From making jets fly to creating life-saving medicine, careers including advanced technology such as manufacturing, health care, information technology, robotics and biotechnology offer above average pay, opportunities for advancement and skills that can be transferred across multiple industries.

Dream It Do It Virginia is a free career resource tool built by Virginia’s advance technology sector to help individuals learn more about exciting fields of possible future employment.

During the summer of 2013 and 2014, Workforce Youth Programs, in partnership with Southside Virginia Community College, has offered young people the opportunity to participate in various Dream It Do It advanced technology camps. Held on the campus in Keysville, the Lake Country Advanced Knowledge Center in South Hill and at the Higher Education Center in South Boston, these camps have introduced participants to computer programming, robotics, welding, and the operation of the machines involved in producing their own product.

This summer, camps will be held June 22-26 on the SVCC campus in Keysville and July 13-17 in South Boston. The students will be building model solar cars as well as visiting Cardinal Homes to witness first-hand how advanced manufacturing is employed in the home building industry.

Dream It Do It is a growing national campaign. It is now active all across the country with the goal of introducing young people to exciting manufacturing careers and the education and training needed to claim these careers. There is an increasing shortage of skilled employees in today’s advanced manufacturing.  A lot of young talent is out there waiting to be discovered. Dream It Do It is connecting talent to opportunities in a waiting career field.