DANVILLE, Va. — Some of the military’s top leaders were in Danville last week to cut the ribbon on a state-of-the-art facility that will help train the next generation of submarine builders.
Work on the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program began five years ago. The program is now moving into the new 107,000-square-foot Maritime Training Center.
The facility houses industry-grade CNC machines, welding bays, additive manufacturing equipment and nondestructive testing labs — the same tools graduates will use on production floors across the nation.
According to the program’s website, the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing program is designed to “quickly train qualified candidates in essential manufacturing skills and trades to establish a steady and sustainable flow of qualified workers for the naval shipbuilding and repair sector of the submarine industrial base.”
Telly Tucker, president of the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, said the new facility represents a continued investment in workforce readiness, innovation and economic growth.
“This milestone represents a significant investment in strengthening Virginia’s and the nation’s maritime and defense workforce,” Tucker said. “We have five training tracks here, eight-hour shifts, three shifts a day, a 24/5 operation with a one-to-one student-to-machine ratio, a six-to-one student-to-instructor ratio, and more than 1,450 graduates to date.”
Vic Ingram, chairman of the Danville-Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Facility Authority, said the Cyber Park’s newest building represents much more than a $53 million investment.
“What we see here demands a celebration, for this is nothing short of genius,” Ingram said. “Who would have ever thought that Danville and Pittsylvania County would be the home of the Navy’s Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing program?”
RIFA Vice Chairman Sherman Saunders said the work taking place at the facility will have an impact far beyond the region.
“This new center is more than a building,” Saunders said. “It is a place where people will gain skills, build confidence and prepare for careers that matter.”
Outside the facility sits the hull of the decommissioned USS Buffalo submarine. Former commanding officer Adm. Scott P. LaPano said he was pleased the vessel would continue to serve a purpose.
“Seeing her here on eternal patrol outside of the National Training Center is very meaningful to me, and I hope it’s meaningful to you,” LaPano said. “We all knew this ship was not going to go quietly into that good night.”
The center’s around-the-clock training schedule is expected to allow more than 1,000 students to graduate annually.
Earlier in the day, leaders from the Department of Defense, U.S. Navy, Submarine Industrial Base and defense manufacturing industry gathered at Cyber Park to discuss what they described as a national security imperative: attracting and training qualified workers to maintain the nation’s naval fleet.
Held at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, the forum highlighted both the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing program and the Navy Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence as key initiatives for developing the future workforce and improving efficiencies in defense manufacturing.
“Meeting the mission of training more than 10,000 workers annually to support the defense industrial base requires coordination across federal agencies, state government and industry partners,” Tucker said.
Vice Adm. Robert Gaucher, director of submarine programs, emphasized the connection between defense manufacturing and national security, noting that the industry must continue evolving as advanced manufacturing technologies emerge.
“A foundation of our maritime superiority is our skilled workforce within the submarine industrial base,” Gaucher said. “By accelerating training, we are forging the future readiness of the United States Navy. For five years, ATDM has consistently armed students with the knowledge and experience needed to build and maintain our submarine fleet. We are counting on ATDM, local leadership and our industry partners to continue to press so we grow the capacity and skill sets we need to deter, and if necessary, defeat any adversaries.”
A panel of defense manufacturing leaders discussed their experiences partnering with ATDM for workforce development as the program seeks to work with more than 300 defense manufacturing employers nationwide.
Since launching in 2021, more than 1,400 students have graduated from the program, with 80% finding employment in the submarine industrial base within two months, according to program data. Program leaders said ATDM is working toward a goal of graduating 1,000 defense workers annually.
“This is a national challenge that IALR is committed to addressing through our interconnected programs that support aligned technology and workforce development advancements to achieve this mission,” Tucker said.
Read the original article here (Chuck Vipperman, Chatham Star Tribune)
