Dream It. Do It.
A national careers and economic development campaign aimed at attracting young people to manufacturing careers and expanding their educational and training opportunities. If you click on the link, it will take you directly to the program's innovative website. The program is sponsored by The Manufacturing Institute and NAM.

http://www.dreamit-doit.com

Highlands Business Park
The Highlands Business Park is located in Southwestern Virginia on U.S. Route 11 near Exit 29 of Interstate 81. The park is in a scenic, rural setting despite its proximity to Tri-Cities urban area, and access to major national markets through Interstate 81, 77, 26, and 40.

http://www.highlandspark.com/

Mount Rogers Planning District Commission
Officially established in July of 1969, the Mount Rogers Planning District Commission (MRPDC) is authorized under the Virginia Regional Cooperation Act to serve as one of the twenty-one planning district commissions in the State.

The Commission was established for the purpose of promoting orderly and efficient development of economic, physical, and social elements of the region.

We serve the Counties of Bland, Carroll, Grayson, Smyth, Washington, and Wythe and the independent Cities of Bristol and Galax.

http://www.mrpdc.org

Return to Roots
It's time to come home for good. Return to your roots where job opportunities are exploding and the quality of life is even better than you remember.

If you grew up here, you know about the pace of life, sense of family and community and the beauty of Virginia's Great Southwest. Those things are still the same. Even better now that a new career option may be waiting on you to come and claim it.

Maintains a database of jobs for people who have moved away and want to return to live and work in Southwest Virginia.

http://www.returntoroots.org

Smyth Career and Technology Center
"To Provide the highest quality learning experience
through the incorporation of applied learning and the
integration of academic and technical subjects."

http://www.scsb.org/sctc/

Smyth County
On February 23, 1832, the Virginia General Assembly created Smyth County from parts of Washington and Wythe Counties. Smyth County is named after General Alexander Smyth who once represented this area in Congress.

http://www.smythcounty.org/

Smyth County Schools
Preparing Our Children to Face the Challenges of Tomorrow.

http://www.scsb.org/

The Manufacturing Institute (MI)
NAM’s research and education affiliate.

http://www.nam.org/s_nam/sec.asp?TRACKID=&CID=89&DID=87

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)
The nation's largest industrial trade association, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states.

The NAM’s mission is to advocate on behalf of its members to enhance the competitiveness of manufacturers by shaping a legislative and regulatory environment conducive to U.S. economic growth and to increase understanding among policymakers, the media and the general public about the vital role of manufacturing in America’s economic and national security for today and in the future.

• The NAM is the leading advocate of a pro-growth, pro-manufacturing agenda.
• The NAM is a partner in reinforcing the legislative and regulatory activities of its member firms.
• The NAM is a primary source for information on manufacturers’ contributions to innovation and productivity.

http://www.nam.org/s_nam/index.asp

VA @Corridor
Virginia’s aCorridor represents a population of nearly 200,000 in six counties and two cities in the Mount Rogers region of southwestern Virginia.

Stretching from the City of Bristol to the City of Galax along Interstates 81 and 77, the aCorridor includes the two cities and Washington, Smyth, Wythe, Grayson, Carroll and Bland counties.

The Mount Rogers Development Partnership Inc. was created in 1989 to promote Virginia’s aCorridor as a location for new and expanded business. The aCorridor consolidates marketing and presents regional demographics, and works with local governments to enhance their economic development programs.

Marketing Virginia’s aCorridor as a region:

* Collects and analyzes regional demographic data
* Generates prospect activity
* Enhances communication in the region
* Coordinates prospect visits
* Generates marketing materials with a regional focus and emphasis.

http://www.acorridor.com/

VCATS
Strategy for Creating Systemic Change from a Small Project

* Employers partner to design, prototype, test and refine innovative solutions that could be scaled up to meet Virginia’s need for manufacturing technicians
* Employers and their associations publicize these solutions and seek legislative support for replicating and embedding these designs in Virginia’s training institutions, workplaces and career centers

http://www.vacats.org

Virginia Department of Business Assistance
The Virginia Department of Business Assistance is the Commonwealth's economic development agency for entrepreneurs, existing businesses, financing programs, and workforce incentives.

Provides access to Virginia Comprehensive Workforce Development System and other business startup services.

The mission of the Department of Business Assistance is to promote economic growth by helping Virginia businesses prosper.

http://www.dba.state.va.us/

Virginia Economic Bridge
Over 10 years of experience, 10,000 Business Contacts, 100 million ideas. . . Virginia Economic Bridge, Inc. (VEB) makes turning opportunities into reality their top priority.

