Mining for talent: Carter Machinery supports training a next-generation workforce

Chelsea Seeber

15 May 2026

Mining faculty and Carter Machinery staff stand together in the mock mine — Executive Vice President Craig Kahoun (at far right) and other members of the Carter Machinery team celebrate a kickoff event in the Center for Autonomous Mining with Professor Erik Westman (third from left) and Professor Aaron Noble, head of the Department of Mining and Minerals Engineering (fourth from left). Photo by Chelsea Seeber for Virginia Tech.

By 2029, more than half of the mining industry’s workforce will have retired, leaving more than 220,000 jobs up for grabs.

Thanks to support from local heavy equipment company Carter Machinery, Virginia Tech engineering students will be well equipped to fill those roles and lead the mining workforce into the future.

“This partnership is not just about equipment or technology,” said Aaron Noble, head of the Department of Mining and Minerals Engineering. “It’s about creating a talent pipeline and bringing together students from across campus to engage in challenging problems while cultivating the skills needed to build the future of mining.”

Aaron Noble gives remarks at a podium — Department head Aaron Noble gives remarks at the kickoff event celebrating Carter Machinery's support. Photo by Chelsea Seeber for Virginia Tech.

students and industry representative stand inside the mock mine — Craig Kahoun (second from left), executive vice president at Carter Machinery, talks with students about autonomous mining projects. Photo by Chelsea Seeber for Virginia Tech.

The collaboration creates opportunities for students to engage directly with industry leaders and emerging technologies, including autonomous systems and advanced data applications. Carter Machinery brings hands-on experience deploying these innovations in active operations, providing students with real-world practice.

In addition to mining and minerals, students from several departments throughout the College of Engineering and the College of Science will have the opportunity to collaborate on projects that support the needs of the industry, including mechanical engineering, computer science, computer engineering, computational modeling and data analytics, and the Myers-Lawson School of Construction.

Student poses by a Caterpillar skid steer — Students gather at Holden Hall to learn more about industry projects with Carter Machinery. Photo by Chelsea Seeber for Virginia Tech.

Sketch of a Virginia Tech wrapped skid steer machine — A Virginia Tech–branded Caterpillar skid steer sits outside of Holden Hall. Illustration by Steven White for Virginia Tech.

Autonomous robots on table — Autonomous robots are critical to the future of the mining industry. Photo by Chelsea Seeber for Virginia Tech.

Carter Machinery Executive Vice President Craig Kahoun emphasized the importance of bringing together students with a variety of educational experiences to mimic teamwork in an industry environment.

“At Carter we work on site and in the digital back office to position actionable data in order to solve complex problems, improve process and operations, and deliver the best possible experience for our customers,” he said. “This joint venture with Virginia Tech helps us train new talent to think beyond a single discipline and develop integrated, real-world solutions. We are excited to support this kind of hands-on learning and connect students with opportunities in our industry.”

Students can participate in these projects with industry partners like Carter Machinery and others through the College of Engineering’s IDPro and Interdisciplinary Capstone courses hosted by the Department of Engineering Education.

Anyone interested in participating in or supporting the Carter Machinery student projects should contact Robin Ott at rso@vt.edu.