Regional Center for Technology & Training

Danville Community College is one of 23 colleges in the Virginia Community College System. Centrally located in Danville, Virginia, Danville Community College is an 86-acre institution of higher education serving the City of Danville, Pittsylvania County and Halifax County.

Danville Community College offers a Workforce Services program through the Regional Center for Advanced Technology and Training. This program serves employees and employers alike, as well as other citizens who have an interest in increasing his or her technical or workforce skills. DCC offers credit and non-credit programs that are designed to meet occupational, professional, and personal interests and needs. The courses are designed to help upgrade technical skills, improve employability skills, acquire new skills, and meet educational requirements for job certification. Additional services include custom training programs that can be delivered on the job site to small or large groups of employees, as well as various other business services and outreach programs.

In addition to the Workforce Services program, Danville Community College offers advanced manufacturing courses and certification programs. A few examples of the programs offered include Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Technology Degrees, Industrial Maintenance Technician Degrees, and Manufacturing Technician Certificates. DCC also offers a Computer-Aided Drafting and Design program. Through this program, students are introduced to drafting procedures, materials, manufacturing processes, science, and mathematics that are needed by the technician or engineering assistant in the field. Those enrolled in this course will receive theoretical and practical experiences in drafting principles, drafting skills, CAD Drafting (AUTOCAD) manufacturing processes, and machine and tool design.

Danville Community College's Website

Institute for Advanced Learning and Research

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) partners with state and private higher education institutions to address three needs: preparing a core economy workforce for the future, meeting current employer needs, and expanding access to higher education opportunities.

Through the IALR's research centers, top-notch Virginia Tech faculty are locating to Southside Virginia to conduct research in the fields of  unmanned systems, high value horticulture and forestry, and motorsports engineering. IALR research centers are designed to conduct cutting-edge research in their specialty fields, as well as attracting small and mid-sized companies who desire access to the expertise they offer. Additionally, each research center provides educational opportunities uniquely focused on their current research.

The construction of the Sustainable Energy Technology Center (SEnTeC) will be breaking ground in early 2010 as a part of the expansion of the IALR. In this facility, graduate students and staff members will build upon the on-going bio-fuels and bio-based products research conducted at the IALR. They will attempt to work closely with local farmers to utilize their crops in more economically feasible and environmentally sustainable ways. Additionally, laboratory-scale processing facilities will be established to evaluate and optimize the conversion processes of alternative energy crops.

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research's Website

Averett University

Founded in 1859 as a school for young women, Averett grew to a fully accredited, co-educational, four-year college in 1971. Today, Averett University attracts students from 29 states and 14 foreign countries and offers degree programs at more than 25 Virginia locations. Approximately 2,634 students attend Averett throughout the State of Virginia. Out of this number approximately 1,112 attend classes on the Danville Campus.

Averett University's Website