Archive for category: News

The Virginia Technology Councils’ 2022 Policy Agenda is a collaborative summary statement created by the tech councils in Virginia during December of the previous year [2021].

 Education & Workforce Development

In order for Virginia’s businesses to grow and thrive, they need well-trained and highly skilled employees. In the technology industry, Virginia continues to experience a shortage of trained workers. Technology businesses want to locate in areas with an abundant workforce, and technologists want to locate where there are numerous job opportunities in their field.

Virginia’s Tech Councils’ support the following efforts to increase our workforce:

•  Strengthen Computer Science Education in K-12 Schools
  The Commonwealth wants to ensure that all students have access, regardless of where they live to computer science education. This should include ensuring training and logistical support to all school divisions in compliance with the Virginia K-12 computer science Standards of Learning.
• Computer Science Education in K-12 Should be Aligned with Higher Education
  This also includes apprenticeships/internships, and workforce certification opportunities.
• New Charter Schools Should Dedicate a Portion of their Curriculum to Technology-Based Specialties
  If new charter schools are created, dedicate a portion to technology-based specialties to support education in computer science, cybersecurity, and other high-demand fields.
• Maintain Opportunities for Low-Income Students to Pursue Technology Degrees
  Maintain opportunities for low-income students to pursue community college degrees at no cost in high-demand fields such as computer science and information technology.
• Strengthen Apprenticeship Programs, Workforce Experiences, and Internships
  Strengthen apprenticeship programs, work experience internships, and other innovative approaches to education where students can earn income while learning. Dedicate resources to a comprehensive system or clearinghouse for inventorying intern/apprentice/extern and other work-based learning opportunities, and for connecting schools, teachers, and students to these opportunities.
• Build on Computer Science Progress at Four-Year Institutions
  Build on recent progress at Virginia’s four-year institutions to increase the number of computer science and information technology degrees produced annually, and work with the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia to empower higher education to keep up with the evolving workforce needs in technology.
• Fully Fund the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program at (VEDP)
  The Virginia Talent Accelerator Program at (VEDP) will allow the agency to train approximately 5,000 employees per year for new jobs being created locally. The program has helped attract numerous new technology companies to Virginia in recent years.
• Develop Educational Standards for High-Growth Technology Fields
  Develop foundational education standards for high-growth technology fields, with an emphasis on computer science, engineering, cyber security, robotics, data science, and related degree fields, including STEM-pathways degrees that can be integrated into all subjects K-12. It should be noted that high-growth technology fields are defined as technology fields at the cutting edge or disruptive to legacy technology fields of study.
• Align High School Curriculum to Reflect University Technology Fields
  Align high school high-growth technology field curriculum to that of university taught computer science, engineering, security, robotics, and data science degrees to better prepare students for success in higher education and to have a positive impact in the Virginia workforce.
• Grow “No or Low-Cost” Teacher Training for Technology Fields
  Grow the availability of “no or low-cost” high-quality in-service teacher training in high-growth technology subjects and incentivize teachers to receive the training. Training should be developed in coordination with representation from state agencies, K-12, community colleges, and universities.
• Create Visibility for Career Pathways in High-Growth Technology Fields
  Create visibility for career pathways in high-growth technology fields across the Commonwealth with the goal of increasing career-ready talent and the pipeline for all career types in high-growth technology fields.
• Overlay Technology Districts with Projected Educational Districts
  Overlay economic development and technology districts with projected educational districts to create powerful growth districts in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The model should be repeatable for tech expansion within the Commonwealth. These districts should align with the STEM Hub network which is already a part of the state’s adopted STEM Plan.
• Define What Qualifies as a STEM School
  Define what qualifies as a STEM school and/or a high-growth technology field school so that parents and students have the assurance that education at these schools aligns with a rubricked and uniform standard.
  
  
  

  ---

Innovation and Economic Development

Virginia has made great strides in laying the foundation for the long-term growth of our technology industry including restructuring our state-level programs and creating the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority (VIPA). Additionally, significant investments in education and workforce development continue to increase our potential for growth.

