Blue Ridge Technical Center Hosts Career Event for Local High School Seniors

With graduation right around the corner, Blue Ridge Technical Center (BRTC) is hosting a career-launching event for local seniors. On April 29, from 10 a.m. to noon, the auxiliary gym at Warren County High School will be transformed into a bustling hiring event, welcoming around 45 to 50 area employers ready to meet, mentor, and even hire soon-to-be graduates.

“This isn’t just a job fair,” said BRTC Principal Vince Gregg. “We’re really hoping this turns into a hiring event where some of our students walk away with real job offers.”

The event will bring together seniors from Skyline High School and Warren County High School—about 350 to 400 students in total. Area businesses are being encouraged to take part and connect with a local talent pool that’s eager to enter the workforce.

Anna Walton, who serves as both an administrator and the work-based learning coordinator at BRTC, plays a key role in preparing students for these kinds of opportunities. “We spend a lot of time teaching soft skills—things like how to talk to an employer, how to answer the phone professionally, and how to present yourself,” she said.

For example, Walton organizes mock interviews with real employers who provide students with feedback on everything from their handshakes to their answers. “It’s a safe space to make mistakes and learn,” she added.

Gregg recalled one particular mock interview when a student answered the phone with a casual, “What’s good?”—a moment that turned into a learning opportunity about professionalism. “He was eager for feedback,” Gregg said. “It’s about growth.”

The emphasis on soft skills goes hand-in-hand with the technical training students receive at BRTC. Despite its unassuming name, the center offers a wide range of career-focused programs, from engineering and biomedical sciences to traditional trades like welding, electrical work, and auto mechanics.

“We’ve really evolved,” said Gregg. “People still ask if we teach trades—and we do. But we also have programs in coding, culinary arts, cybersecurity, and even criminal justice.”

Students can begin exploring career pathways as early as ninth grade. Freshmen are able to enroll in introductory classes like engineering design and health sciences. By sophomore year, the entire program catalog opens up, allowing students to pursue two-year sequences in their chosen fields.

And these aren’t just classroom experiences. In the nurse aid program, for instance, students head into local care facilities like Heritage Hall to work hands-on with patients. “They’re doing real, intimate care for some of the most vulnerable people in our community—and they’re 16 or 17 years old,” Gregg noted.

BRTC’s welding program is another standout. Walton and Gregg proudly mentioned a recent student—a young woman—who already holds a job as a TIG welder, a skill that requires a high degree of precision and is in great demand. “She was showing us photos of the work she’d done on a tractor trailer,” Walton said. “It was impressive.”

Gregg emphasized that many of the technical trades available through BRTC and its partner programs are not only accessible straight out of high school but also highly lucrative. “We’ve had the local electrician’s union talk to students about making $200,000 a year working on data centers in Northern Virginia—no college degree required.”

In addition to BRTC’s in-house programs, some students opt into the Trades Academy, a collaborative effort between the county, Laurel Ridge Community College, and neighboring school systems. Students spend half the day at the college, focusing on areas like HVAC and electricity, and can graduate with credits toward an associate’s degree. The best part? The county covers the cost.

“There are just so many options now that didn’t exist a generation ago,” said Gregg. “You can leave high school with a job offer, certifications, and even college credits.”

For local employers, the April 29 event is an opportunity to meet potential employees face-to-face—and possibly even hire them on the spot. For students, it’s a chance to explore real-world careers and figure out the next step.

Gregg and Walton hope that keeping these young workers in the community will pay off in the long run. “We want to give kids a path that leads to success,” Gregg said. “If they stay here, they help grow our community—they buy homes, they pay taxes, they become the next generation of leaders.”

Employers interested in participating in the event can call 540-635-7123 and ask for Anna Walton or Vince Gregg. There’s no fee to join, and setup begins at 9:30 a.m. on April 29. Student attendance runs from 10 a.m. to noon.