Start or Enhance Your Skilled Trades Career

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Looking for an In-demand Career with Great Pay?
No Time or Money to College Full-Time?

Change Your Future in Weeks. Not Years in the Skilled Trades.

A career in the trades offers endless possibilities locally and regionally with advancement opportunities. Work in industry, construction trades, or advanced manufacturing to earn a great wage in a high-demand field. Look for our FastForward Career Training Programs to quickly train and receive a credential in one of Virginia’s highest-demand career fields.

  • HVAC
  • Electrical
  • Plumbing
  • Heavy Equipment Operation
  • Advanced Manufacturing – Mechatronics Program
  • Welding
  • Construction Project Management
  • Commercial Truck Driver

 

Funding Available

Most of the trades programs are FastForward programs and may also be eligible for the G3 scholarship. Eligible residents who have been living in Virginia for at least one year may qualify for FastForward and pay only one-third of the cost of tuition. With G3 programs, you may be eligible for last-dollar funding, bringing your total tuition to $0. Please review the G3 information page, which outlines income and program qualifications and if you think you qualify or if you have any questions, please contact our operations team to get registered.

Additional financial assistance, grant funding, and Sallie Mae loans are available here for eligible students.

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Attend a Trades Fast-Track Information Session

Need help deciding or want to confirm your decision regarding future trades classes? These FREE information sessions will introduce you to a variety of professions. Whether you plan to register for an upcoming class or are on the fence about your next career step, come and join us to gain more information. This can be your first step toward an exciting, challenging, and rewarding career in the trade professions.
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Start Exploring a Career in the Trades Now

Skilled Trade Courses in Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing, and More

Apprenticeship courses at Laurel Ridge Workforce Solutions provide students with the basic knowledge and skills required to apply for entry-level positions or apprenticeship positions with a variety of companies. Whether you are new to the trade or an experienced professional currently employed, take apprenticeship courses to build your skills and start your journey to a successful career in the skilled trades. Click here to read more >>>

 

 

Heavy Equipment Operator

Become a heavy equipment operator and earn an industry-recognized credential. The Heavy Equipment Operator program was developed to meet the growing employment demands for equipment operators. This class serves as the first level of training in the Heavy Equipment Operator program and includes a Guarantee to Interview with local companies. Click here to read more >>>

Construction Project Management

The field of construction project management is diverse and enormously complex. There are several major classifications of construction that differ uniquely from each other: residential, commercial building, heavy highway, utility, and industrial projects.
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Qualified Welding Classes

Ideal for new welders and those who want to enhance their current welding skills, our qualified welding courses are designed to industry standards and prepare students for certification.
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Mechatronics Program

The Multi-Craft program has advanced to the next level to meet the demands of advanced manufacturing technologies. This new Mechatronics program has been enhanced to include training in PLC languages, industrial electrical/mechanics, fluid power, and process instrumentation and systems control. Click here to read more >>>

Commercial Truck Driver

Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers transport goods from one location to another. Most tractor-trailer drivers operate trucks with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) capacity of more than 26,000 pounds. These drivers are required to obtain a Commercial Drivers License. Some truck drivers deliver goods locally and some over-the-road which spans several states.
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