Virginia is expected to add another 20,000 new jobs in Information Technology over the next five years, and to help prepare a tech-savvy workforce, Virginia’s Community Colleges will need major new programs in IT training, and significant new coordination with industry leaders to ensure the programs are relevant and timely. With those goals in mind, the VCCS brought together more than 250 educators and industry reps at the Richmond Convention Center this month for the System’s 2025 IT Summit.
G. Bryan Slater, Virginia Secretary of Labor
“Community Colleges are uniquely positioned to deliver the training that businesses and citizens are seeking,” said Virginia Labor Secretary G. Bryan Slater.
“Virginians come to you for real-life career training that people need,” added Slater. “You understand regional and local employer needs. You are where working adults turn to re-tool their careers, and you have the trust of the students and employers to make skills training effective and relevant.”
VCCS IT Summit in Richmond, Oct. 3, 2025
Hiring managers from several of Virginia’s biggest IT employers said educators will be called on to develop and update training programs to meet the ever-changing need of businesses.
Demand is particularly high for workers with skills in cyber-security and Artificial Intelligence.
A real-time demonstration of AI tools by Central Virginia Community College Information Systems Professor Corinne Hoisington provided dramatic evidence of the growing power of AI to create convincing simulations of reality. Educators now are being called on to equip students with the technical literacy to know truth from fiction in the increasingly digital workplace.
Summit participants also split up into groups based on GO Virginia regions to discuss gaps, successes and action items, including mapping out new IT micro-credentials and strengthening education and employer talent pipelines. It was clear that IT will continue to play a growing role across all industrial sectors, and our colleges will be called on to respond accordingly.
“Our goal is that after today is to be even more attuned to your needs and goals, and more aligned in terms of a shared vision of how we will address this sector moving forward,” said VCCS Chancellor David Doré. “We’re grateful for your support, and we cannot be the transformational system in addressing the commonwealth’s workforce needs without significant and strategic financial investments and support from our industry partners.”
“We know there are nearly 2 million working age Virginians who don’t have any credentials beyond high school, and another million of us have some college
but no degree,” added Dr. Doré. “We’re working intentionally to reach adult learners who would benefit from improved employment skills.”
“The challenges were addressing today aren’t just about filling IT positions,” added Secretary Bryan. “They’re about economic resilience, innovation capacity and ensuring Virginians remain competitive in the global marketplace where digital fluency is no longer optional, it’s essential.”
Dr. David Doré, VCCS Chancellor
The VCCS rolled out a series of new promotional videos at the IT Summit to show that community colleges are up to the IT training challenge. You can view the videos online.
Additional Industry Sector Summits:
The VCCS has brought together educators and business leaders from several of Virginia’s fastest growing industry sectors. A summit devoted to meeting the needs of the Healthcare industry was held in November of 2023. A Skilled Trades Summit was held in Roanoke in October of 2024.
Still in the planning stages: a VCCS Industry Summit on Advanced Manufacturing.
You can view and download photos from the IT Summit.
