The Hire Education Conference kicks off Mission Employable with a powerful look at the forces shaping the workforce of today and tomorrow.

Join experts from the Strada Education Foundation and Virginia Economic Development Partnership for a fast-paced intelligence briefing featuring the latest market insights, employment data, economic shifts, and future-focused trends. Walk away informed, inspired, and ready to lead Virginia’s workforce transformation.

Understanding Pathways from Education to Employment
keynote speaker - Heather McKay

This session will focus on pathways from education to work in Virginia and around the country. It will take a close look at policies and practices that facilitate better alignment of postsecondary education to the labor market and result in economic opportunities for students. 

Top State for Talent: The Path Forward Together 

keynote speaker - Megan Healy
Virginia is accelerating its momentum to become the Top State for Talent. This session will examine the Commonwealth’s workforce landscape, highlighting challenges such as skills gaps, shifting labor supply, and evolving business demand. Through data-driven insights and strategic vision, it will explore how the workforce system can lead in aligning education with employer needs, expanding opportunity for all, and building a resilient, future-ready talent pipeline that drives economic growth across Virginia.

Virginia has been selected to join the Dual Enrollment for Adult Learners (DEAL) project, a national initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Our team is building an Eligible Career Pathway Program (ECPP) that will open the door for adult learners to use Pell Grants through Ability to Benefit (ATB). The timing couldnt be better. Virginia already has a strong pipeline from adult education into community colleges through Integrated Education and Training (IET) and bridge programs. Community colleges are connecting workforce credentialing classes to academic pathways by awarding credit for prior learning, aligning courses with degree requirements, and creating Career Studies Certificates that seamlessly stack to associate degrees. With established pathways, strong partnerships, and growing momentum, Virginia is poised to expand opportunity for adult learners like never before. Come join us to hear how ECPPs can make Pell a reality for your students.

This informative, how-to session will explore how community colleges, local workforce boards, industry association, and others can serve as One-Stop Apprenticeship Intermediaries to strengthen partnerships between education and industry. Community colleges play a critical role in workforce development by helping employers design structured training programs that cultivate a highly skilled talent pipeline. These programs allow businesses to “grow their own” workforce while offering students and employees opportunities to earn portable, nationally recognized credentials—and, in some fields, professional licensure.

Participants will hear from a Virginia-based employer sponsor and apprenticeship intermediary, as well as a representative from a U.S. Department of Labor national apprenticeship intermediary. Together, they will share strategies for building high-quality Registered Apprenticeship programs that benefit both employer partners and students. The session will also highlight funding opportunities available to support and expand Registered Apprenticeship initiatives. Join us for this informative and engaging session!

Internships are an important step toward employability, yet many Virginia students face challenges accessing them, creating opportunities to broaden and diversify work-based learning. Research indicates that fewer than half of students expecting to intern actually participate, with participation among underrepresented and first-generation students being significantly lower than that of their peers. The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia's Credit-Bearing Report shows that in 2023- 24, over 24,000 students participated in credit-bearing internships, yet the majority were seniors and women. With 542,702 students enrolled statewide and only about 15,000 internship postings available¹, demand far exceeds opportunity. While SCHEV/V-TOP acknowledges that this data does not represent the entire landscape, it indicates that there is a need for expanded work-based learning opportunities to meet student needs. This session, led by SCHEV/V-TOP and District C, presents strategies to expand work-based learning beyond traditional internships. Attendees will learn more about project-based learning experiences in Virginia. District Cs Teamship model demonstrates how students solve real business problems while building durable skills. Teamship also reduces barriers like transportation, residency, and complex onboarding, making opportunities accessible to first-generation, underrepresented, low-income, rural, and international students.Footnote: ¹ SCHEV Fall 2024 Headcount; Virginia Office of Economic Education, AY2025 Internship Postings.

This session explores how Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) Workforce leverages college-allocated resources and external awards to launch and scale NOVAnext, as well as related support services for adult learners in noncredit workforce development programs. As a self-funded division, NOVA Workforce has evolved from a transactional unit into a strategic partner in regional workforce development, serving recently displaced federal workers and contractors, alongside learners from underrepresented communities, in pursuit of in-demand careers in IT, healthcare, skilled trades, transportation, and business. Attendees will see practical use cases for flexible funding in noncredit programs (tuition support, wraparound services, and micro-supports that remove friction), technology-driven solutions for onboarding and retention (forms, workflows, data tracking), and strategies for employer and community partnerships that translate learning into employment. Well share early outcomes, lessons learned, and pitfalls to avoid, with an emphasis on processes that can be adapted regardless of specific funding streams. Time will be reserved for participant engagement and Q&A.

