Inside IALR

Institute for Advanced Learning and Research

Inside IALR explores the ways that the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) catalyzes economic transformation. Listen for a behind-the-scenes view of how our programs, people and partnerships are impacting Southern Virginia and beyond. Host Caleb Ayers and Producer Daniel Dalton interview someone new every episode, introducing listeners to IALR leaders and partners, promoting programs and highlighting opportunities to connect with us.   New episodes are published every other Monday.  

  1. 27 jul

    The Intern Roundtable: Career Lessons From the IALR Internship Experience

    What happens when you hand the microphones over to the interns? In this special episode of Inside IALR, President Telly Tucker and Dr. John Hughes, Executive Vice President of Operations, sit down with four summer interns for a candid conversation about career goals, personal growth, college experiences, networking and what it's really like to work at IALR. The discussion ranges from robotics and semiconductor design to marketing, sports communications, IT support, coffee habits and even solving Rubik's Cubes.  The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation in Southern Virginia. Our services, programs and offerings are diverse, impactful and far reaching.  Get updates from IALR on other channels:  Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Instagram Email NewsletterNews Stories

  2. 22 jun

    Four Years, Fourfold Growth: a Conversation with IALR President Telly Tucker

    IALR has grown really fast. But, as President Telly Tucker explains, growth alone isn’t the goal. In this conversation, Telly reflects on four years as president, sharing what it’s like to lead an organization that’s quadrupled in size, why culture matters more than ever during rapid change, and the real stories that make the work meaningful. It’s a candid look at leadership, impact and what comes next for IALR and the region. The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation in Southern Virginia. Our services, programs and offerings are diverse, impactful and far reaching.  Get updates from IALR on other channels:  Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Instagram Email NewsletterNews Stories

  3. 18 may

    Hands-On, High Stakes: How the Bond Brothers Launched Careers in Defense Manufacturing

    Cedric and Ethan Bond are brothers who took very different paths before finding the same destination: training through the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program and careers at Newport News Shipbuilding.  In this episode, they talk about career crossroads, the reality of hands-on training, and why building ships for the U.S. Navy feels personal—especially with a brother currently deployed at sea. The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation in Southern Virginia. Our services, programs and offerings are diverse, impactful and far reaching.  Get updates from IALR on other channels:  Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Instagram Email NewsletterNews Stories

  4. 13 abr

    A Steady Flow of Qualified Workers: Defense Manufacturers on the Value of ATDM

    Recruiting skilled manufacturing talent is expensive, time-consuming, and unpredictable. But it doesn’t have to be. Recorded during a recent career fair for the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program at IALR, this episode features Slade Gardner from Big Metal Additive, John Duncan from Penn United Technology and Ashley Webb from Vulcan Tool Company. They explain why they rely on ATDM to meet their workforce needs.  From reduced training risk to graduates who “hit the ground running,” these employers explain what makes ATDM different and why the program continues to deliver value to companies across the defense industrial base. Whether you’re hiring one machinist or building a long-term talent pipeline, this is the employer story behind ATDM. The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation in Southern Virginia. Our services, programs and offerings are diverse, impactful and far reaching.  Get updates from IALR on other channels:  Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Instagram Email NewsletterNews Stories

  5. 9 mar

    MINI EPISODE: How ATDM Rebuilds Career Paths

    In this special mini episode, IALR President Telly Tucker sits down with Casie Hansen, who recently graduated from the Non-Destructive Testing track of the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM). Casie shares how she discovered ATDM, what it was like to uproot her life and start over in her 40s and how the program’s training and wraparound support helped her step confidently into a completely new career path.  The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation in Southern Virginia. Our services, programs and offerings are diverse, impactful and far reaching.  Get updates from IALR on other channels:  Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Instagram Email NewsletterNews Stories

