HRWC’s $75,000 donation will increase program offerings at the Skilled Trades Academy

Leaders of TCC and the Hampton Roads Workforce Council and the City of Portsmouth.

It was a celebration at Tidewater Community College’s Skilled Trades Academy with community leaders, workforce partners and friends gathering to recognize the partnership between TCC and the Hampton Roads Workforce Council (HRWC).

“We are here to celebrate and highlight the relationship we have with the Hampton Roads Workforce Council,” said President Marcia Conston. “This partnership enables TCC to continue to serve as one of the training engines for our region,” said President Marcia Conston. “Working together we ensure that residents receive career training to build long-term career success.”

TCC students with President Marcia Conston (center) and VP Tamara Williams (left) and Mayor Glover.

During the gathering, HRWC President Shawn Avery presented President Conston with a new gift of $75,000 for the Academy in support of new program offerings.

“We’ve been part of this great facility since day one and are proud of the work we are doing together,” Avery said. “TCC is one of our strongest partners and this gift is just the tip of the iceberg of what we do together. A lot of regions in the state have competitive relationships, but we’ve always been friends and partners.”

HRWC President Shawn Avery and board member Mark Johnson just before the big reveal.

The Academy offers hands-on, short-term instruction for in-demand trade jobs. Programs are offered in welding, sheet metal, pipefitting, roofing, marine coating and more.

This donation will directly support:

New Programs that address emerging in-demand careers, with short-term hands-on programs. Added programs include electric vehicle technical, logistics, ship fitter and heavy equipment operator.
Expanded offerings by increasing capacity in current programs and exponentially growing the talent pipeline in the region.

The event also included remarks from Portsmouth Mayor Shannon Glover. “This is a great opportunity to talk with students and make sure they understand that the work they are doing is good for their families, and also for our region and our nation,” he said. “As a champion for the workforce, we want to be a place that provides hope and a future for residents.”

Skilled Trades Academy students join the celebration.

The Skilled Trades Academy opened in 2019 and currently provides training in 10 trades. The facility offers hands-on training in spaces that mimic a variety of job sites. To date, a total of 96% of students who complete industry-recognized credentials are hired by regional employers.

“We are proud of our partnership with HRWC,” added Tamara Williams, TCC’s vice president of Workforce Solutions. “They provide a vision for our region and work hard to create a well-equipped and stable workforce for Hampton Roads. By working together, we are leveraging support from federal and state sources. That means that oftentimes residents in need receive the training at no cost to them.”

Over the past three years, HRWC has given $125,000 to TCC.