Developing a Destination for Talent

Localities: Counties of Roanoke, Botetourt, Floyd, Giles, Montgomery; Cities of Salem, Radford, Vinton Alleghany Highlands

Developing a Destination for Talent connected an untapped pool of Virginia Tech undergraduates to regional employers seeking to find and retain talent and provided faculty members with networking opportunities. Project activities included the creation of paid internships to build a talent pipeline from VT to regional companies. The Office of the Vice Provost for Learning Systems Innovation and Effectiveness, inclusive of the Career and Professional Development Office, coordinated with local businesses to share student internship opportunities and provided students with appropriate training materials and general work etiquette needed to succeed in the workforce. The project benefited Region 2 by highlighting current job opportunities, offering additional intern slots, and reducing hiring and training costs for the surrounding communities. Virginia Tech has created nine Destination Areas which align with the GO Virginia Region 2’s target industries. These activities built on the new approaches to internships identified in the “Stopping the Brain Drain” project.

For more information, please email Catherine Amelink.