Contact: Bob Spieldenner
(804) 225-2628
bobspieldenner@schev.edu

July 11, 2024

For immediate release

Richmond - Virginia’s higher education system helped make the Commonwealth the Top State for Business in 2024 according to CNBC. Virginia’s education system ranked #1 among the 50 states and was cited by CNBC as being the biggest competitive advantage in the ranking.

“Our colleges and universities are among the strongest in the world and today’s ranking shows the importance they play in strengthening our workforce and attracting businesses to Virginia,” said Scott Fleming, SCHEV director.  “While we still have work to do, this is an important signal that we’re getting a lot of things right in Virginia.”

Virginia’s 370 institutions of higher learning, including five historically Black colleges and universities, and significant financial support for higher ed were some of the strengths cited by CNBC.

“The Commonwealth’s higher education strategic plan, Pathways to Opportunity, outlines a clear solution for making our system even stronger, particularly for those communities at risk of being left behind in today’s economy,” said Fleming. “We must continue to remove barriers to higher education and make it more affordable so we can continue to transform the lives of all Virginians.”

Additional initiatives that are directly tied to improving Virginia’s workforce include the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership, which is increasing the number of quality internships. In addition, the New Economy Workforce Credential Grant program provides low-cost opportunities for students to receive training in a high demand field and receive an industry-based certification or state licensure. Students pay only 1/3 of the cost of the program upon enrollment. The Tech Talent Investment Program (TTIP) provides an historic investment in higher education to deliver more graduates in high demand fields over the next two decades.

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Media resources including news advisories and releases are available at www.schev.edu/media.

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia is the state’s coordinating agency for higher education. With Pathways to Opportunity: The Virginia Plan for Higher Education, SCHEV is dedicated to making Virginia the best state for education by 2030. For more on this statewide strategic plan, visit schev.edu/TheVirginiaPlan.