---RCBI is launching a free apprenticeship program to prepare high school students and adults for entry-level positions in manufacturing. Classes begins July 13 in Huntington.
---Apprentices will learn about machining, welding, 3D printing, robotics and other aspects of manufacturing. To develop their skills, participants will complete hands-on projects under the guidance of RCBI instructors.
---“This is a great opportunity for those considering manufacturing careers to learn about different aspects of the industry while gaining the basic skills they need to secure jobs in manufacturing,” said Lucinda Curry, director of RCBI’s Apprenticeship Works.
---Classes will take place Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for six weeks.
---Over the course of the program, apprentices will prepare for two industry recognized certifications and
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will receive job placement assistance with local manufacturers. Upon completion of paid on-the-job training with participating employers, apprentices also will qualify for certification as manufacturing technicians from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship.
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---RCBI has launched an initiative to assist entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses in establishing an online presence and e-commerce capabilities.
---RCBI Digital Frontiers offers a variety of services, including:
- Logo creation
- Product photography
- E-commerce setup and operation
- Social media account creation
- Tutorials or how to maximize your online presence
---“In the digital age, establishing and maintaining a web presence is vital to the success of most companies – especially new ones,” said RCBI’s Evan Nelson, who is leading the new initiative. “Navigating the process can
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be confusing and overwhelming. RCBI is here to simplify the process for those without a digital presence.”
---Nelson said the goal is not to compete with private industry, rather to give entrepreneurs and small businesses the basic tools they need to begin generating sales so they can afford to hire professionals to take their online presence to the next level.
---“We simply offer an affordable option to assist with that all-important first step,” he said.
---To learn more about Digital Frontiers, contact Nelson at enelson@rcbi.org or 304.781.1657.
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Aerospace assistance
---When General Electric approached Star Technologies of Huntington about a new line of work that required the manufacturer to be AS9100 certified, RCBI's Quality Management Services assisted the company every step of the way in attaining the certification.
---Whether its an AS9100 certification or one of many others, RCBI's Quality Management Services assists companies in achieving the certifications that allow them to do business with larger primes and secure government contracts.
---Click the video link on the right to learn more about how Star Technologies has benefited from RCBI's Quality assistance and shared manufacturing services.
---For more information about RCBI's Quality Services, contact Erica Cheetham at echeetham@rcbi.org or 304.781.1687.
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New staff -- new faces
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--RCBI has added key personnel in support of its career skills and customized training programs.
---Jill Goheen of Huntington has joined RCBI as workforce recruiter. Goheen is responsible for recruiting students for RCBI’s nationally recognized Machinist Technology and Welding Technology programs, offered in conjunction with Mountwest Community & Technical College. She also will assist with recruitment for the soon-to-launch Aviation Maintenance Technology Program, a collaboration between Marshall and Mountwest, which will be administered by RCBI.
---A graduate of Huntington’s St. Joseph Central Catholic High School, Goheen earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from The Ohio State University and a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University.
---She previously served as a certified rehabilitation counselor for the West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation
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Services and most recently as a student success counselor for Mountwest.
---Contact Goheen at goheen14@rcbi.org or 304.781.1678 for information about enrolling in our career skills programs or hiring our students.
---Matt Weatherholt has joined RCBI as lead instructor for the Aviation Maintenance Technology Program. The military veteran retired after 21 years in the U.S. Coast Guard where he most recently served as chief aviation maintenance technician/propulsion system manager in
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Robotics returns
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---RCBI and partners from the NASA Katherine Johnson IV&V Facility and the West Virginia Space Grant Consortium will offer in-person, hands-on robotics camps for students ages 6-14 from July 19-23 in Huntington.
---The events – a WeDo 2.0 Robotics and Coding Express Camp for students ages 6-8 and a VEX IQ Robotics and RAD Drone Camp for students ages 9-14 – will run concurrently at RCBI Huntington, 1050 Fourth Ave. The camp for younger students will run from 9 a.m. to noon while the one for older students will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
---Focusing on fundamental building and programming skills, interactive games and fun challenges, each camp will provide information about age-appropriate competitions and how to get involved and stay engaged in robotics. NASA staff will lead the camps.
---To help defray costs, a $50 donation for the WeDo camp or a $100 donation for the VEX IQ camp is suggested. “This is entirely optional,” said Deacon Stone, director of RCBI’s Center for Innovation. “We want interested children to participate in the camps regardless of whether you are able to make a donation.”
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---To register your child for either camp, visit www.rcbi.org/roboticsJuly2021 and enter the student information, then select the July 19-23 Huntington event under Hands-on Robotics Camps. For more information, contact Stone at dstone@rcbi.org or 304.781.1659.
---Because of ongoing Covid-19 concerns, organizers will limit each camp’s enrollment, enforce social distancing, require face masks and take other appropriate safety precautions.
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Shared Manufacturing
---When ShurSolution owner Johnny Dyer secured a contract to produce 18,000 parts to help improve the operation of fountain drink machines in a national restaurant chain, he turned to RCBI for assistance.
---For more than 30 years, Dyer has been in the beverage industry, servicing and working with vending machines, coolers and fountain equipment. Recently, he expanded the scope of his business and to fulfill the new contract he needed to use two types of equipment that RCBI makes available for manufacturers to lease at its Advanced Technology Center in Huntington.
---While ShurSolution is located in Shepherdstown in the state's Eastern Panhandle, Dyer says it’s worth the drive to use the equipment and access the support also provided by RCBI’s staff.
---“The team at RCBI is the complete package with engineering support and top-notch machinists to assist with the manufacturing process,” Dyer said.
---Dyer is taking advantage of RCBI’s 4000-watt industrial laser cutter and hydraulic press brake to fabricate parts from sheet metal to fulfill the order for this and other customers. The term for Dyer's production at RCBI is Shared Manufacturing. Because he doesn’t have either piece of equipment, he rents time on both.
---Along with the time on the Amada machines, Dyer is
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benefiting from the expertise of Brian Brown, senior manufacturing engineer and Mike Sutton, CNC machinist, who have nearly 75 years of combined industrial experience.
---“They know what the machines are capable of and they guide clients in how to optimize those capabilities so we get the most from our time in the shop.”
---In addition to manufacturing support, Dyer has been working with Morgan Smith, mechanical engineer in RCBI’s Center for Innovation, to design and engineer a concept for a new part that will be used to make improvements to the coolers that dispense bottles of soft drinks and water in convenience stores.
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Development conferences
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---This September, the City of Huntington will host three statewide development conferences, all of which promote community and economic development in the Mountain State.
---These conferences include the West Virginia Brownfields Conference, the West Virginia Economic Development Council’s Annual Fall Conference and the Governor’s Conference on Tourism. Each will serve as a showcase for the Huntington area to community and state leaders as Huntington celebrates its 150th anniversary.
---The conferences and dates are:
- Governor’s Conference on Tourism: Sept. 13-16
- W.Va. Brownfields Conference: Sept. 14-15
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- W.Va. Economic Development Council Annual Fall Conference: Sept. 20-22
---Visit the Huntington Area Development Council (HADCO) website here for detailed information.
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U P C O M I N G-- E V E N T S
July 13: Accelerated Manufacturing Apprenticeship, RCBI Huntington, 8:30 am-4:30 pm. More information
July 15: SBIR-STTR Bootcamp sponsored by TechConnectWV, online, 3-5 pm. More information
July 19-23: In-person Robotics & Drone Camps, RCBI Huntington, 9 am-4 pm daily. More information
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Robert C. Byrd Institute | 304.781.1625 | 1050 Fourth Ave., Huntington, WV | www.rcbi.org |
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