The strength of VEB is found in the people behind the organization--a distinguished board, an innovative staff and strategic alliances. As an organization, VEB tackles business, economic and workforce development--discovering challenges and transforming opportunities.

http://www.virginiaeconomicbridge.org

Virginia Employment Commission
Provides job seeker services, employer services, labor market information, and access to Virginia Workforce Center services.

To promote economic growth and stability by delivering and coordinating workforce services to include:

* Policy development
* Job Placement
* Temporary income support
* Workforce information
* Transition and training services

http://www.vec.virginia.gov

Virginia Highlands Community College
Virginia Highlands Community College promotes lifelong learning by providing quality, affordable higher education, including workforce training programs, that enable community members to succeed in today’s world.

http://www.vhcc.edu

Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator
Why Locate Your Business Here?

* Your business is more likely to succeed in a business incubator
* You'll have brand new subsidized space - offices, manufacturing space
* You will be located in a new business and technology park
* You'll have free access to experts on financing, business, accounting and legal
* You'll have access to shared services - training/meeting rooms, copier, fax, receptionist
* You'll be located in the Town of Abingdon, Virginia, a historic city, with roots in the arts

http://www.vhsbi.com

Virginia Manufacturers Association
The Virginia Manufacturers Association develops constructive policies and activities on behalf of industry by serving as an advocate for legislative, regulatory, taxation, environmental, workplace, business law, insurance, and technology issues, and as an aggregator of business services for our Members. The VMA will serve as our Members' primary resource for consultative services and programs which they require to remain highly competitive, technology-intensive and efficient organizations.

http://www.vamanufacturers.com

Virginia Tobacco Commission
The Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission is a 31-member body created by the 1999 General Assembly to promote economic growth and development in tobacco-dependent communities, using proceeds of the national tobacco settlement. To date, the Commission has awarded 1,071 grants totaling more than $525.3 million across the tobacco region of the Commonwealth, and has made available nearly $268 million in indemnification payments to tobacco growers and quota holders. For information on the Commission’s history, mission, funding programs and recent grant awards, visit our website at www.tic.virginia.gov or call toll free 877-807-1086.

http://www.tic.virginia.gov

Washington County
Washington County consists of 362,280 acres and 566 square miles (including 5 square miles of aquatic surfaces) located in Southwest Virginia. Washington County borders the City of Bristol, Virginia, Scott County, Virginia and Sullivan County, Tennessee to the west, Russell County, Virginia to the north, Smyth County, Virginia to the east, and Grayson County, Virginia and Johnson County, Tennessee to the south. Washington County is ranked 11th of 95 Virginia counties in geographic area.

http://www.washcova.com

Washington County Schools
The Washington County Schools will be a dynamic community of learners where:

* Faculty and staff are empowered through respect, training, leadership and resources to provide an excellent educational program;
* Faculty and staff communicate high expectations and respect to every student;
* Students are engaged through a rich curriculum to acquire the skills and the love of learning;
* All students obtain the skills of citizenship by playing and working together in an atmosphere that respects both diversity and cooperation;
* A partnership with parents and the greater community extends to all citizens a greater appreciation of the value of an excellent education; and
* Students exit with academic skills at or above grade level and on graduation are prepared to succeed in post-secondary education and/or employment.

http://www.wcs.k12.va.us/

Washington County Skill Center
Our Programs:
...Welding
...Machine Tool Operator
...Diesel Truck Technician
...Computer Technician
...Dental Assistant
...Office Technology Specialist
...GED

http://wcsc.wcs.k12.va.us/

William N. Neff Center for Science and Technology
The faculty and staff at the CTE Centers believe in providing you with excellent state-of-the-art training that will allow you to explore occupations, begin a career, or advance to higher education. We will work to create an atmosphere of mutual respect. We want to help you develop good habits that will last a lifetime and give you the training to help you make a good living.

http://neff.wcs.k12.va.us/

Wytheville Community College
We invite you to experience the rewarding and challenging opportunities that Wytheville Community College has to offer to the citizens of Bland, Carroll, Grayson, Smyth, and Wythe counties and the city of Galax.

Wytheville Community College offers a wide range of programs—transfer programs for the first two years of a baccalaureate degree, technical-occupational programs to prepare for a successful career, developmental courses to assist in your success at the college, and continuing education for the life of learning we all must live. Nearly 90,000 people have been served in credit and non-credit courses. We hope that you will join them.

Further, the college offers courses in many venues. Students are able to take classes during the day, at night, or on the weekend. Additionally, the college offers courses at the Crossroads Institute in Galax and at the Smyth County Education Center, and has a strong distance learning program for students who wish to take classes at or near their homes.

WCC has excellent, caring staff and faculty focused on the needs of all our students. One of the ways we do this is to partner with business, industry, government, schools, and universities. Our programs and services are designed with you in mind!

http://www.wcc.vccs.edu