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Campbell County Technical Center honored for Habitat partnership; students credited with wiring Habitat home
Summary
The Campbell County Technical Center received a Region 5 award for business–industry partnerships and described a multi‑year collaboration with Greater Lynchburg Habitat for Humanity in which students performed rough‑in and trim electrical work on houses as part of industry‑aligned training.
The Campbell County Technical Center was recognized Nov. 10 by the Virginia Department of Education’s Region 5 for an ongoing partnership with Greater Lynchburg Habitat for Humanity that the division says gives students real on‑site experience and supports affordable housing efforts. John Hardy, principal of the technical center, told the school board the award honors recurring partnerships that have included local employers and civic organizations.
The partnership has allowed electricity students to work on Habitat builds, moving from classroom simulations to wiring real homes, officials said. "This is a great project for the kids to get some hands on experience," said John Robertson, electricity instructor. Robertson described students performing rough‑in wiring, installing GFCIs, switches, outlets and light fixtures, and completing inspections; final permanent power installation remained coordinated with the utility (AEP).
Why it matters: Board members and staff said the hands‑on work accelerates industry credentialing and employability. Robertson noted students are progressing through industry‑recognized apprenticeship levels and that apprenticeships typically "start[] $16.18 dollars an hour," giving students immediate earning potential after graduation. Administrators also emphasized program constraints: OSHA limits and class‑size rules cap Electricity classes at about 20 students, so expanding access requires additional instructor capacity.
The board and technical center highlighted ancillary benefits: students serve neighbors, gain leadership experience (students described crew‑lead roles), and the center’s partnerships have led to other projects such as wiring sheds used for temporary housing after a storm. Ashley Wilson, Campbell County Schools’ work‑based learning coordinator, said the program also connects students with career opportunities and local employers who routinely recruit from the class.
Next steps: The division said it hopes to sustain and grow the partnership; leaders suggested additional instructors would be needed to increase the number of Electricity 2 seats. The technical center plans continued outreach to businesses interested in work‑based learning collaborations.
