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Southern Virginia manufacturing initiative lands $24.8 million federal grant
The regional AM² partnership plans shared technology testing and a career network reaching from schools to adult training.
Manufacturers across Southern and Southwest Virginia are set to gain more access to university testing equipment and workforce programs through a $24.8 million U.S. Economic Development Administration grant, Virginia Tech announced October 28.
The AM² initiative links more than 65 partners under the New River Valley Regional Commission. Its footprint includes the New River Valley, Roanoke, Lynchburg and Danville-Martinsville regions, connecting several manufacturing centers rather than concentrating the investment in one campus.
Three coordinated efforts divide the work. AM² Studios will help companies test production technologies before committing to major investments. A career network led by Danville’s Institute for Advanced Learning and Research will connect education and training with manufacturing employment. A consortium will help companies navigate the regional resources.
Virginia Tech says it will add laboratory equipment and connect students with manufacturers through internships, job shadowing and industry-shaped capstone projects. The federal award follows an earlier $4.2 million GO Virginia grant and more than $2 million in regional matching funds.
These are planned capabilities, not evidence that every service or placement is already available. The university’s announcement identifies the participating institutions and the work each will lead.
