RICHMOND, VA – Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced that Virginia is ranked No.1 in the U.S. for Customized Workforce Training in the 19th-annual Business Facilities State Rankings Report, advancing the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program from the No. 2 spot in 2022 and 2021. Business Facilities is a national publication that has been a leading location source for corporate site selectors and economic development professionals for more than 50 years.
“Growing Virginia’s workforce is a priority to drive economic development in the Commonwealth into high gear, and the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program enhances our competitiveness to win major projects and prepares Virginians with in-demand, marketable skills,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “We are proud to be ranked No.1 in the country for Customized Workforce Training, and I commend the team that has made this program a tremendous success.”
“We know that for Virginia to truly be best-in-class, we must offer the talent to attract and retain businesses across varying industries and regions. This recognition as the No.1 state for Customized Workforce Training in the country reinforces that the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program is setting the Commonwealth apart from its competitors for comprehensive talent recruitment and training solutions,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick.
The Virginia Talent Accelerator Program is a workforce initiative created by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) in collaboration with the Virginia Community College System and other higher education partners, with funding support from the Governor’s administration and the Virginia General Assembly. The program accelerates new facility start-ups through the direct delivery of recruitment and training services that are fully customized to a company’s unique products, processes, equipment, standards, and culture. All program services are provided at no cost to qualified new and expanding companies as an incentive for job creation. The Virginia Talent Accelerator Program has helped to secure over 11,000 jobs across Virginia since the program commenced operations for projects such as the LEGO Group, Rocket Lab, Tyson Foods, Civica Inc., Morgan Olson, Thermo Fisher Scientific, GSK, and Modine Manufacturing Company.
“Virginia takes the lead this year, based on continued notable successes to attract and retain business. The Virginia Talent Accelerator Program launched in 2019 has made huge strides in four years,” said Anne Cosgrove, Business Facilities Editorial Director.
“The Virginia Talent Accelerator Program is critical to ensuring that Virginia can offer the workforce to meet the needs of companies in every region of the Commonwealth, and this ranking by Business Facilities sends a clear message: Virginia leads the nation in its ability to attract and train the talent that is vital to the success of any new operation,” said Jason El Koubi, VEDP President and CEO. “At its launch, we set out to be the No. 1 customized workforce solutions program in the country within four years, and I am proud of the Virginia Talent Accelerator team’s tireless efforts to achieve this goal. We are only getting started, and look forward to expanding the Program’s impact in the years ahead.”
More information on the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program is available here.