Virginia Technical Institute Impacts Student's Lives

At our institute, it is our goal to educate and influence all lives, even those who don't necessarily come here to earn a trade. While some students attend our school to harness their skills for labor force jobs, some come to learn about using their hands and understand basic skills of using tools. Below is just one example of how Virginia Technical Institute is changing lives and giving people real-world skills to use for their future.

              "The reason I took CRFT 101 was because I had a mild interest in working with my hands. I knew I didn’t want to be a professional tradesman but I still wanted to be handy. I wanted to be able to look at a tool and be able to talk about what it is and how it works. I wanted to have a basic knowledge of electrical, carpentry, and plumbing.

              I learned quite a bit. I learned how to properly use power tools and what to use them for. I now know how to work safely and how important safety is to the job field. Mr. McClure taught us the importance of communication on a worksite and how to properly present you to a potential employer. I also learned more practical things like how to use a skill saw and how to properly hammer a nail. Working with the instructors at VTI was a great experience because they are all experts in their respective fields and if you take the time to listen you can learn something new every time one of them speaks.

              I plan to work for a theater company as a set builder and designer. I plan to take electrical 101 and carpentry 101 so I can have a good grasp on those skills. Set building and designing will be my day job and take care of my living expenses while I audition for shows in hopes of getting cast in a national tour. If I never get cast in a big show like a national tour I will be content working in and around a theater and working with my hands. I bet I’m the only person in my class who would love to be on Broadway. I think that this class will definitely give me a leg up in the theater world and will help me achieve my dreams. "