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Four-year streak: Virginia remains No. 1 in workforce training, thanks to Greater Richmond
July 15, 2026
Business Facilities names Virginia the top state for customized workforce training
In its 2026 Annual State Rankings Report, Business Facilities once again put Virginia at the top of the customized workforce training category, citing the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program for its mix of traditional recruitment and training strategies with technology-driven customization. It is the fourth year in a row Virginia has claimed the spot, and the program behind the win is headquartered right here in Greater Richmond.
“The breadth and speed with which this VEDP program begins to deliver for companies is a highlight that Business Facilities is pleased to recognize in this year’s ranking,” said Business Facilities Editorial Director Anne Cosgrove. “The program’s balance of traditional recruitment and training strategies with the use of technology for a customized approach is significant in supporting the businesses that utilize this resource.”
How the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program helps companies
Launched in 2019, the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program is a collaboration between the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and the Virginia Community College System, with funding support from the Governor’s administration and the Virginia General Assembly. The program delivers recruitment and training services that are fully customized to a company’s specific equipment, products, processes and culture, all at no cost to qualifying new and expanding employers as an incentive for job creation. Since launching, it has helped secure more than 17,000 announced jobs across Virginia.
For a company evaluating where to put a new facility, that translates into a faster path from groundbreaking to full production, with a workforce that is trained before the doors open rather than after.
Greater Richmond’s role in the rankings
The Virginia Talent Accelerator Program is based in Greater Richmond, and the companies that have put it to work here read like a cross section of the region’s growth story. Eli Lilly and Company, Anton Paar, Haleon, Civica and Dover Food Retail have all drawn on the program as they have built or expanded operations across the city of Richmond and Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico counties.
“Site selectors and company leaders ask us the same question on nearly every project: how fast can you get a workforce trained and ready? The Virginia Talent Accelerator Program is our answer, and it is one of the many reasons companies choose Greater Richmond over other regions,” said Jennifer Wakefield, president and CEO of the Greater Richmond Partnership.
“Four straight years at No. 1 tells companies considering an investment here that this is not a one-time pitch. It is a sustained, proven capability.”
Jennifer Wakefield, President + CEO
Greater Richmond Partnership
That capability is reinforced by what surrounds the program: the Community College Workforce Alliance at Brightpoint and Reynolds community colleges, the Manufacturing Skills Institute, and a higher education network of 22 institutions within 150 miles of the region. Companies are not just getting a single state incentive. They are tapping into a regional talent pipeline built to support it.
A streak with a track record
Workforce training and talent accolades:
- 2026: Virginia ranked No. 1 in customized workforce training for the fourth consecutive year (Business Facilities), with the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program named the driving force.
- 2025: The Virginia Talent Accelerator Program made it three years running at No. 1 (Business Facilities), a streak that coincided with Area Development separately naming the program No. 1 in the nation for the third consecutive year.
- 2025: CNBC named Virginia the No. 1 state in the country for education, with Greater Richmond’s K-12 and higher education systems, including 10 Blue Ribbon public schools in the region, cited as part of that strength.
- 2025: Richmond ranked No. 4 for workforce growth and among the top U.S. metros with the fastest-growing talent pools (CoworkingCafe).
- 2024: Business Facilities ranked Richmond No. 11 among Tech Talent Leaders with a small labor pool, alongside a No. 4 ranking in Emerging Life Sciences markets.
- 2024: Virginia was selected as Business Facilities’ 2024 State of the Year, with the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program named No. 1 in customized workforce training for the second consecutive year.
Jobs and economic accolades:
- 2025: Richmond ranked No. 2 among the best job markets in the country (SmartAsset and Business Insider).
- 2025: Richmond named a Top 20 Career Hotspot among small cities under 250,000 residents (CoworkingCafe).
- 2025: Greater Richmond named No. 13 on LinkedIn’s Cities on the Rise, recognizing the fastest-growing U.S. metros for jobs and new talent.
- 2024: Richmond ranked No. 8 Best U.S. City for Headquarters and a Top 25 Emerging Tech Hub at No. 21 (Site Selection Magazine).
- 2024: Richmond jumped 70 spots on the Milken Institute’s Best-Performing Cities ranking, from No. 160 to No. 90, driven by strong job gains.
The institutions behind the streak
None of these rankings happen in isolation. They are the product of a deep bench of partner organizations that Greater Richmond Partnership works alongside every day:
- The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), which administers the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program statewide.
- The Virginia Community College System (VCCS), whose 23 community colleges deliver the customized training behind the program, including Brightpoint and Reynolds community colleges locally through the Community College Workforce Alliance.
- The Manufacturing Skills Institute, which partners with the Virginia Manufacturing Association and local colleges to build advanced manufacturing talent pipelines.
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia State University and the University of Richmond, whose research rankings, business school recognition and graduate outcomes continue to feed the region’s talent pool.
- The region’s broader network of 22 institutions of higher learning within 150 miles, enrolling 1.7 million students.
Each year, the underlying advantage grows, we are a region with the higher education density, the community college partnerships and the no-cost training infrastructure to get a workforce ready before a company needs it.
Why it matters to you and your company
Workforce readiness is consistently one of the first questions a site selector asks, and it is one of the hardest things for a region to fake. A four-year streak at No. 1 is evidence for companies weighing Greater Richmond against other markets that we will have a training program built for their specific operation, a community college system already wired into that delivery, and a higher education pipeline that keeps replenishing it.
Greater Richmond Partnership works directly with companies considering an investment in the region to connect them with the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program and the rest of the region’s workforce resources from the earliest stages of a project.
Learn more about the talented workforce that inhabits Greater Richmond >
About The Author
Christopher Hollomon is Director of Marketing at the Greater Richmond Partnership, where he supports marketing and communications initiatives focused on business recruitment to the Richmond Region. Before joining GRP in 2025, he built a diverse career in graphic design, marketing, public relations and digital media across industries including healthcare, engineering, advocacy and the arts. His work has earned regional recognition, including award-winning campaigns for Sheltering Arms Rehabilitation Centers. Christopher holds a bachelor’s degree in Speech Communications and a master’s in Corporate and Professional Communications from Radford University and studied international communications in Salzburg, Austria. He lives in Henrico County with his wife and two children.
