Illustration by Katie Pelikan
Mac Beaton says the smartest decision he ever made was not going straight to college after he graduated from high school. “I couldn’t afford it and didn’t want to at the time,” says the director of workforce and career development at Henrico County Public Schools.
Instead, Beaton joined the Norfolk Naval Shipyard’s apprenticeship program and worked while earning credits toward an associate degree. With money in his pocket, he was able to enroll at Virginia Tech and earn a bachelor’s degree in engineering.
Today, Beaton is teaching students that they, too, can choose a different path by learning a skilled trade, such as carpentry, masonry, HVAC and plumbing, drafting, computer-aided design, and more.
“I’ve spent my career trying to change the narrative about life after high school,” Beaton says. “We ask students what they’re doing next year, and they automatically say they’re going to college because they think it’s the correct answer. But there are so many other opportunities out there where you can make good money with benefits and without the student loans.”
The Highland Springs Advanced Career Education Center offers trade work opportunities to students, like these working on an addition at Hermitage High School alongside instructor Mac Beaton. (Photo by Ash Daniel)
Signing On
In 2018, Beaton created a Career and Technical Education Letter of Intent Signing Day for Henrico students going straight into the workforce, inspired by signing days for athletes joining teams. Mike Rowe, the star of Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs,” helped the idea go viral on social media, and schools around the country began hosting similar celebrations. In 2023, the General Assembly designated the fourth Wednesday in April as CTW Letter of Intent Signing Day across the commonwealth.
“When you see young people signing on for a career, all of a sudden parents understand and see the possibilities,” Beaton says. “College can always be an option later, but it’s not for everyone.”
One of Beaton’s students, Alexander Vazquez, hopes to begin a career in carpentry by signing with a construction company at next April’s ceremony. He just spent the summer helping build an addition at Hermitage High School, working alongside professional contractors and subcontractors to hone his construction skills.
“As students, we really appreciate the opportunity to do the work and learn as much as we can, whether that’s concrete work, framing or carpentry,” Vazquez says. “I want to be prepared and have a blueprint laid out for the next couple of years.”
A senior at J.R. Tucker High School, Vazquez attends the Highland Springs Advanced Career Education Center every other day to work on his trade. Other Henrico County trade schools include the Hermitage High School ACE and Virginia Randolph ACE. Students at Chesterfield County Public Schools can choose from two career and technical centers, and students in the city have the option of attending the Richmond Technical Center.
An HVAC instructor works with students via the Community College Workforce Alliance, a partnership between Brightpoint and Reynolds. (Photo courtesy Community College Workforce Alliance)
Career Training
Richmond-area community colleges also offer robust trade programs. Brightpoint and Reynolds have combined resources to create the Community College Workforce Alliance, which provides skilled training and certifications in high-growth trades.
According to The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, an average of 502,000 job openings will be created annually in Virginia through 2031, outpacing the national average. Of these new jobs, 71% will require some postsecondary training.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean a degree from a four-year university, says Elizabeth Creamer, vice president of workforce development for CCWA. “Many of the industry shortages you hear about are in skilled trades. These are careers that are very accessible without a degree, but you do need specialized training.”
CCWA provides training and certification so students can access the available jobs while partnering with local employers to provide the skilled workforce they need. “We really hone in on those jobs that are in high-demand occupations in industries that are fundamentally important to our region’s economic health,” Creamer says.
Building Demand
Construction in particular is facing a workforce shortage. In a 2023 national survey by Associated General Contractors, 88% of construction firms reported having a hard time finding qualified employees. Virginia alone will need to add over 270,000 craft professionals by the end of 2026 to meet industry demand. The Virginia chapter of AGC is currently working with 450 members statewide to fill the gap and recruit the next generation of workers.
“Students can graduate high school and go straight to work and continue to learn while they earn,” says Courtney Baker, senior director of workforce and training at AGC of Virginia. “We’re working hard to remove old stigmas of believing students only go to shop class as a last option. Vocational training leads to high-wage, low-debt, viable careers. A college or university route is a great option — it’s just not the only option.”
ColonialWebb, a large commercial and industrial contracting company based in Richmond, currently partners with local high schools to recruit students for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, along with plumbing, electrical, welding, construction and refrigeration jobs. “We see trade programs as a win-win,” says Wendy Pike, director of marketing and brand management at ColonialWebb. “Students get a head start on their careers, and we get to shape our local workforce. The demand for these jobs is not going away. Ever.”