US Census bureau data can help prepare our colleges, faculty and students for a future that will increasingly require both access to and ability to use data. This multidisciplinary group, which includes guests from the US Census Bureau, will discuss how to find data that illuminates who our students will be in the future. The session will emphasize what data on adult learners suggests about how to attract, support and retain them. Implications for how to build a pipeline of graduates with two years, four years, and more than four years of education will be discussed.

AI for All: Building - and Participating - in Virginia's Future-Ready Workforce

plenary speakers - Nicole Overley and Michael Peterson

Join Virginia Works’ Commissioner Nicole Overley and Chief Information Officer Michael Peterson for a dynamic, future-focused plenary session exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping the way Virginia learns, works, and grows. The session will open with a look at Virginia’s bold talent innovation “moonshots,” then dive deeper into what it means to create – and participate in – a future-ready workforce prepared for rapid advances in AI.

Through engaging examples and short, custom-created AI videos, Nicole and Michael will unpack what AI readiness looks like for individuals, organizations, and communities. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how AI is transforming talent development, what skills and mindsets will matter most, and how every Virginian can benefit from, and contribute to, this next era of work.

Agents of the AI Shift
plenary speaker - Liz Baker

The World Economic Forum forecasts that AI will create 170 million new jobs globally. This session empowers "Agents of Workforce Development" to drive the business transformation by shifting from AI debate to AI architecture, ensuring Virginia's talent pipeline is ready to capture this massive economic opportunity.

This workshop delivers a 90-day activation roadmap using the proprietary AI Coworker Blueprint framework. with the following goals: 25% time regained per week, 3 new AI competencies that can be used immediately, and implementing a starting AI Policy for safe, immediate adoption.

What happens when statewide grant funding for critical programs is gone? This session details Mountain Gateway Community Colleges journey to not only expand its Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways but to inadvertently make them crisis-proof. Join us to discover how an ambitious plan to create credit opportunities for National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) credentials led to a powerful, replicable partnership between the Workforce and Academic divisions. Learn why crosswalking credentials failed and how MGCC pivoted to create custom-aligned courses through an innovative model opening new pathways for dual enrollment and degree-seeking students and, most critically, provided a sustainable alternative when non-credit funding was jeopardized. This session is a tactical debrief on creating a resilient, hybrid credit/non-credit ecosystem that better serves students, strengthens community, and ensures program continuity in the face of fiscal uncertainty.

Virginia Works has set bold moonshot goals to transform our workforce ecosystem—but achieving them requires unprecedented collaboration across education, industry, and community partners. This highly interactive workshop brings together stakeholders to roll up their sleeves and co-design actionable partnership strategies that advance work-based learning and accelerate progress toward our shared strategic vision. Through facilitated collaboration, hands-on activities, and peer exchange, participants will:

• Explore Virginia Works' strategic plan and identify key leverage points where partnerships can drive transformational change
• Map the work-based learning landscape to uncover gaps, opportunities, and innovative partnership models
• Engage in collaborative problem-solving to address real barriers preventing moonshot goal achievement
• Build connections with potential partners across sectors and leave with concrete next steps
• Co-create actionable strategies that participants can implement immediately in their organizations and communities

This isn't a sit-and-listen session… it's a working lab where ideas become action plans. Your voice and expertise are essential to building the partnerships that will propel Virginia's workforce to new heights. Come prepared to think big, collaborate boldly, and leave with tangible partnerships and strategies that move the needle.

Automation, technology, and AI are changing how work gets done. This redesign of work will require understanding the skills and tasks that drive performance, productivity, and innovation. This transition will require new, innovative, and agile employer-education partnerships to support the transformation of today’s workforce. This workshop will focus on how employers are reimagining work, designing future roles, and deploying human capital in this dynamic transition. Understanding these trends provides education with the opportunity to establish new partnerships with employers, design innovative work- and project-based learning opportunities, and to support upskilling and reskilling needs.

As Virginia builds its future workforce, higher education plays a critical role in connecting Virginians to career opportunities that support both economic mobility and employer demand. The DARS Pathways to Careers Grant strengthens Career and Technical Education (CTE), community college, and workforce programs by aligning them with three proven strategies: apprenticeship, the Alternative Hiring Process for state government, and Quick Response Counselors (QRCs). This session will highlight innovative approaches that bridge education and employment, demonstrating how colleges and universities can partner with employers and state agencies to expand student success, promote inclusive hiring, and strengthen Virginias talent pipeline. Participants will leave with practical strategies, partnership opportunities, and examples of how these pathways create lasting impact for Virginians, employers, and communities across the Commonwealth.

