RBC Opens Workforce Center
For Immediate Release: September 18, 2025
Contact: Jesse Vaughan, Chief Communications & Marketing Officer/jvaughan@rbc.edu
The grand opening of the RBC (Richard Bland College) Workforce and Career Readiness Center in Petersburg welcomed people from all across the Tri-Cities area as attendees. Dignitaries from Richard Bland College, Live! Casino & Hotel, The City of Petersburg, among others convened at the facility located off Crater Road.
“The RBC Workforce and Career Readiness Center represents our commitment to preparing residents for meaningful careers in high-demand fields,” RBC President Debbie Sydow said. “Together with our partners, we are building a stronger workforce and a brighter future for the Tri-Cities region.”
The center will provide curricula and training for residents seeking to find careers in the health care, aviation and drone, and casino industries, among others. Currently underway within the center, the RBC Dealer Institute—which equips aspiring casino dealers with the skills to conduct table games—launched on September 8th. This initiative ladders up to the 450,000 square-foot Live! Casino Hotel in Petersburg set to open its doors in 2027 –– the opening is pending regulatory approval. RBC Dealer Institute graduates will receive priority consideration for interviews with the casino.
“This direct pathway from training to employment reflects our mission to connect education with real workforce opportunities,” said Dr. Kimberly Boyd, Vice President and Chief Research and Innovation Officer at RBC.
The College will continue to field more regional partnerships and leverage the center to develop a pipeline of STEM-H and other multidisciplinary professionals within the Tri-Cities area and beyond. Dr. Boyd is ecstatic about the wealth of opportunities on the horizon.
“Through strong partnerships, RBC is creating pathways that will prepare the next generation of professionals,” Dr. Boyd said. “I am excited about the boundless opportunities this work will bring to this region.”
