Hundreds of thousands of Virginia students rely on career and technical education to build skills for the workforce — but a new state review reveals that where a student lives can dramatically shape what opportunities they have access to. A report released October 1 is now pushing state leaders to close those gaps and better connect classroom training with the jobs employers actually need.
Earlier this year, the Virginia General Assembly authorized the Virginia Board of Education and the Board of Workforce Development to conduct a comprehensive statewide review of every career and technical education (CTE) course, pathway, and industry-recognized credential offered in Virginia’s public schools. The goal: make sure K-12 programs are genuinely preparing students for today’s and tomorrow’s workforce.
The findings paint a mixed picture. Virginia public schools currently offer 520 unique CTE courses, 367 of which are industry-recognized credentials, organized across 82 career pathways — based on data collected from the 2024–2025 school year. The strongest career clusters include agriculture, business management, health sciences, human services, and information technology. But access to those credentials is far from equal across the state.
A Wide Gap in Credential Access
One of the report’s most striking findings is the regional disparity in how many credentials students can earn. Region 2, covering the Tidewater area, leads the state with 214 available credentials. Meanwhile, Region 8, which covers the Southside area, offers just 54 — less than a quarter of what Tidewater students can access. While pathway availability is relatively consistent across regions, the depth and quality of credential offerings vary considerably.
The review also found that Virginia’s 10 most frequently earned CTE credentials do not consistently meet expectations for industry recognition and alignment — a significant concern for students hoping those credentials will carry real weight with employers.
The Virginia Department of Education acknowledged the problem directly and outlined steps to address it.
“The Virginia Department of Education is committed to strengthening this alignment, and we are actively engaged in the development of definition and criteria for industry-recognized credentials that will guide the evaluation of both existing and future credential offerings,”
the agency stated.
The department also noted that local flexibility will be preserved.
“School divisions will continue to have the flexibility to identify and offer any CTE course, pathway, or credential approved by the Virginia Board of Education, ensuring responsiveness to local workforce needs as we work toward a more rigorous and industry-aligned credential landscape,”
the agency added.
What the Boards Are Recommending
Based on the review, state boards recommended expanding credential access in underserved areas, aligning programs more tightly with high-demand fields, strengthening relationships with regional employers, and improving data transparency so outcomes can be tracked more effectively over time. Stronger credential and pathway standards — along with better monitoring of long-term student outcomes — were also among the suggested improvements.
Stakeholder input pointed to cybersecurity, advanced health sciences, and specialized skilled trades as areas ripe for program expansion statewide.
Virginia has also committed funding to back these priorities. The state allocated $20 million to expand CTE development programs across the Virginia Community College System. That investment will support 900 additional students in health-related programs such as nursing and medical assisting, and 1,000 more students in workforce programs including welding and HVAC.
A Regional Approach to Workforce Needs
State lawmakers are already weighing in on how to move forward. Del. Terry Austin, R-Botetourt, stressed that a one-size-fits-all approach to CTE won’t serve Virginia’s diverse regional economies.
“We need to look at regionally what that region needs, and we should cater our academics to that more so than let’s just offer everything,”
Austin said in an October 26 interview. His view is that programs should reflect local realities — an area with heavy industry might center welding, while a tech-focused region might invest more deeply in information technology. Even fields like cosmetology and horticulture should be shaped by local demand, he suggested.
Legislation on the Horizon
Several bills in the Virginia legislature aim to translate the review’s recommendations into policy. Del. Wendell Walker, R-Lynchburg, is carrying House Bill 1023, which would bring industry professionals directly into classrooms. Del. Delores Oates, R-Warren, has proposed HB 1383, which would make it easier for technical professionals to obtain teaching licenses by improving access to community college coursework.
On the credential quality front, Sen. Danny Diggs, R-York, has put forward Senate Bill 733, which would establish clearer standards for workforce training programs that fall outside traditional degree pathways. And Del. Destiny LeVere Bolling, D-Henrico, is sponsoring HB 428, which would give students more ways to demonstrate workforce readiness beyond conventional academic metrics.
Virginia lawmakers are set to convene in Richmond on January 13 to take up CTE legislation and other education-related issues.