GO2 Work in Manufacturing and Transportation in the Valley | $884,500
Region 8: Augusta County and the cities of Waynesboro and Staunton
The Shenandoah Valley Center for Advanced Learning will increase the pool of qualified candidates in the transportation and logistics, and light manufacturing industry clusters by adding new career education and technical programs for Industrial Maintenance and Aviation Technology. This project will address critical needs to upgrade equipment to modern standards and technologies for training apprenticeship students in precision machining, welding, auto and diesel technology.
RISE Build-to-Scale Initiative | $600,000
Region 3: Counties of Amelia, Brunswick, Charlotte, Halifax, Mecklenburg, Nottoway, Patrick and Prince Edward
SOVA RISE Innovation Hub Corporation will increase business starts and expansion of scalable businesses by expanding the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Region 3, providing ready access to capital for innovators and entrepreneurs through targeted resource navigation, technical assistance, and outreach. This project will involve the launch of the RISE Community Navigator program, expanding the RISE Entrepreneurship Training Pipeline and extending outreach storytelling.
United Way of Southwest Virginia GO TEC Expansion | $600,000
Region 1: Counties of Dickenson, Smyth, Washington and Wythe, and the cities of Bristol and Norton
United Way of Southwest Virginia will add six new career connection labs, one in each participating locality. These labs will be constructed in nine individual career pathway modules, all utilizing the GO TEC career connection labs framework. This project will increase the pool of qualified candidates in the advanced manufacturing, agriculture/food and beverage manufacturing, and information and emerging technologies clusters.
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Strengthening Entrepreneurs Impact | $577,800
Region 2: Counties of Botetourt, Giles, Montgomery and Pulaski, and the cities of Roanoke and Salem
Verge Alliance will launch and scale the Regional Accelerator and Mentoring Program (RAMP) through pre- and post-accelerator activities and updating data in the Region 2 Innovation Ecosystem report. This project will create jobs, expand and serve businesses, engage entrepreneurs and mentors, and increase the number of fund investments.
Region 6 Regional Entrepreneurship Initiative (REI) | $300,000
Region 6: Counties of King George and Stafford, and the city of Fredericksburg
The Rivers Region Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Council will develop an entrepreneurial ecosystem strategy to define and implement recommendations to further grow Region 6. This will be accomplished by hiring an executive director to carry out the duties of the organization, including engaging with stockholders, creating recommendations and priorities, and creating an REI Strategy Report and Action Strategies Plan document.
Region 2 Talent Pathways Planning Initiative | $250,000
Region 2: Counties of Alleghany, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Botetourt, Campbell, Craig, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski and Roanoke, and the cities of Lynchburg, Radford, Roanoke and Salem
The Virginia Tech Center for Economic and Community Engagement (CECE) will contract with a diverse group of implementation partners to define talent pathways for Region 2’s targeted industries, including life sciences and biotechnology, and transportation, manufacturing and autonomy. The Virginia Tech CECE will convene industry coalitions, complete gap, quantitative and qualitative situational analysis and develop recommendations and strategies to increase the labor force for these regional priority industries.
Region 7 Talent Pathways Planning Initiative | $250,000
Region 7: Counties of Fairfax and Loudoun
The Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness (CREC), in partnership with the George Mason University Center for Regional Analysis, will serve as the Talent Pathways Planning Initiative Industry cluster talent coordinating entity, defining talent pathways for computer software, cybersecurity and emerging technology industry clusters. This project will conduct a job sector sustainability assessment and labor market date analysis to better understand education and training resources as well as skill requirements for the targeted industries and make recommendations to increase the pool of qualified labor to grow these industries.
Talent Pathways Planning Initiative Application | $133,000
Region 3: Counties of Amelia, Brunswick, Buckingham, Charlotte, Cumberland, Halifax, Henry, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway, Patrick, Pittsylvania and Prince Edward, and the cities of Danville and Martinsville
The Southern Virginia Partnership for Health Science Careers (SOVAPHSC) will develop a plan to improve healthcare access in Region 3, which has been cited as a barrier to business and talent recruitment and retention. This project will engage industry and other stakeholders, deliver a labor market analysis and evaluation of training programs, and result in the development of an action plan for developing, attracting and retaining healthcare workers in the region.
Hampton Roads Regional Aviation, Aerospace and Unmanned Systems Assessment | $100,000
Region 5: Cities of Hampton, Newport News and Norfolk
The Hampton Roads Alliance, in partnership with the Norfolk Airport Authority, Peninsula Airport Commission and the Virginia Institute for Spaceflight and Autonomy, will conduct an assessment to help position Region 5’s aviation, aerospace and unmanned systems industry. The study will assess current conditions for the region’s aviation, aerospace and unmanned systems industries and project future demands, providing recommendations and ensuring the region meets industry service demands.
Mount Rogers Regional Partnership Virtual Reality Training Needs Assessment | $50,000
Region 1: Counties of Carroll, Grayson and Wythe
The Mount Rogers Regional Partnership, in partnership with GO TEC, will address the education gap in high school career and technical education (CTE) programs. This will be accomplished by conducting a needs assessment to analyze the necessity to engage students early in their high school careers, a feasibility study to evaluate if virtual reality is the appropriate learning tool and an action plan for implementation of virtual reality curriculum in high school CTE programs.
Life Science Virginia | $40,000
Regions 4 and 5: Henrico County and the city of Virginia Beach
LifeNet Health will prepare and conduct a pilot initiative that will introduce students to the life science field, increasing the pipeline of students who choose to focus on careers in life science. This project will engage industry leaders in the development of classroom and laboratory study and create career exploration opportunities for students.