In summer 2025, Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) launched its first internal micro-internship program, the Real World Experience (RWX) initiative. This model connected Workforce IT students with campus IT departments for 30 hours of project-based work and 10 hours of structured training in communication, problem-solving, or critical thinking. Funded by an Education Design Lab grant, RWX gave students hands-on experience while preparing them for IT careers. The program also delivered results for staff, expanding capacity and supporting innovative projects. This session will share a roadmap for designing and replicating micro-internship models that boost student employability and strengthen institutional impact. Attendees will learn strategies for recruitment, hiring, and evaluation, and explore how short-term, project-based experiences can scale across VCCS and beyond, creating agile pipelines that meet workforce needs.

In todays rapidly evolving workforce landscape, customized training teams must do more than deliver content they must drive measurable outcomes. This session explores how to strategically align team structure, use Salesforce for building customer relationships, and how to use Salesforce as an effective data tracking system. Attendees will see a live demonstration on how use Salesforce to create a high performing contract sales team. Purpose: This session aims to equip workforce development corporate training leaders with practical strategies to: Build and manage effective client relationships. Leverage data systems for real-time decision-making. Streamline internal processes for improved training outcomes. Ensure alignment with organizational and workforce goals. By focusing on strategy, structure, and system integration, the session provides a roadmap for turning contract training teams into engines of economic mobility and business impact. By attending this session, participants will: Learn best practices for using Salesforce as an effective CRM, email system, and data tracking system. Understand how to run efficient, purpose-driven teams using Salesforce and the Traction EOS system. Explore real-world example of a Laurel Ridge Corporate training client.

Discover the transformative power of Integrated Education and Training (IET) programs in this workshop. Dive into a world where incarcerated adults prepare for their post-incarceration employment goals through education, employability skills, and occupational training to earn an industry-recognized credential. This session will feature an experienced panel of adult education program leaders and discuss successful partnerships, program designs, outcomes, and lessons learned in serving incarcerated adults. Join us as we explore the art of creating IETs.

Hampton Roads is building a stronger maritime workforce through innovative regional collaboration. In 2017, Camp, Tidewater, and Virginia Peninsula Community Colleges partnered with the Virginia Ship Repair Association to create the Marine Trades Training (MTT) program. Since then, more than 3,500 participants have trained across six skilled trades with a 90% hire rate. In 2021, the Hampton Roads Workforce Council joined to form the Regional Maritime Training System (RMTS), expanding reach and impact across the region. This session highlights real-world program design, tactical delivery strategies, and industry-led partnerships that connect training to jobs. Attendees will gain operational insights into what's working and what isn't when developing credential-driven workforce programs that respond to industry demand.

Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) is partnering with industry leaders, including Google and Holder Construction to tackle the regions' skilled trades workforce gap through the Google Skilled Trades and Readiness (STAR) program. Launched in 2023, STAR prepares individuals, particularly those from underrepresented communities, for high-demand careers in construction and skilled trades. The results speak for themselves: 100% of graduates have received job offers. This initiative exemplifies how public-private partnerships can produce scalable, employer-validated talent pipelines that align with Virginias workforce and economic development goals. STAR combines industry input, hands-on training, and wraparound support to drive economic mobility while meeting urgent labor market needs. Discover how Northern Virginia Community College and Holder Construction have partnered to deliver the Google STAR program, resulting in job offers for all 31 graduates.

The fun doesn’t stop when the sessions end! Come back for a casual evening packed with delicious food, great company, and good vibes. Snap pics in the photobooth, join in on games, and hit the dance floor with DJ Nowlin keeping the energy high all night long. Show your pride by wearing your college or organization’s gear!

A huge shoutout to AccessU and The Hodges Partnership for sponsoring this unforgettable evening!

Light refreshments and beverages are available prior to the brunch - starting at 10:00 am.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has mandated English proficiency for CDL holders since 1970, yet VCCS colleges lack a consistent, objective method for assessing it. This patchwork approach creates significant risks: it compromises student success, delivers inconsistent outcomes for employers, and exposes our institutions to compliance vulnerabilities. To solve this, Blue Ridge Community College is spearheading a statewide initiative, in partnership with assessment leader Pearson Education, to develop and implement a standardized English proficiency model for all CDL candidates. This session is not a lecture, but the foundational meeting for this vital project. We invite workforce deans, program heads, and instructors from across the VCCS to join this critical conversation. Your expertise is needed to help shape a practical, reliable, and equitable solution that ensures clarity for students, quality for employers, and a unified standard of excellence for Virginia.

Connect with fellow FastForward coaches in a supportive and collaborative environment. This peer group session is an opportunity to share challenges, celebrate successes, and gain valuable insights from your peers. Bring your current student situations, best practices, or issues you are facing. This will be a relaxed structure, but will ensure everyone has a chance to contribute and receive support.

