DANVILLE, VA — Dewberry, a privately held professional services firm, announces the groundbreaking of a new regional training center for the U.S. Navy in Danville, Virginia. Estimated to open in 2025, the facility is under construction on the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research’s campus. Dewberry is providing architecture and environmental engineering services for the 100,000-square-foot facility, which will be used to train students to fill roles within the nation’s defense and submarine industrial base.

“The work being done here in Danville is exceptionally innovative both for manufacturing and workforce training,” Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro said. “The president’s Build America, Buy America initiative is expanding job opportunities across the country, and our Navy’s efforts in Danville directly support this.”

The new facility will serve as the training center for Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing, a U.S. Navy-funded program to increase workers in the defense and submarine industrial base. The 600-hour, four-month program brings adult learners from all over the nation to gain skills and certifications in additive manufacturing, computer numerical control machining, non-destructive testing, quality control inspection/metrology, and welding.