Virginia’s Tech Councils’ support the following efforts to strengthen our efforts to grow and recruit Virginia-based IT business:

•  Strengthen Funding for the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority
  This program will promote entrepreneurship, capital support for early-stage high-growth companies, and commercialization of Virginia higher education research.
• Provide Funding for the Regional Investment Fund
  The Regional Investment Fund will help businesses grow and thrive by building critical ecosystems in all regions of the commonwealth and providing support in areas where programs like GO Virginia are unable to help. The fund was created through VIPA legislation but has not yet been funded.
• Expand and Diversify Key Technology Sectors
  These sectors include Unmanned Systems, Cybersecurity, Smart Communities, Extended/Virtual/Augmented Reality, Biomedical, Clean Energy Technologies, and Electric Vehicles. The Commonwealth is home to several key existing and emerging technologies and our agencies and resources should be utilized to help these sectors expand and diversify.
• Improve Virginia’s Competitive Position as a Global Leader
  Virginia has a competitive position as a global leader in the data center market by modernizing the existing data center investment incentives. As our communities rely more heavily on work from home and virtual education, data centers make it all possible.
• Incentivize Venture Capital Investor to Locate to Virginia
  Support efforts to incentivize venture capital investors to locate in Virginia and to invest in Virginia businesses.
• Create Technology and Innovation Districts
  Re-authorize local governments to create Technology and Innovation districts within their locality to incentivize startups and growing businesses to locate in a particular area and support the growth of their own entrepreneurial ecosystem.
  
  
  

  ---

Broadband Access

Universal access to affordable broadband is essential for every Virginian to compete in today’s global economy, and the COVID-19 pandemic has made high-speed internet even more critical.

 Virginia’s Tech Councils’ support the following for increasing access to high-speed internet:

• Preserve recently allocated state and federal funds to broadband deployment.
• Ensure those resources are used efficiently and effectively to reach as many unserved Virginians as possible in sustainable models.
• Reduce unnecessary red tape and barriers that make deployment more difficult.
• Support digital equity programs which complement the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program and aim to achieve affordable broadband options for low-income households.
  
  
  

  ---

IT Procurement

The Commonwealth is home to a vibrant industry of technology companies employing thousands of Virginians. Many of these technology companies offer high-value, innovative solutions increasing access to and improving the efficiency of our state government.

 Virginia’s Tech Councils’ Support:

•  Policies to ensure that the Commonwealth’s procurement process is open, transparent and promote a culture of creativity and competition.
• Modernizing agency technologies to improve the delivery of government services to our citizens. Streamline IT procurement processes to better meet the needs of the citizens and the agencies of the Commonwealth.
• Keeping burdensome regulations to a minimum, especially as additional costs ultimately get passed back to the Commonwealth in the form of higher-priced procurement.

At our April 2021 luncheon, the SVTC welcomed Kyle Rosner from Gov. Northam’s office., who gave an update on the state of Virginia’s state of broadband. (Kyle Rosner’s Presentation (pdf) | Watch full presentation April 21, 2021 (YouTube ) He provided an overview of the multi-pronged effort to achieve universal broadband coverage, including the VATI program, CARES Act investments, the utility middle mile program, and future state/federal investments.

Four panelists from the Shenandoah Valley also joined to share their views from the provider, education, government, and user perspectives. These panelists included Tom Lundquist (K-12 education), James Funkhouser (telecommunications providers), Pam Carter (locality), and Josh Fitzpatrick (higher education).

This event was only the first step in a greater conversation about broadband in the Shen. Valley and universal broadband coverage. Because of the continued interest and room for improvement, the SVTC created a Slack channel to see where the conversation could take us. It’s open to anyone – please join us: SVTechCouncil (Slack)

As of the beginning of May 2021, the conversation there is exploring where the underserved areas of the Shenandoah Valley are, and whether there are any localities interested in discussing -perhaps collaborating- on a VATI 2022 grant. (see VATI grant timeline here)

Further info (tool kits, bills, and grant funding):

• • Commonwealth Connect site, incl. the Commonwealth Connect Report and the toolkit
  • VIRGINIA TELECOMMUNICATION INITIATIVE (VATI)
  • Virginia has been apportioned $17 billion in the America Rescue Plan to expand access to high-speed broadband
  • T-Mobile’s Project 10Million
  • Emergency Broadband Benefit Program
  • FCC’s E-Rate program