This session will highlight the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority’s Health Policy Fellows program, a model that integrates short-term paid employment with intentional workforce development for young adults. Attendees will learn how structured, two-week externships can reduce barriers to healthcare career entry, particularly for underrepresented and rural populations, by providing income, housing, technical training, mentorship, and career counseling. Participants will explore strategies for combining hands-on experience with exposure to Virginia's healthcare policy landscape, while learning about organizational culture, workplace dynamics, and professionalism in a changing workplace. Attendees will leave with practical insights into designing programs that prepare early-career individuals for long-term success in healthcare in Virginia and strengthen regional and local workforce pipelines.

The VCCS Work-based Learning Tracking System (WTS) is an innovative digital solution leveraging Salesforce CRM and Formstack to enhance apprenticeship and work-based learning programs across 23 colleges. This session will showcase how WTS acts as a powerful agent of workforce development by providing a one system unified, data-driven platform with reporting, data collection, and a full scope of VCCS WBL analysis. Attendees will explore the system's innovative features, including user-friendly student and employer portals, customized workflows, and real-time dashboards that enhance data sophistication for system and state-wide reporting. Discover how WTS streamlines operations, strengthens college-employer partnerships, and supports the ambitious Accelerate Opportunity 2030 goal of increasing apprenticeships by 25% by 2030. This demonstration will offer practical insights into equipping your mission with digital tools that achieve tangible workforce outcomes.

This session will present a framework for developing an inclusive, scalable mentorship program that supports students and early-career professionals through intentional relationship-building, skill development, and career exploration. Drawing on evidence-based practices and case studies, the proposed program emphasizes equity, access, and impact by pairing participants with mentors from diverse backgrounds and industries to support academic persistence, identity development, and career readiness. Attendees will explore how to structure a mentorship model that includes training, goal-setting tools, guided conversations, and progress tracking. Through interactive discussion, participants will leave with a customizable roadmap, templates, and engagement strategies for launching their own program within schools, colleges, community organizations, or professional networks.

CareerLink is designed to delivery polished, prepared, entry-level technical talent to local business and industry. Operational as of Aug. 25, CareerLink is a collaboration with multiple major and minor businesses to offer businesses option-to-hire interns with professional skills training! This is a nuts and bolts, step-by-step process description from creation to implementation. Be ready to learn each step so you can implement it with your community college or secondary program.

The Richmond Petersburg region is rapidly becoming a national hub for advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing (APM) and biotechnology. At the center of this growth is the Alliance for Building Better Medicine and its APM-Bio Workforce Sectoral Partnership, an employer-driven initiative that connects community colleges, universities, K12, and industry to prepare Virginians for high-demand, high-wage careers. Built on evidence-based strategies for place-based economic development, the Partnership leverages labor market intelligence and industry engagement to align training, credentials, and work-based learning with employer needs. This session will highlight projected job growth in the Richmond Metro Area, showcase how VCCS colleges are leading talent development, describe how partnerships are impacting economic development, and provide practical tools for sector partnership building. Participants will leave with strategies they can adapt to their own regions to strengthen workforce pipelines and expand student opportunity.

Registered Apprenticeship is the single most powerful tool in workforce development, yet it's often viewed as complex, bureaucratic, or niche. It's time to change the culture. This session is an active demonstration of the collaboration required to demystify apprenticeship and embed it as the "gold standard" in everything we do. Join the Dean of Workforce Solutions from Blue Ridge Community College and the Apprenticeship Program Director from Tidewater Community College as they model a new approach. We will move beyond case studies to facilitate a learning session focused on a singular goal: identifying the real barriers to system-wide adoption and co-creating the solutions. Attendees will leave not with a new playbook, but as active contributors to a "Commonwealth Apprenticeship Blueprint a living strategy for transforming Virginia's workforce ecosystem.

This session offers an overview of the Workforce Enterprise System (WES), a cloud-based platform supporting the full lifecycle of noncredit continuing education, including workshops, courses, and workforce development programs. There are many reasons we do not use PeopleSoft (SIS) as the primary software solution for Workforce. Unlike SIS, WES is built for the unique needs of workforce education, enabling colleges to streamline program design, delivery, and management. The session also highlights WESs analytics, empowering leaders with data-driven planning to improve outcomes, ensure sustainability, and maximize innovation and impact. Who should attend? College and Workforce Leadership who want to use WES to its fullest potential.

One of the highlights of the Hire Education Conference is the 2025 Chancellor's Awards for Workforce Development. The awards recognize individuals and groups that have gone above and beyond for our students and programs. 

We look forward to celebrating the champions of workforce development who are driving growth, opportunity, and student success in our communities during the Chancellor's Awards Brunch.