  6. 23 feb

    Full-Stack Manufacturing Optimization | Bridging the Valley of Death

    What does it actually take to move a new technology from the lab to the shop floor and make it stick?  In this episode of Inside IALR, host Caleb Ayers is joined by Jason Wells, John Ring, Josh Sims, and Jeremiah Williams for a deep dive into IALR's Center for Manufacturing Advancement (CMA).  Together, they highlight how CMA functions as a hands-on optimization arm focused on operationalizing existing technologies and helping manufacturers avoid the infamous “valley of death” between readiness levels and real production. It's not a research institute,  The conversation covers CMA’s full-stack approach to manufacturing advancement, from precision machining, additive post-processing, and metrology to automation, robotics integration and digital/AI enablement.  The team explains how the CMA serves as a non-biased third-party testbed where manufacturers can explore new technologies, validate processes and refine workflows without shutting down production or making massive capital bets. The CMA comes alongside companies as a partner—not a vendor—to help them get to “more, better, faster, cheaper” without just shifting bottlenecks somewhere else. The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation in Southern Virginia. Our services, programs and offerings are diverse, impactful and far reaching.  Get updates from IALR on other channels:  Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Instagram Email NewsletterNews Stories

  7. 9 feb

    Living Wages by the Numbers: What 15,000 Job Postings Reveal

    What does it really take for families in Southern Virginia to make a living — no extras, just the basics? And are those jobs actually available? In this data-rich episode, host Caleb Ayers talks with Jessie Vernon, Director of Employer Engagement and Experiential Learning at IALR, and economist Colin Emberland from Chmura Analytics. Together, they break down the Southern Virginia Living Wage and Job Availability Study, comparing today’s landscape to a similar 2016–2017 analysis. They explore the region’s growing share of higher-wage jobs, a major and urgent gap in healthcare, the evolving role of manufacturing, and how many families can actually meet a living wage with the jobs currently posted. You’ll also hear why education and training pipelines matter, how job quality is just as important as job quantity, and what this all means for employers, educators and residents across GO Virginia Region 3. The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation in Southern Virginia. Our services, programs and offerings are diverse, impactful and far reaching.  Get updates from IALR on other channels:  Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Instagram Email NewsletterNews Stories

  8. 26 ene

    Aha Moments and Career Exploration: The GO TEC Classroom Experience

    GO TEC — Great Opportunities in Technology and Engineering Careers — is transforming how middle schoolers explore potential futures. Today’s episode dives deep into how it works.  Host Caleb Ayers sits down with GO TEC teachers Laurie Cossaboon and Justin Adams, along with GO TEC Region 3 Training Coordinator Chris Griffith, to unpack the program’s statewide expansion and classroom impact. The conversation explores the eleven GO TEC modules, which introduce students to everything from precision machining and robotics to cybersecurity, healthcare and virtual reality welding. The guests share how the program adapts to different school schedules, how teachers receive hands‑on training at regional training labs and why the “aha moments” are so frequent in these classes. They also highlight how GO TEC helps students understand math and science concepts in practical, memorable ways, sometimes even changing how students view themselves and their abilities. With stories ranging from welding tournaments to coding breakthroughs, this episode shows how GO TEC connects curiosity with real opportunity. The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation in Southern Virginia. Our services, programs and offerings are diverse, impactful and far reaching.  Get updates from IALR on other channels:  Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Instagram Email NewsletterNews Stories

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Información

Inside IALR explores the ways that the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) catalyzes economic transformation. Listen for a behind-the-scenes view of how our programs, people and partnerships are impacting Southern Virginia and beyond. Host Caleb Ayers and Producer Daniel Dalton interview someone new every episode, introducing listeners to IALR leaders and partners, promoting programs and highlighting opportunities to connect with us.   New episodes are published every other Monday.  

Ficha técnica

  • Creado por
    Institute for Advanced Learning and Research
  • Años en activo
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodios
    67
  • Clasificación
    Apto
  • Derechos de autor
    © 2026 Inside IALR
  • Sitio web del podcast
    Inside IALR