Workforce training programs at Virginia’s Community Colleges are making a difference in the lives of thousands of
Virginians, including Hayden Bayles, seen here on the right. Bayles is studying machining at Brightpoint Community College and already has put his new skills to work in his job as a machine operator for a Richmond area firm.
In a recent interview with Richmond Public Radio, Bayles said financial help made all the difference. “Without G3, I probably would have either not been able to complete my final year or would have been kind of stranded — kind of stuck,” he said.
Affordability for students is an important feature of both the G3 and FastForward programs, which help Virginians train for jobs in fields where employers are eager to hire workers. And research statistics presented to the VCCS State Board March 16 showed that students who earned industry credentials through FastForward indeed are putting their skills to work in Virginia’s economy.
Analysis of employment records shows that four out of five FastForward graduates from AY 2019-20 had joined the Commonwealth’s workforce within 6 months. A year later, 86 percent of FastForward grads were on the job. And the VCCS analytics team said the numbers could be even higher because the data doesn’t track all employers, including the Federal government, and those who are self-employed.
The data indicate there may be more to the story. More than a quarter of FastForward graduates from the class of 2019-20 went on to enroll in additional VCCS programs, including subsequent FastForward credential training, and even in VCCS credit programs, indicating workforce training may be a path for some students to re-enter the world of higher education. System researchers plan to take a deeper dive to learn more about that. Stay tuned!
