RICHMOND—The GO Virginia State Board announced its approval of one new Region 2 project aimed at growing the regional economy.

Region 2 consists of the cities of Covington, Lynchburg, Radford, Roanoke, and Salem, and the counties of Alleghany, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Botetourt, Campbell, Craig, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski, and Roanoke.

Board Approved Project:

Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance Regional Talent Portal

The Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance will launch SayYestoLYHRegion.org, an innovative digital talent hub designed to attract, develop, and retain talent in the Lynchburg region. This online platform will serve as a centralized resource that connects job seekers, students, educators, and employers with high-impact tools and information to support career exploration, workforce entry, and advancement. Key features of the platform include talent attraction tools and relocation resources; a user-guided resource navigation system; and a career pathways portal.

“The Lynchburg Regional Workforce Roadmap, completed in 2023, identified the need for a regional, coordinated platform to streamline access to education, workforce, and community resources. The Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance Regional Talent Portal directly responds to that need and reflects two years of input and validation from local partners, employers, and workforce organizations,” said Tori Gilmartin, director of talent and workforce development for the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance.

“This initiative is a powerful example of how our region is coming together to connect talent with opportunity,” said William E. Amos, chair of the GO Virginia Region 2 Council. “By providing job seekers, students, and employers with a central hub of resources, we are strengthening the foundation for long-term economic growth across Region 2.”

The GO Virginia board approved a total of $99,999 in state funds for the project, which is leveraging $50,000 in non-state sources.

GO Virginia is a statewide initiative designed to encourage Virginia’s economic growth through the creation of high-wage jobs. Virginia Tech’s Center for Economic and Community Engagement serves as Region 2’s support organization. For more information, please contact John Provo, jprovo@vt.edu.