Governor Youngkin Announces Over $1.2 Million in Growth and Opportunity Virginia Grants to Support Entrepreneurial Ecosystems and Workforce Development

~ Funding will help regional financial improvement initiatives ~ 

RICHMOND, VA – Governor Glenn Youngkin at the moment introduced greater than $1,261,859 in Development and Alternative for Virginia (GO Virginia) grant awards for eight initiatives centered on creating crucial expertise pipelines to help regional financial progress, strengthen workforce improvement and help collaborative applications between localities, public entities and personal companies.

“GO Virginia is fostering a regional collaboration amongst companies, schooling and authorities leaders whereas supporting revolutionary approaches to jumpstart our workforce and financial improvement,” stated Governor Youngkin. “These initiatives will equip Virginians with the instruments they should thrive whereas strengthening workforce coaching and expertise improvement alternatives throughout the Commonwealth.” 

“GO Virginia has confirmed crucial for constructing Virginia’s financial improvement methods and fostering innovation and collaboration,” stated Secretary of Commerce and Commerce Caren Merrick. “We’re making a stronger portfolio of entrepreneurial ecosystems whereas providing Virginians with the workforce improvement alternatives they should diversify distinctive regional economies all through the Commonwealth.”

The GO Virginia Board contains key members of the Governor’s cupboard, management from the enterprise neighborhood and the Common Meeting, together with Secretary of Commerce and Commerce Caren Merrick and Secretary of Finance Steve Cummings.

“As a brand new Board member, I’m happy to see the outcomes of the laborious work of the entire GO Virginia regional councils and companions at the moment,” stated GO Virginia Board Member and Speaker of the Virginia Home of Delegates Todd Gilbert. “It’s thrilling to see how these initiatives plan to ship the financial influence and progress that these areas are striving for–increasing the pool of job-ready expertise to help strategic {industry} sectors and constructing a vibrant and supportive atmosphere for high-growth potential startups within the Commonwealth.” 

2022 REGIONAL GRANT AWARDS

Regional Expertise Technique Implementation | $315,910

Area 2: Counties of Botetourt, Franklin and Roanoke, and the cities of Covington, Roanoke and Salem

The Western Virginia Workforce Improvement Board (WVWDB), in partnership with the Roanoke Regional Partnership (RRP), will implement a regional expertise technique within the Roanoke Valley and Alleghany Highlands centered on expertise improvement, expertise attraction and retention. This challenge will embody the creation of a regional web-based expertise portal, toolkits for companies to make use of for recruitment and an annual retreat for the area’s financial and workforce companions, in addition to the event of a expertise ambassador volunteer program.

GO TEC Area 1 | $308,924

Area 1: Counties of Carroll, Grayson and Wythe

Carroll County Public Faculties, in partnership with Nice Alternatives in Expertise and Engineering Careers (GO TEC), will pilot GO TEC Profession Connections labs at Carroll County Center College, Grayson County Center College, and one center faculty in Wythe County Public Faculties. By providing college students specialised coaching in Area 1 {industry} priorities, this challenge will create a expertise pipeline yielding measurable outcomes by way of college students being uncovered to profession pathways inside the area, growing the variety of graduates who earn certifications in these pathways and providing new job alternatives upon commencement.

Activation Capital Regional Entrepreneurship Initiative (REI) for Area 4 | $300,000

Area 4: Counties of Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Goochland, Greensville, Hanover, Henrico, Powhatan, Prince George, Surry and Sussex, and the cities of Colonial Heights, Hopewell and Petersburg

Activation Capital will lead an in-depth and region-wide planning course of for the Regional Entrepreneurship Initiative (REI). This challenge will enable the companions to additional develop the entrepreneurial ecosystem in alignment with the regional progress and diversification plan whereas creating sustainable, long-term methods.

Selling Careers in Aquaculture | $100,000

Area 6: Counties of Gloucester, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex, Northumberland and Westmoreland 

Rappahannock Neighborhood Faculty (RCC) Instructional Basis will promote jobs within the aquaculture {industry} cluster by means of the event of on-line studying modules, a one-week immersive summer time course expertise and a four-week summer time internship with an area aquaculture enterprise. This challenge will increase highschool college students’ understanding of what jobs can be found within the sector, increase academic alternatives that match employer’s wants and help internship alternatives fostering expertise and consciousness. Moreover, RCC will work with enterprise companions to discover an industry-recognized certificates/credential that might function a non-credit choice accessible to RCC college students eager about pursuing a profession in aquaculture.

VGA Refresh/Restart: A Technique for Regional Financial Improvement in Southern Virginia | $100,000

Areas 3 and 4: Counties of Brunswick, Charlotte, Greensville, Lunenburg and Mecklenburg, and town of Emporia

Virginia’s Development Alliance (VGA) will lead the event of a strategic reset of objectives, priorities, focus and help to higher mirror adjustments within the group and financial improvement panorama, realigning the group right into a more practical and sustainable posture. This grant will construct and strengthen the capability of the regional financial improvement group by means of enterprise sector evaluation, workforce research, evaluation of regional incentives and a fundraising marketing campaign feasibility research. 

Internship Expo and Hiring Workshops | $36,000

Area 6: Counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford, and town of Fredericksburg

The Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with 5 faculty divisions, Rappahannock Goodwill Profession Works, Germanna Neighborhood Faculty, and the College of Mary Washington, will pilot and host an Internship Expo that may join highschool and post-secondary college students with employer-sponsored internships in area’s focused industries. This grant can even embody 5 hiring workshops hosted all year long, permitting college students to make connections with enterprise leaders and foster expertise improvement within the area.

ECONOMIC RESILIENCE AND RECOVERY GRANT AWARDS:

Mountain Empire Neighborhood Faculty Venture WELD | $101,025

Area 1: Counties of Scott and Sensible, and town of Norton

Mountain Empire Neighborhood Faculty (MECC) will create a welding certification program by means of a collaboration with the Virginia Division of Corrections Sensible Correctional Unit and regional manufacturing and industrial employers to deal with a demonstrated workforce want for entry-level welders. This challenge will prepare incarcerated people and hyperlink them to accessible employment alternatives upon launch, resolving the unmet want for expert staff on this {industry} and offering alternatives to a ready-to-train inhabitants prepared to work. 

# # #