Economic Development

Workforce Development

Going Beyond Your Expectations, Smyth County has a workforce to meet your needs!

Smyth County has a strong manufacturing base which has shifted over the years from predominately apparel and furniture to a more diversified mix of transportation-related equipment, machinery components, and building products. There is also substantial employment in the service sector, primarily health care.

Smyth County residents have a long and solid tradition as hard-working, skilled, and loyal employees.

"Our employees are the reason that Merillat's Atkins door panel plants won the Shingo Prize and are recognized among the nation's best and brightest for their lean manufacturing processes." Rick Lovorn, former Director of Marketing, Masco Builder Cabinet Group

The labor market area for Smyth County extends well beyond the county borders with approximately 132,000 persons in the labor force within easy commuting distance. Unemployment is almost 9% for the labor market area and 10.6% for Smyth County, according to October 2010 figures. This represents over 13,000 unemployed persons in the labor market region. The state also estimates over 14,900 persons that are under-employed in the region.

Smyth County is fortunate to be served by two nearby community colleges: Virginia Highlands Community College in Abingdon and Wytheville Community College in Wytheville. WCC has a satellite campus center in Smyth County at Atkins.

Also, located in nearby Abingdon, is the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, which is a consortium of nine colleges and universities offering 60 different degree programs.

Workforce development is also a critical focus of the Smyth County School System with up-to-date programs offered at the Smyth Career and Technology Center including precision machining, welding (including robotic welding), CAD Drafting, pre-engineering, electricity and electronics, building trades, criminal justice, and culinary arts. High school graduates from the SCTC move immediately into the workplace or go to post-secondary training opportunities at the community colleges or elsewhere.