At Tuesday’s groundbreaking for Virginia Peninsula Community College’s Newport News Trades Center, the theme was the future, not the present.
Each of the five speakers at the event acknowledged what the project will mean in the long term to the community and its residents as well as businesses and others working and living in Hampton Roads.
“This groundbreaking today is a powerful example of what happens when a community unites around a transformative opportunity,” said VPCC President Dr. Towuanna Porter Brannon. “We will focus on bringing opportunities and pathways to the residents of Newport News.”
It is the College’s third trades center, with the others in Toano and Hampton. Dr. Brannon said the project is the direct response to two area needs: one from businesses, which need talent, and the other from residents, who need “meaningful career pathways that change lives in months, not years.”
The estimated $9 million facility, located at 520 21st St., is roughly 16,000 square feet. The W.M. Jordan Company is overseeing construction of the facility designed by RRMM Architects.
It is a collaboration among a variety of partners. The College will train the students, the City of Newport News has donated land and support for site preparation, and the Newport News Economic Development Authority is managing the project. The College, city and the Maritime Industrial Base are funding it.
“When this center opens, we will offer programs in welding, structural fitting, marine electrical, residential electrical, including maintenance, HVAC and plumbing,” said Dr. Brannon. “These are high-demand, high-wage careers that power our region and keep the local economy moving.”
The program will prepare more than 400 students a year for maritime and construction jobs. The project is targeted for completion in February 2026, with the training programs to begin in summer 2026.
Dr. Brannon noted enrollment in the College’s workforce and career studies certificates has increased by double digits in each of the past few years. The short-term skills trade programs boast a 90% completion rate, with some of those students earning $23,000 more a year than when they started at the College.
“These short-term industry focused training programs, it’s part of our DNA. For decades, our College has offered pathways to opportunities,” said Dr. Brannon. “The graduates who will walk out of these doors will contribute to our community growth. They’ll be champions of the economic vitality, and they will be partners in the growth and success of the businesses that call Newport News and Hampton Roads home.”
Newport News Mayor Phillips Jones said it was a great day for the city and the Southeast community. and it was about more than turning soil.
“It’s not just about a press conference or a ribbon-cutting. It’s about how we invest in people here in the Newport News area,” he said. “The education learned here will empower students and equip them with the experiences needed to thrive in an ever-changing global environment.”
Tina Vick, who serves on the Newport News City Council and is a lifelong resident of the city, agreed.
“Today we break ground not just for this facility but on a new opportunity for new careers and new journeys for our residents and beyond,” she said.
She added the trades center “is a powerful investment in workforce development, education and economic growth. … I can only imagine what it’s going to do, not only for our city of Newport News, but the entire Hampton Roads area.”
John Eley, who also serves on the Newport News City Council, said the project will be a direct pipeline from residents to workforce development and meaningful careers.
“Together we are building not just facilities, but futures,” he said.
Erica Logan from the Maritime Industrial Base stressed this is a collective effort involving more than area partners and the community. It involves federal, state and local governments, as well.
“We have to have all of our partners in order to make anything like this successful,” she said, noting the company has invested $100 of millions of dollars nationwide in the past few years, but she sees the rewards.
“It’s paying dividends for the Navy. It’s paying dividends for the Maritime Industrial Base, our communities, our schools, industry and our community partners,” she said.