The Virginia Council on Advanced Technology Skills (VCATS), recently recognized Novozymes Biologicals as one of the founding partners of VCATS, a statewide initiative co-led by the Virginia Biotechnology Association, the Virginia Manufacturers Association and the Training and Development Council.  This project will establish solutions to the upcoming shortage of advanced manufacturing workers in Virginia.

Over the next three years, 2007-2010, Virginia is expected to experience the largest number of Manufacturing Technician openings due to retirements. According to projections, all primary skilled occupations, which include Manufacturing Technician, will have a cumulative gap as high as 70,506 during this 3 year timeframe. The Manufacturing Technician positions alone account for 22,606 of the gap. This shortage of skilled manufacturing technicians could have a critical effect on Virginia’s economic future unless we act now.   (VCATS website)

            As a founding partner, Novozymes will work with other employers to design, prototype, test and refine innovative solutions that could be scaled up to meet Virginia’s needs 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.  The initiative was born as a result of the receipt of a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor for an advanced manufacturing job training and economic development initiative.  The grant is part of a total $16.8 nationwide investment by the U.S. Department of Labor, with the Virginia Biotechnology Association as the only recipient in Virginia. 

For more information visit:  www.vacats.org 

            Novozymes has been an avid supporter and advocate for workforce development initiatives throughout the Roanoke Region.