The GO Virginia project Developing a Destination for Talent seeks to retain talent in the region, providing Virginia Tech students with local internships and faculty members with networking opportunities. I spoke with Catherine Amelink, Associate Vice Provost for Learning Systems Innovation at Virginia Tech, and Melanie McIntire, the Project Manager, about their project.

1. What was the inspiration behind Developing a Destination for Talent?

CA: There have been a lot of recent discussions within Virginia Tech about how we can engage students in experiences prior to graduation that let them enter the workforce better prepared. At the same time, we wanted to think creatively about how we keep talent here in the region. This project evolved from thinking about both of these goals. There's a lot of opportunities with local employers that would present opportunities for young talent to develop desirable workforce skills but our students tend to overlook these opportunities or lack awareness of them and go elsewhere. As a way to make the initiative and project activities part of the institutional culture, the Developing a Destination for Talent program also creates opportunities for faculty to connect with local employers.

2. Could you talk a little about the Virginia Tech Destination Area initiative and how that fits into your project?

CA: The Destination Areas are nine themed areas that all focus on creating communities of faculty and stakeholders interested in solving complex problems that are connected to these themes. The Destination Areas are also designed to create student experiences linked to these nine themes that would help develop complex problem-solving skills. In order to develop these complex problem-solving skills, students need real-world experience that involves project-based opportunities in a classroom as well as opportunities outside of the classroom like internships. This initiative provides both of these opportunities to students and puts local employers in direct contact with the students in both cases. This helps students develop skills, providing ready access to students at the Blacksburg campus with these opportunities. At the same time, employers can build their brand with students through project-based learning and internships, exposing students to what’s here in the region for long-term career options.

3. Since you have started this project, has there been a specific moment or memory that stands out to you?

CA: One that stands out is a student intern who enjoyed the internship experience with Card Isle in Blacksburg so much he accepted a full-time position with them rather than taking an opportunity with a larger company in Northern Virginia. I think that was one of the early wins that we had and we're excited to see that being repeated.

Also, it has been exciting to see how project-based work is evolving. A company called Trova Commercial Vehicles partnered with Industrial Design at Virginia Tech, and this partnership has opened up new lines of thinking among the Industrial Design faculty. Faculty are looking at how they can provide students with more project-based work and allow them the opportunity to complete their projects with real-life clients here in the local area.

MM: I have enjoyed getting to see students grow in their understanding of the region and become stronger young professionals. You can see this program is helping them make progress in how they present themselves, and they've really come out of their shells.

4. How many employers are you currently working with?

MM: We have about 8 companies that currently have interns and 7-9 more that are planning to advertise and prep for an intern in the upcoming semester. They've verbally committed the funds and they're ready to go. As far as projects, I think we have about 7 classroom-based projects conducted by different faculty members.

CA: To date, our efforts have involved a lot of Blacksburg-based companies and NRV based companies, but we are starting to broaden to Pulaski and Roanoke and even beyond to Botetourt, so the initiative is growing.

5. What is your favorite part of working with employers in the region?

CA: Their willingness to engage and their enthusiasm. They are aware of the talent at VT but have not had an opportunity to engage with them, so it is great to see them get excited about the opportunities available. This is definitely opening up new points of access and opportunities for students and employers.

MM: I'll also say your network can never be too big. Making changes in the world starts in your community. Creating partnerships and helping exceed the program's expectations is really important for our community and network expansion.

6. What has been your favorite part about being a GO Virginia grantee?

CA: I really like the synergy of the GO Virginia network and the fact that our local employers are aware of GO Virginia. Another thing I have liked about being a GO Virginia awardee is the opportunity to take what GO Virginia is doing to new spaces in the university. We partnered with Career and Professional Development to support the student interns and advertise positions for local employers. CPD has been a cornerstone for career preparation of VT students but this unit had not had any previous exposure to GO Virginia before, so making new connections in that way has been exciting.

Also, organizations such as the Roanoke Regional Partnership and Onward NRV are key supporters of GO Virginia goals. Their willingness to engage with us and aid our efforts has been tremendous in allowing us to have a bigger impact.

7. What advice would you give to a recent college graduate?

MM: Networking is very important; meet everyone, do everything you can, volunteer, and put yourself out there. Take the opportunities that come to you. I had someone tell me, "If you work hard and put your nose in the dirt, opportunities will present themselves." That has been true in my case, so that would be my biggest piece of advice.

8. How has the project been affected by COVID-19 and how have you had to adjust?

CA: From a positive slant, we've been able to continue to get students placed into internship opportunities. A challenge we faced is shifting in-person events to a different format. We wanted to take the students on excursions to visit local employment organizations. We also had wanted to do larger networking events that would be fun for local employers, students, and faculty. We've had to move those events online but it has allowed us to grow our partners; we’ve been able to involve several local young professional networks in these online events which has been great, and there are fewer barriers in terms of time and travel for engagement

MM: We try to stick to about two virtual events a semester. Each one has a different theme. The next one we have coming up is a trivia game, where we will be hosting some tourism folks from around the region and having them ask students questions based on where they work. This will help expose the students to information they may not have known otherwise. While we can't take students to those places specifically and put them there physically, we want to teach them some fun facts relating to the area.

9. What skills have you developed as a result of managing this project?

CA: A skill I didn't have before was understanding workforce needs in the local region. We've had to spend a fair amount of time unpacking that aspect in each county or town and also with the employers themselves.

MM: I would also say advertising and marketing. That is the best way to reach people, especially given the fact we can't have networking events. It's been a great skill that I've been working on and developing more.

10. What are your future plans for Destination for Talent?

CA: One of the things that we would like to see happen is the identification of other sources of funding that will help grow internship opportunities with local employers. That could come from agencies that have touchpoints to VT or GO Virginia. For instance, we are working with the Virginia Space Grant Consortium’s Commonwealth STEM Industry Internship Program to leverage additional funding to continue to allow for synergy as it relates to talent development in the region. We are also thinking about how we can share what we have learned with Radford University, Hollins University, and other institutions in the area to replicate and grow talent development and pathway programs to local employers.