ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, April 20, 1996 TAG: 9604220018
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS STAFF WRITER
Virginia Western Community College began its new railroad-operations program Friday, with president Charles Downs calling it an excellent example of an opportunity for business and education to work together.
The program should be popular with students because it provides job opportunities for which their education can be put to use, he said.
This fall, the college will begin offering a two-year associate in applied science degree in railroad operations. It is being sponsored by Norfolk Southern Corp. and CXS Transportation. Only 11 colleges across the United States and Canada offer the degree.
The nation's largest railroads conceived the program as a way of helping fill their demand for new employees with a broad range of basic and technical skills. The railroads hire about 15,000 new people annually at starting salaries ranging from $25,000 to $30,000.
"Today's employees need a well-rounded education," said David Brown, superintendent of Norfolk Southern's Virginia Division. The knowledge of the railroad industry that the college program will provide will be a great advantage to job applicants, he said.
Robert Cart, chief operating officer of CSX's Chesapeake and Ohio business unit, said with the average age of CSX employees standing at 48, the company needs to prepare for the future.
LENGTH: Short : 33 linesby CNB