Training Manufacturing Leaders

A team of students crowds around blueprint drawings, double-checking specs for their latest project: producing 80 lightsabers in six weeks.

Each team member tackles a different piece of the production puzzle. One person explores tooling options from various suppliers and places orders. Another models the final design in 3D software, verifying every cut, hole and tolerance. Several create CNC programs that will actually machine the different parts. Someone else creates the schedule—machine time must be carefully allocated if they’re going to meet their deadline.

This is the flow cell: a high-intensity simulation of real-world manufacturing inside the Integrated Machining Technology (IMT) program. Students don’t just learn about how specific machines operate; they live every phase of the manufacturing process, from concept to final inspections, for a product that the group chooses. (In 2024, it was golf clubs.) They determine the best way to mill complex shapes, coordinate shipments of raw materials and keep a close eye on inspection data to make sure each part meets blueprint specifications.

“They’re fully managing the whole process,” said Brandon Furgurson, the IMT instructor who monitors progress as students juggle cost constraints, safety guidelines and on-time delivery. “I’m focused on helping them develop that mindset to always be looking to cut costs and optimize the process, all without cutting corners, to deliver a quality product.”

Now celebrating its 10th year, IMT is a collaboration between Danville Community College (DCC) and the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) aimed at producing manufacturing leaders with a comprehensive understanding of manufacturing processes and operations and critical leadership skills. Graduates have influenced the region’s manufacturing scene by stepping into positions that require leadership, problem-solving and high-level production knowledge.

“IMT graduates can immediately come in and contribute at a level that is much broader than simply standing in front of a machine and operating it.” – Jason Wells, Executive Vice President, Manufacturing Advancement at IALR

Collaboration at the Core: DCC and IALR

A decade ago, Danville Community College already had a reputable two-year precision machining program. But some local leaders, including former longtime DCC faculty member Troy Simpson, saw that industry needs were shifting toward advanced skills, project leadership and strategic thinking. He believed a third-year capstone could bridge that gap.

“We were looking at what would give us a competitive advantage as a region,” he said. “A group of thought leaders saw that a skilled workforce would be that competitive advantage.”

Simpson and his former DCC colleagues joined forces with IALR, known in the region for its close ties to local industry and advanced research capabilities. IALR’s role would be to provide specialized facilities, financial support and connections to companies in and around Southern Virginia. DCC would bring the curriculum design, faculty and academic standards of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS).

Melissa Mann, Dean of Career and Technical Education at DCC, believes this synergy between IALR and DCC is what makes the program so impactful for the region.

“That partnership has been the best thing for this program. That relationship has really been fundamental to all of this,” she said.

Additionally, the Gene Haas Foundation has invested heavily in the program, providing an endowment at its launch and offering annual support for student scholarships.

“There are classes where no students have had to cover tuition costs,” said Amanda Hylton, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives in IALR’s Manufacturing Advancement division. “The support of the Gene Haas Foundation in conjunction with existing financial aid and scholarships has allowed many students to complete the program with no out-of-pocket expense.”

Over a decade ago, manufacturers across Southern Virginia were sharing their need for more than entry-level operators; they wanted people who could organize teams, manage projects and solve problems in real time.

“We wanted to allow students in the educational pathway to learn more advanced skills around manufacturing, not just individual focuses like machining or welding or automation,” Simpson said. “The goal was to allow them to work in a replicated real-world manufacturing environment where they would be exposed to manufacturing processes and Lean principles and leadership skills.”

This concept led to serious planning sessions with IALR, local businesses and regional advocates.

“It was a very collaborative approach in developing this program,” Simpson recalls.

With feedback from employers, the IMT curriculum moved beyond machine basics to include lean methodologies, supply chain management and leadership strategies.

Jeremiah Williams served as IMT’s first instructor, a position he held for seven years before moving into a new role in IALR’s Center for Manufacturing Advancement (CMA). As program director and lead instructor, Williams helped refine each course module to ensure students learned advanced CNC techniques alongside continuous improvement and leadership.

“The idea was to develop an advanced machining capstone curriculum designed to train the future engineers or leaders of manufacturing. The goal of that program has always been to stay one step ahead of manufacturing.” – Jeremiah Williams, CMA Technology Manager, IALR

Williams said another key component was making connections with industry and helping students find careers that fit their strengths.

“The overall goal was for every graduate to receive the level of training that would set them apart from everybody else and placed in a career that they felt was rewarding,” Williams said.

Inside the Flow Cell: Projects and Pressure

At the heart of IMT is the flow cell, an approach that immerses students in a genuine production environment.

“It’s a simulated manufacturing flow cell. We can take the time and effort to engage with the students to help them understand how all the pieces they’ve learned along the path come together. This program takes years of learning applicable hard skills and allows students the opportunity to mature those skills in a more realistic environment.” – Jason Wells, Executive Vice President, Manufacturing Advancement, IALR

They handle the entire manufacturing process from start to finish:

• Product Design: Creating blueprints and CAD models of the different components needed to produce the part
• Materials Procurement: Requesting quotes, confirming tooling specs and managing budgets
• Scheduling: Organizing machine time, preventing bottlenecks and meeting deadlines
• Running Production: Installing machining tools, loading raw materials and keeping the production line moving
• Quality Control: Managing inspection sheets, tolerances and safety protocols
• Continuous Improvement: Leveraging Lean and Six Sigma ideas to cut waste and improve efficiency

Real-World Results for Industry

This practical training means regional businesses can hire IMT graduates who are ready to jump into complex roles. Before joining IALR, Jason Wells ran a local manufacturing facility and said he tried to hire “almost exclusively out of the program.” Companies need fresh talent that can manage shifts, solve technical glitches and adapt when processes change.