Virginia's business climate has earned a rave review from CNBC in its annual rankings as the Best State for Business in 2024, and education is cited as a key factor.
It's Virginia’s sixth time at the top of CNBC's rankings, the most for any state since the study began in 2007.
CNBC said "Virginia's biggest competitive strength is its education system, ranked No. 1 in the nation in the CNBC study.
In March, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin cited Germanna Community College's training program for Amazon Web Services as an example of the importance Virginia's Community Colleges play in attracting business to the state.
He called AWS. $35 billion investment in Spotsylvania, Stafford, Caroline, and Louisa counties “transformational,” adding that related community college training will prepare local people of all ages for high-paying jobs.
Gov. Youngkin spoke at an AWS Data Center Campus Project Launch hosted by Germanna and the Fredericksburg Regional Alliance at the College’s campus in Spotsylvania.
AWS will invest $35 billion in Spotsylvania, Stafford, Caroline, and Louisa counties over the next 15 years to fill high-tech jobs, many of which pay well without a college education.
Youngkin at Germanna’s Fredericksburg Campus in Spotsylvania
“What's happening in our community college system is literally at the foundation of workforce development. ...We're blurring the lines in higher ed, with people who are suddenly, at the age of 50, saying ‘Listen, I'm going to do something else and find a pathway to get there.’ That's what our community college system can do. It is a place to build bridges. It's a place where opportunities are created. Germanna is literally the foundation for our future’s workforce.”
Tina Lance, Germanna Dean of Professional and Technical Studies and Workforce, said GCC's partnership with AWS is an example of the way state and local government can work with business and education to help local people.