Vocational training leads to high-wage, low-debt, viable careers. A college or university route is a great option — it’s just not the only option.
—Courtney Baker, senior director of workforce and training at Associated General Contractors of Virginia
Joe Schilling, Reynolds Community College’s director of communications, has witnessed firsthand the high demand for trained welders. As a result, last year Reynolds opened a new welding lab to expand its program, including building two welding bays suitable for students in wheelchairs. “Our students are getting plucked by big construction firms with offers that can exceed $60,000 per year,” Schilling says. “[Students have] taken the welding fundamentals, and firms are willing to show them the rest.”
Similarly, in July CCWA created a data center operations program at Reynolds to meet the industry’s continuing expansion in Central Virginia. “Our first class is going to be in fiber optics, because that’s what the data center operators like Amazon asked us to do first,” Creamer says. “If the demand is there and if the industry needs it, we’ll add a class to our schedule.”
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Welding courses are offered through Reynolds Community College’s School of Business and Industrial Trades. (Photo courtesy Reynolds Community College)
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Sen. Tim Kaine learns about Reynolds’ surgical technology program during a visit in 2024. (Photo courtesy Reynolds Community College)
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Reynolds Community College’s automotive engineering technician program (Photo courtesy Reynolds Community College)
Driving Success
Reynolds also recently invested in its automotive engineering technician program, opening 12 bays at its Parham Road campus. Students take classes three days a week and work three days a week with local dealerships.
“We’re one of only a few dozen community colleges in the country that offer the Toyota and Lexus [Technical Training & Education Network] program. We’re really proud of that,” Schilling says. “We just had our second graduating class. They’re basically walking into a lucrative starting job as a master technician with a lot of upward mobility.”
Further, Reynolds revamped its course catalog to include an industry snapshot so students can see the median salary and job opportunities for trades within a 100-mile radius of Richmond. For example, for Automotive Technology, 10 career paths are listed with median salaries ranging from $18 to $42 per hour.
“Students don’t always know what they want to do, and this helps them get a better understanding of prospective careers before they enroll,” Schilling says.
Brightpoint Community College’s pharmaceutical manufacturing program (Photo courtesy Brightpoint Community College)
A Healthy Workforce
The allied health care field is another focus at Central Virginia trade schools. The American Hospital Association projects a nationwide shortage of 3.2 million health care workers by 2026. Six in 10 health care employees are allied workers, including those who provide support to physicians, nurses and dentists, such as nurse’s aides and dental hygienists, as well as athletic trainers, medical technologists, health administrators and many others.
Nearly 900 students are enrolled at Richmond’s two ECPI University campuses. Popular programs in high-growth areas include nursing, dental assisting, medical assisting, physical therapy assisting and surgical technology.
Reynolds recently established a surgical technology program after receiving feedback from local health care providers VCU Health, HCA Virginia and Bon Secours. Brightpoint and Reynolds both offer a successful medical assistant program.
“We try to make it easy for our job seekers to get the skills they need to go immediately to work,” says Creamer of the CCWA. “Once you get that certification, you’re not just set to get a job, you’re set to continue your education. Your next step might be enrolling in licensed practical nursing, radiation technology or surgical technology.”
In addition, Central Virginia is quickly becoming a hub for the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. CCWA and Brightpoint recently launched two pharmaceutical manufacturing programs with a state-of-the-art lab, the first in the Virginia Community College System.
Getting Started
Richmond industries are introducing students to trades as early as middle school. In October, more than 10,000 eighth graders from school districts in the city of Richmond and the counties of Charles City, Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent and Powhatan will explore career opportunities at the Mission Tomorrow event. Sponsored by Junior Achievement of Central VA and ChamberRVA and held at Richmond Raceway Complex, the event attracts more than 100 local employers who share their fields with interactive exhibits.
Students entering high school can talk to guidance counselors about their school’s trade programs and their district’s career and education centers. Those looking to attend one of Virginia’s community colleges can consider the state’s G3 tuition assistance program, or Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back. Students with a household income of $111,000 or less can apply if they are entering a designated high-growth industry such as health care, public safety, manufacturing or construction.
“Learning a trade isn’t limited to those who are [ages] 18 to 22,” Creamer says. “We’re living longer, we’re working longer. Our region and our country need us to be productive, and to do that we have to stay skilled and current in the latest technology and business practices. [Community colleges] provide a pathway toward success anyone can do in bite-sized pieces.”
