Manufacturing Jobs Expand Near Roanoke, Virginia | ECPI University

Manufacturing Jobs Expand Near Roanoke, Virginia

Nutritional Products Company, Abbot Nutrition, Expanding Near Roanoke, Virginia

Abbott Nutrition has announced plans to expand its Altavista manufacturing facility in Virginia’s Campbell County, just outside of Roanoke. Over the next three years, the company will complete a $34 million expansion which is projected to add 56 new jobs.

In a recently-published article in the Roanoke Times, John Ginascol, Abbott’s vice president of global nutrition supply chain, was quoted as saying, “As the need for our science-based products continues to grow globally, we look forward to expanding our facility in the Commonwealth of Virginia so we can help more people live better.”  While Abbott Nutrition may not be a household name, the products it produces certainly are – they are responsible for many well-known brands such as Similac®, PediaSure®, and Ensure®. On its website, Abbott Nutrition states that it provides cutting-edge nutrition products that meet changing nutrition needs.

To make cutting-edge products, Abbott depends on cutting-edge technology. Like any manufacturer, it manufactures its many products using advance automation. That means it relies on robots and automated manufacturing systems to do the jobs humans used to. Of course, robots and machines need to be programmed and maintained, and when they break down, repaired. 

A $240,000 grant from the Tobacco Region Opportunity Fund helped entice Abbott to select Altavista for its expansion, but Virginia’s skilled workforce and educational assets were probably a deciding factor as well. The kind of education required for an advanced manufacturing profession is very precise.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with a basic engineering degree. Engineers are an important part of any technically-oriented company. However, for every engineer, employers need many engineering technicians who can handle day-to-day programming, maintenance, and troubleshooting.

It’s a basic reality that ECPI University has long understood. That’s why it offers engineering technology programs in electronics, mechanical systems, and mechatronics.  At ECPI University and its Virginia campuses, you can acquire the skills needed to compete for jobs with companies like Abbott Nutrition.

ECPI University – with locations in Richmond, Virginia (Moorefield and Innsbrook campsuses) – offers an Electronics Engineering Technology (EET) degree program in which students are exposed to a variety of subject areas including:

  • Logic and design
  • Circuits and Semiconductors
  • Computer Programming and Networks
  • Microcontrollers
  • Network routing and switching
  • Data Acquisition
  • Digital Electronics and Communications

Graduates of the campus’ Mechatronics program have been well-received by employers who need people on the production floor who understand all three aspects of advanced manufacturing: computer and information systems, electronics, and mechanical engineering technology. In their coursework ECPI University’s Mechatronics students are exposed to many of the subject areas within the EET program, but also learn about:

  • Applied Mechanics
  • Programmable Controllers
  • Hydraulics and Pneumatics
  • Testing and Measuring Instruments
  • Materials Science
  • Automation and Control Systems

The Mechatronics and EET programs are also available at the Northern Virginia, Newport News, and Virginia Beach campuses. In addition, Virginia Beach offers a degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology which puts added emphasis on specialized areas such as:

  • Electro-mechanical devices
  • Thermal-fluid-energy sciences
  • Mechanical design and analysis
  • Hydraulics and Pneumatics

There is one thing each of these degree programs have in common: all of them are offered in an accelerated, year-round format. That means students can earn a Bachelor’s degree in as little as 2.5 years or an Associate’s degree in just 1.5 years. If you would like to learn more about ECPI University’s hands-on learning environment or the exciting world of advanced manufacturing, contact an admission advisor today.

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Gainful Employment Information – Electronics Engineering Technology - Bachelor’s
Gainful Employment Information – Mechatronics - Bachelor’s
Gainful Employment Information – Mechanical Engineering Technology - Bachelor’s

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