IALR

Opportunities. Innovation. Economic Growth. Partnerships. That's what our work is all about – and our work is for you. #IALRSupports #IALRisherefor

We teamed with Serve Virginia last week to host an AmeriCorps Week Celebration event that highlighted service, leadership and the Dan River Year AmeriCorps' impact across Southern Virginia. Get a full recap of last week's event: ow.ly/LYaY50YuZzY

A few great moments from last week's graduation ceremony for the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program! This cohort included 31 welding students who trained across three shifts. Graduation recap: ow.ly/mfSY50YtJ66

IALR President Telly Tucker will be one of the speakers at an upcoming event for the Blue Ridge Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America! Hosted here at IALR, this event will highlight the role of strategic PR in regional growth. Register: ow.ly/asw950YtsmW

Last week, IALR hosted a staff development day for our entire team. Employees participated in a fun, full day dedicated to professional growth, team connection and organizational culture. More: ow.ly/Mawy50Yquq6

Tons of stories and news. Insightful analysis of the regional workforce. Events and opportunities for you. Read: ow.ly/Ozll50Ys3F1 Subscribe: ow.ly/kGGn50Ys3F2

March updates from IALR in just a minute. 🎥 ATDM Instructor Daniel Hyler shares news about a new DRF investment, 2026 internship opportunities (apply here: ow.ly/3O6m50Yq6SE) and Family Literacy Night.

Casie Hansen reinvented her career in her 40s through the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing program. She graduated in February and is now starting an NDT job. Hear her full story in this episode of Inside IALR with President Telly Tucker. ow.ly/ZWuu50YqtY0

🥇IALR's Marketing and Communications team brought home five 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝 Awards from the 2025 Blue Ridge Chapter PRSA Summit Awards, including two awards for our newsletter, two awards for our annual report and one award for the Inside IALR podcast.

"Together, educators, employers and community leaders can turn insights into action and ensure Southern Virginia remains a place where people don’t just work but truly thrive." - Telly Tucker, President, IALR More: bit.ly/4aDjMMh

What’s a “living wage” in Southern Virginia, and how many jobs actually offer it? Inside IALR’s new episode breaks down the latest study on job quality, wages, and what families need to thrive. Listen: buzzsprout.com/2198094/episod… More: ialr.org/southern-virgi…

Four months is all it takes. We take adults with zero previous manufacturing experience and, over 600 hours in four months, give them the skills and training needed to launch a fulfilling CNC Machining career. Apply for the March ATDM cohort today: ow.ly/siok50Y90Cc

A Virginia Cooperative Extension article, authored by Virginia Tech and IALR researchers, teaches microgreen production in controlled environments. It covers species selection, lighting, substrates, fertilization, sanitation and market considerations. ow.ly/mjOu50Y9yFI

New sparks without the sparks. ATDM’s augmented reality welding lab is live, giving students instant feedback, safer practice and a faster path to mission-ready skills. ow.ly/CFx550Y9UNN

New tech. New skills. New talent. In this Month in a Minute, Trina Holiness‑Morris shares how: • ATDM added AR welding • IALR hosted the 2026 VT–IALR Industrial Fermentation Workshop • Southside Mechanical Services welcomed 9 new apprentices

The VT-IALR Industrial Fermentation Workshop provided undergraduates, graduate students, industry professionals and faculty with the perfect blend of classroom instruction, laboratory experiments and real-world insights into scaling microbial processes. ow.ly/8NUI50Y9qvw

It's almost here! Our annual Family Literacy Night, a favorite of families in the region, is back! This free event features tons of hands-on activity stations and book giveaways! No registration needed! Just bring your kids to IALR between 4 and 7 p.m. on Mar. 5.

The IALR campus is operating on a two-hour delay today, Feb. 2. Megabytes Cafe will open at 11 a.m.

The IALR campus will operate on a two-hour delay on Jan. 27. The Center for Manufacturing Advancement will operate under normal business hours. Megabytes Cafe is closed. Classes for the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program have been cancelled.

“I wish I had this in school.” — Basically every parent who walks into a GO TEC classroom. GO TEC provides Virginia middle schoolers with fun, memorable, hands-on exposure to strategic career opportunities and pathways. Hear more from GO TEC teachers: buzzsprout.com/2198094/episod…

The IALR campus will be closed due to inclement weather on Jan. 26. This includes: Megabytes Café, the Center for Manufacturing Advancement, Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing and all other programs and services. Eligible staff may work remotely.