Construction of a new 8,000-square-foot building dedicated to the skilled trades on the Fauquier campus of Lord Fairfax Community College is expected to begin in February and be open for classes in fall 2022.

An LFCC press release said that the building is being made possible through a gift of 60 acres adjacent to campus from Fauquier County to theLFCCEducational Foundation. The college has been leasing space for trades instruction at Vint Hill, but that site is not ideal for those needs, the release said, and the lease expires in 2022.

With the new trades building, the college will be able to offer trades classes for the first time in Fauquier, and even begin a new carpentry program. Electrical, HVAC, plumbing and heavy equipment operator programs will be held in the new structure.

Providing career training and apprenticeships in the trades requires a custom-designed facility we need flexible labs for hands-on learning, hard floors, high ceilings, state-of-the-art ventilation systems, multiple outlets and drop cords to accommodate the industrial and commercial training equipment, said Jeanian Clark, vice president of Workforce Solutions and Continuing Education, in the press release.

Thats why this new building is such exciting news. And it couldnt come at a better time. With the states investment in the G3, FastForward and Re-Employing Virginians initiatives, enrolling in skilled-trades programs and high-demand career pathways has never been more affordable for students. Our area businesses and industries need our trades graduates, Clark said.

In addition to expanding trade offerings, the new facility will allow the college to explore partnerships with Fauquier County and Rappahannock County schools for potential new ventures, such as a trades academy.

The expansion of trades programs on the Fauquier campus is good news for the home construction industry, saidLFCCFoundation Board Member Joel Barkman in the press release. He is founder and president/CEO of Golden Rule Builders in Catlett.

By investing in the infrastructure to develop the next generation of building trade professionals,LFCCis a valuable partner in addressing the skilled labor shortage. Im proud to support the college, he said.

The foundation, which will own the building and lease it to the college, has established the Building the Future Fund with a fundraising goal of $1.5 million. According to the press release, the money raised will go toward fully equipping the site; bringing in experienced instructors; offering scholarships, and expanding instruction to more fields within career and technical education.

There are naming opportunities for the building itself, as well as spaces inside, according to the press release.

For more information or to donate to the Building the Future Fund, anyone interested may contact Tami OBrien, development officer, at 540-351-1046 ortobrien@lfcc.edu.

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LFCC's Fauquier campus will add building dedicated to skilled trades education - Fauquier Times