Ken McFadyen has worked in local government administration, economic development, and nonprofit management for 24 years. He went to Appalachian State University where he received a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s in public administration. He has spent the last 14 years in Virginia and previously served as the executive director for the Blue Ridge Crossroads Economic Development Authority before becoming the director of economic development for Botetourt County. He also served as the 2018 president of the Virginia Economic Developers Association. ‘Botetourt Technical Education Center - Expanding Welding Training Capacity & Jobs in the Roanoke Valley’ is his first GOVA Region 2 project and is administered through the Botetourt County Economic Development Authority. 

1. What led you to work in economic development?

Economic development is where local government professionals can be the most creative and the most responsive to business needs and opportunities in the region. It’s the closest match to government actually functioning like business. We hear criticisms about the government being too slow and bureaucratic, and I think economic development remedies that.

2. Who is one of your greatest mentors?

When I moved to Virginia in 2009, I was hired as the executive director of the Blue Ridge Crossroads Economic Development Authority (BRCEDA), which serves Carroll County, Grayson County, and the City of Galax. The board chairman of BRCEDA was Mike Maynard. He was a county supervisor in Grayson County and was a retired Procter and Gamble corporate executive. He was very much no nonsense, to the point, and constantly focused on achieving goals and adding value to the community. He helped me to fully understand how economic development can serve government purposes while also supporting businesses. He passed away in 2013. He was a tremendous mentor and friend to me and an excellent public servant who came from the private sector.

3. What was the inspiration for your GO Virginia project?

With this project, we are responding to the Botetourt Technical Education Center’s need for additional seats in its welding lab. We will add ten welding booths and increase the number of high school students in Botetourt and Craig counties that have access to welding instruction. Our goal is to train and graduate 45 new welders who would then move on to viable and well-paying career paths. Welders are very much in demand in this market as well as across Virginia and the nation, and this program can lead to a rewarding career in manufacturing.

4. What is the Botetourt Technical Education Center and what kinds of training does it offer?

The Botetourt Technical Education Center (BTEC) is a high school level program for vocational education and is part of Botetourt County Public Schools. 650 students attended BTEC classes for the 2022-23 school year. BTEC offers programs for aerospace technology, building trades, computer science, cosmetology, criminal justice, mechatronics, nursing, veterinary technology, welding, and more. Their welding program is one of the very few high school level programs in the United States that is certified and accredited by the American Welding Society. They produce hundreds of credentials annually for their students. BTEC also has a signing day for students who have completed a program at BTEC and have secured employment with a regional employer. That’s always a fun event, and we have created commercials on our YouTube page promoting our signing days.

5. Can you tell me more about how the project plans to serve local businesses?

For the last several years, BTEC has had a welding advisory committee comprised of approximately 12 companies in the region. These companies support BTEC financially in terms of providing equipment and material for the welding lab. They also participate in training programs and welding competitions and provide on-site tours of their workplaces for the students. These businesses need a pipeline of trained and qualified welders to join their workforce, helping them to grow and meet customer demands. This project is one part of how we help our local businesses accomplish their goals.

6. Where do you like to spend time off?

I love New Mexico; we’ve been twice, and my favorite places there include Valles Caldera and Bandelier National Monument. I am also a national park supporter and about a year ago joined the Board of Trustees for the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. We are going to the Pacific Northwest this summer to visit with family and see Mount Rainier and Olympic National Park.