobs grew to 277,575, up 6.7 percent in the Commonwealth from 2005 to 2010. Even more impressive, during this same time period high-tech employment fell by 6 percent nationwide.

Possessing a highly skilled IT workforce was an important part of winning the Acentia headquarters location for Virginia. According to Acentia CEO Todd Stottlemyer, “Fairfax County gives us access to the highly-skilled technical staff and management consultants we need to continue to provide essential services to our customers. As a company with very aggressive growth plans, we are excited about the possibilities that moving our headquarters to Virginia presents to our customers and the entire Acentia team. Our new space should be a springboard to a great 2012 for Acentia.”

To learn why Acentia and other high-tech companies such as CSC, General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman have all chosen Virginia, click here.

On New Year’s Eve, Enviva LP opened its deep water terminal at Virginia’s Port of Chesapeake. The first shipment, consisting of 28,000 metric tons of wood pellets, is destined for Europe aboard the MV Daishin Maru. 

Enviva acquired the deep water terminal last January to handle up to three million tons of biomass export to international customers. The company constructed a 157-foot-tall silo at the site, able to store 45,000 metric tons of wood pellets at a time and withstand extreme weather conditions due to its technologically advanced design.

Enviva selected the Port of Chesapeake due to its deep water capacity and ability to handle a variety of vessels, as well as its access to international markets and proximity to biomass sources and other company operations. The company already has a facility in the region, and announced its plans to build a 454,000 metric ton wood pellet manufacturing facility in Southampton County, Va., this past November. The $75 million investment will create 64 new full-time jobs, plus the additional jobs created through the company’s logging supply chain.

With demand for renewable sources of energy expected to increase, Enviva, a leader in biomass fuel manufacturing, is well-positioned for growth. The company expects its facility at the Port of Chesapeake to be a “flagship operation,” as it is ideally situated close to the biomass supply chain with the capabilities to reach global customers. 

To learn more about why Virginia is laying claim to the title, “Energy Capital of the East Coast,” click here.