Founded in 1986, the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SVHEC) helps students and professionals in Southern Virginia transform their lives by harnessing the power of affordable, accessible and practical education. We offer programs ranging from GED to PhD and a wealth of degrees and professional certifications in-between. Additionally, we offer short-term, hands-on credential-based training in information technology, automation tech, welding, and HVAC to take you from “zero to career” in less than a year. Our commitment to accessibility means you can complete programs on your own time with flexible scheduling. Financial aid and assistance are also available. Since our founding in 1986, we’ve progressed from a small mobile unit at the local high school to operating 115,000 square feet of modern space across three historically renovated buildings. Located in South Boston, Va., our site contains high-tech classrooms and state-of-the-art simulation labs for Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Healthcare (STEM-H). Our partnerships with community colleges and state universities connect clients with job training as well as programs for associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs. Our business partnerships keep industries productive and profitable. We work with employers to create customized, innovative training solutions that support evolving workforce needs. The SVHEC’s efforts receive local and national recognition. In the last year alone, we won grant awards from groups like Microsoft, Sentara Healthcare, Chastain Home for Gentlewomen, Southern Virginia Higher Education Foundation and the Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission.