A "U. S. Renaissance in Advanced Manufacturing" is happening in Halifax County next month.
Riverstone Energy Center in partnership with the National Center of Coatings Application, Research, and Education, the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center's R&D Center for Advanced Manufacturing and the Industrial Development Authority of Halifax County is hosting a symposium on the U.S. Renaissance in Advanced Manufacturing Oct. 22-26.
This one-week symposium will begin with the grand opening and ribbon cutting for the National Center for Coatings Application, Research, and Education (C-CARE).
The symposium will feature talks and panel discussion on this renaissance in advanced manufacturing and guided tours of the Modeling and Simulation Center, the R&D Center for Advanced Manufacturing and C-CARE.
Also, on Monday, current NASA Associate Administrator for Education, former NFL player, and two-time Space Shuttle astronaut, Leland Melvin, will give the keynote talk on the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education in closing the skills gap and supporting America's role in capturing new 21st century career opportunities in advanced manufacturing.
The event will be broken down into separate tracks depending on the attendee's interest.
One track will offer specialized training and hands-on coursework in coating application and automation technologies delivered at the C-CARE Lab, and another track will focus on general topics in advanced manufacturing and the rebirth that is occurring in advanced manufacturing all across America.
Speakers will discuss current trends and opportunities in the advanced manufacturing sector along with the steps America needs to take to become fully vested in this economic opportunity for growth.
Dr. Doug Corrigan, executive director of the Riverstone Energy Center, said, "We designed this event to stimulate new networks and opportunities in advanced manufacturing for our region, to offer real world training to prepare our workforce and to showcase the tremendous assets that we collectively possess to catalyze this economic growth opportunity".
On Thursday, "IndustryWeek" magazine's Excellence in Action Series Tours will dovetail with this event.
Local ABB and Huber plants will be toured, where best practices of these local industries within the advanced manufacturing sector will be showcased.
"We are honored that a publication with such stature and respect as 'IndustryWeek' has taken notice of the investments that have been made in Halifax County to enhance advanced manufacturing and we are thrilled that they have selected ABB and Huber for their Excellence in Action series. This is a testament to the quality of our corporate citizens and our workforce," said Matt Leonard, Halifax County Industrial Development Authority executive director.
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