Elise Spontarelli -
In the United States, the number of women in manufacturing is extremely low, with the number of women employed as artisans or machine operators between 1-4%. Here in Lynchburg, we are working to change that statistic. In partnership with the City of Lynchburg Office of Economic Development and Toursism and Lynchburg Beacon of Hope, Vector Space has launched the newest iteration of our Women in Machining program. This six week program for women to learn the fundamentals of manual machining began in April. Halfway through their training, students have been meeting with a technical instructor two nights per week. They also attend soft-skills sessions and industry visits one night per week, to increase the likelihood of success after completion of the program.
These five women, Tiffany Goode, Teetee Vaughan, Natica Crawford, Leah Johnson, and Jules Brown, are gaining a foundational understanding of machining principles through this program. Offered at no cost thanks to the Office of Economic Development & Tourism, these students can continue their machinist education at Central Virginia Community College, with potential to work at a company like BWX Technologies later in their career. Both CVCC and BWXT are partners in the program, providing tours and mentorship to the students.
Stay tuned to see what these women take on next!