The Virginia Technology Councils’ 2021 Policy Agenda is a collaborative summary statement created by the tech councils in Virginia in December 2020

Education & Workforce Development
In order for Virginia’s businesses to grow and thrive, they need well-trained and highly skilled employees. In the technology industry, Virginia continues to experience a shortage of trained workers.  Virginia’s Tech Councils support the following efforts to increase our workforce:

• Funding for G3: ‘Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back’
  • G3 will make tuition-free community college available to low- and middle-income students who pursue jobs in high-demand fields such as information technology. It will provide financial support to cover tuition, fees, and books for eligible students at the Commonwealth’s two-year public institutions, as well as wraparound assistance for students at the lowest income levels.
• Funding for Fast Forward
  • FastForward is a short-term workforce training program through the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) to train Virginians for industry credentials and certifications for the most in-demand jobs across the Commonwealth.
• Funding for the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) Talent Accelerator Program and Virginia Jobs Investment Program
  • Additional funding for two worker training programs at VEDP was unallotted during the 2020 session. Over the last five fiscal years, Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP) has assisted nearly 75 companies in the technology industry, creating over 13,000 jobs and almost $300 million in capital investment. The Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, launched in 2019, accelerates new facility start-ups through the direct delivery of recruitment and training services that are fully customized to a company’s unique products, processes, equipment, standards, and culture.
• State Review of Implementation of Computer Science Education
  • A comprehensive review of the ongoing implementation of mandatory computer science standards as well as alignment of course pathways, including implementation best practices and opportunities for enhanced collaboration with stakeholders.

IT Procurement
The Commonwealth is home to a vibrant industry of technology companies employing thousands of Virginians. Many of these technology companies offer high-value, innovative solutions increasing access to and improving the efficiency of our state government. Virginia’s Tech Councils support

• Policies to ensure that the Commonwealth’s procurement process is open, transparent and promote a culture of creativity and competition.
• In these uncertain times, use available resources to fund much needed one-time expenses including procuring upgrades to several long-deferred information technology systems and modernizing public agencies and networks to better communicate and adapt to a rapidly changing work environment.
• Keeping burdensome taxes and regulations to a minimum, especially as additional costs ultimately get passed back to the Commonwealth in the form of higher priced procurement.

Innovation and Economic Development
Virginia has made great strides in laying the foundation for long term growth of our technology industry including restructuring our state level programs and creating the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority (VIPA).  Additionally, significant investments in education and workforce development continue to increase our potential for growth.  Virginia’s Tech Councils support the following efforts to strengthen our efforts to grow and recruit Virginia-based IT businesses:

• Increase funding for the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority
  • The VIPA Regional Investment Fund was established through legislation but not funded during the 2020 session. This program will help businesses grow and thrive by building critical ecosystems in all regions of the Commonwealth and provide support in areas where programs like GO Virginia are unable to help.
• Increase flexibility for GO Virginia and VEDP Grants for businesses implementing remote work
  • Additional flexibility is needed for businesses seeking existing economic development grants and assistance, but whose capital investment is limited due to significant remote work. Allowing more flexibility in a rapidly changing office environment would increase our ability to grow businesses and create jobs in changing business models across Virginia.
• Expand and Diversify Key Technology Sectors
  • The Commonwealth is home to several key existing and emerging technologies and our agencies and resources should be utilized to help these sectors expand and diversify. In recent years, policymakers have worked diligently to support many of these areas including Unmanned Systems (land, sea, air), Cybersecurity, Smart Communities, Extended/Virtual/Augmented Reality, Biomedical, and Renewable Energy Technologies.
• Data Centers
  • Support maintaining Virginia’s competitive position as a global leader in the data center market by protecting the existing data center investment incentives. As our communities rely more heavily on work from home and virtual education, these data centers are what make it all possible.

Broadband Access
Universal access to affordable broadband is essential to every Virginian in order to compete in today’s global economy, and the COVID-19 pandemic has made high-speed internet even more critical.  Virginia’s Tech Councils support ongoing efforts to fund broadband deployment in all corners of the Commonwealth and reduce red tape and barriers that make deployment more difficult.