CCAM Awarded with Investment from U.S. Economic Development Administration

Oct. 22, 2013
This $280,600 investment will help fund the planning of an Advanced Manufacturing Apprentice Academy Center, a project that will increase regional competitiveness and lead to economic growth and job creation.

RICHMOND, VA, OCTOBER 22, 2013 - The Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) has been selected to receive a $280,600 award from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA). This investment will help fund the planning of an Advanced Manufacturing Apprentice Academy Center, a project that will increase regional competitiveness and lead to economic growth and job creation. This regional training center will provide hands-on training to prepare workers in Virginia's Tobacco Region for careers in advanced manufacturing.

"One of the biggest challenges that companies in the manufacturing industry face today is finding workers with the skills and expertise needed to fulfill these advanced manufacturing positions," said Barry Johnson, member of the CCAM Board of Directors and Senior Associate Dean in the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Virginia. "With this new training facility, we'll able to create a pipeline of advanced manufacturing workers that will not only meet the needs of the region's current companies, but also position us to attract other companies to build and expand within Virginia."

This project is funded through the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP), an Administration-wide initiative designed to accelerate the resurgence of manufacturing and help cultivate an environment for businesses to create well-paying manufacturing jobs in regions across the country. Each 2013 IMCP investment supports the development of strategic plans to build public-private partnerships that result in targeted investments in workforce training, infrastructure, research and other key assets.

EDA grants are awarded through a competitive process based upon the applicant's eligibility, application's merit and the availability of funds. More information on EDA's grant process and investment process can be found at www.eda.gov.

About CCAM
CCAM is an applied research center that provides production-ready advanced manufacturing solutions to member companies across the globe. Members guide the research, leveraging talent and resources within CCAM and at Virginia's top universities, through a collaborative model that enables them to pool R&D efforts to increase efficiencies. Results can then be applied directly to the factory floor, turning ideas into profit faster and more affordably than ever before. CCAM is located in a state-of-the-art research facility in Prince George County, Virginia. For more information, visit www.ccam-va.com.