Access to LFCC heavy equipment operator program to increase thanks to economic investment

A little more than a year after becoming the first community college in Virginia to offer statewide industry credential programs for heavy equipment operators (HEO), LFCC is partnering with two other community colleges to provide greater access to the in-demand training.

Virginia’s Community Colleges on Monday announced the 23-college system is investing $4 million over the next two years to support curriculum development and FastForward workforce training in the rapidly growing fields of heavy construction and utility-scale solar energy. Select community colleges will develop programs that can be expanded across the commonwealth as the demand grows for skilled workers in these fields.

LFCC is teaming up with Piedmont Virginia Community College and Germanna Community College to develop an HEO curriculum and statewide training capabilities for courses that support Virginia’s development sector.

In partnership with the Heavy Construction Contractors Association (HCCA) and the Virginia Asphalt Association (VAA), the colleges will establish online access to training programs in the principles and practices of road building and other major infrastructure projects.

“The expanded initiative provides an opportunity to truly create a pipeline of current and future employees who will reap the rewards of a well-paid and rewarding career pathway,” said Ken Garrison, executive director of the Heavy Construction Contractors Association. “We have worked collaboratively with LFCC to build the pilot program and our firms benefited from hiring the graduates.”

Eligible students can have two-thirds of their program costs covered by FastForward Credential Funding. There is financial assistance available for those who qualify to pay for most of the final third of the price.

Additionally, the HCCA has generously funded a scholarship covering 75 percent of the program’s cost.

“We look forward to working in partnership with our sister colleges to scale and expand the program in order to serve more employers and give access to more job seekers to obtain these high demand industry credentials,” said LFCC President Kim Blosser.

The average starting salary in Virginia for heavy equipment operators is $43,000 a year.

Thirty-two students graduated from LFCC’s HEO program this past spring. All were guaranteed interviews with HCCA members.

According to an HCCA survey, there are 3,000 more operators needed in the northern part of Virginia, and 10,000 statewide. With numerous large infrastructure projects underway and an aging workforce, the gap is only expected to grow.

To find out more about LFCC’s HEO program, call (540) 868-7021, or visit www.lfccworkforce.com.

The VCCS also announced Monday that Southside Virginia Community College will receive funds to work with businesses in the energy industry to develop and deploy the Virginia Solar Workforce Initiative, a first-in-the-state curriculum and training program for the utility-scale solar industry. The need for utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) installers, who earn an average starting salary of $42,000-50,000, is emerging in Virginia, and the U.S. Department of Energy reports the solar energy sector is poised for robust growth.

Since July of 2016, Virginians who trained in FastForward programs at community colleges have earned more than 11,000 valuable industry-recognized workforce credentials.

FastForward training programs are specifically geared toward the needs of local businesses and offer students affordable access to new careers in weeks or months instead of semesters and years.

Find out more about FastForward at www.fastforwardva.org.