Delegate Lindsey Dougherty Visits GO TEC Lab at CCAM
Delegate Lindsey Dougherty visited the GO TEC Training Lab at the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) to learn more about how regional partnerships are helping prepare students for the future of technology, engineering, and advanced manufacturing. The visit offered an opportunity to highlight the role CCAM plays in connecting education, industry, and workforce development through hands-on learning experiences that introduce young students to high-demand career pathways.
The partnership between CCAM and GO TEC is especially important because it brings together the resources of advanced manufacturing research, public education, workforce development, and community leadership. By hosting the GO TEC Training Lab, CCAM helps provide students and teachers with access to real-world technologies and career-connected learning environments. This collaboration strengthens the talent pipeline by showing students how classroom learning connects directly to modern industry needs, while also helping school divisions prepare young people for future technical education, certifications, and career opportunities.
Delegate Dougherty’s visit underscored the value of investing in STEM education at an early age. As technology continues to shape the economy, programs like GO TEC give students the confidence, awareness, and foundational skills needed to pursue careers in engineering, manufacturing, cybersecurity, biotechnology, and other growing fields. For communities across Virginia, this type of exposure can open doors for students while supporting employers that depend on a skilled and prepared workforce.
GO TEC, which stands for Great Opportunities in Technology and Engineering Careers, is designed to engage students early by exposing them to the skills and industries shaping Virginia’s workforce. Through training modules focused on areas such as robotics, automation, precision machining, welding, information technology, engineering, and advanced manufacturing, the program gives middle school students a practical introduction to careers they may not otherwise encounter. At CCAM, the GO TEC lab also serves as a teacher training hub, helping educators bring these lessons back into classrooms and Career Connections Labs across the region.
