Workforce training program earns another No. 1 ranking for Virginia

Virginia’s workforce training program has earned another No. 1 national ranking as the commonwealth competes for companies looking for workers trained for specialized jobs.

Area Development, a major national trade publication, ranked Virginia first for workforce training programs in its 2026 Top States for Doing Business report. The recognition highlights the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, which provides customized recruitment and training at no cost to qualifying companies opening or expanding operations in the commonwealth. 

Since its launch in 2019, the program has supported projects representing more than 22,000 announced jobs across the state, according to Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s administration. 

Virginia placed eighth overall in Area Development’s nationwide rankings and also finished fifth for innovation and research, sixth for site readiness programs and seventh for logistics and transportation infrastructure. 

The workforce recognition comes after Business Facilities ranked Virginia first for customized workforce training for the fourth consecutive year this summer.

“Workforce is one of the most important factors in any company’s location decision, and Virginia continues to distinguish itself nationally,” Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Carrie Chenery said in a statement Monday. 

“The Virginia Talent Accelerator Program is a clear competitive advantage because it drives business growth by customizing talent solutions. This recognition reinforces that the commonwealth is not only attracting investment but also preparing Virginians for the jobs those investments create.” 

Created by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership in collaboration with the Virginia Community College System, the Talent Accelerator receives funding support from the governor’s administration and the General Assembly. Its services are offered as an incentive for companies creating jobs in Virginia. 

The work varies from project to project. Before training begins, the Talent Accelerator assesses a company’s recruitment processes and workforce needs. That can lead to assistance before an employee is even hired, including brief training sessions and assessments that give applicants a look at the work while allowing employers to evaluate potential hires. 

Recruitment help can include digital advertising and campaigns on streaming and podcast platforms. The program’s in-house team also produces videos, websites and 3D animations to help companies recruit workers and demonstrate workplace tasks. 

Once workers are hired, training can range from safety and basic skills to detailed instruction on production processes and individual jobs. Teamwork, conflict resolution and leadership training are also available. 

Manufacturing projects are paired with a regional community college, while the program also works with universities, including historically Black colleges, according to VEDP. 

Spanberger said Virginia’s latest rank shows the value of connecting economic development with workforce preparation. 

“Virginia is building the best workforce in America, and industry is taking notice,” Spanberger said in a statement. “The Virginia Talent Accelerator Program gives businesses a powerful reason to choose the commonwealth by delivering customized training that prepares Virginians to succeed from day one.”

Area Development has covered corporate site selection and relocation since 1965. Its 2026 rankings are based on a survey of 50 site consultants who evaluated states across 20 categories affecting corporate location and investment decisions. 

The magazine then weighted those results based on the importance of each factor in corporate site selection.

Virginia finished behind Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Alabama in the overall ranking. But it took the top spot for workforce training, ahead of Georgia and South Carolina. 

VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi said the Talent Accelerator’s value lies in building recruitment and training around an employer’s particular operation rather than offering a standard package. 

“Our team works directly with companies to design recruitment and training strategies that reflect their operations, culture and long-term growth plans,” El Koubi said in a statement. “Area Development’s recognition underscores the program’s impact and the value Virginia delivers to companies creating jobs across the commonwealth.” 

Several companies that announced Virginia projects this year are using the program.

Avio USA plans a roughly $500 million manufacturing facility in Hurt that is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs. RINGANA, an Austrian skincare and nutritional products company, announced an $85 million U.S. headquarters, production and distribution operation in Roanoke with 435 jobs. Jabil plans a manufacturing facility in Prince George County expected to create 352 jobs. 

Merck & Co. also plans to use Talent Accelerator as part of its $3 billion expansion in Elkton. The project is expected to create 500 jobs and will serve as the company’s Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Ingredients and Small Molecule Manufacturing. 

The Spanberger administration’s figure of more than 22,000 jobs reflects announced positions associated with projects supported by the Talent Accelerator. It does not indicate how many of those jobs have been filled or how many workers have completed training through the program.