Virginia Tech, Radford, UVA among universities receiving funding from new statewide tech initiative

Tech Talent Investment Program grew out of Virginia's proposal to Amazon

RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia is set to invest in the tech talent pipeline, creating 31,000 new computer science graduates over the next two decades.

Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday that he signed an agreement with 11 universities.

The Tech Talent Investment Program, which will benefit students and tech employers, grew out of Virginia's proposal to Amazon, which will locate its second headquarters in Northern Virginia.

The plan is for the program to create at least 25,000 new bachelor's and master's degrees in computer science and related fields over the next 20 years.

The agreements with the 11 universities will create 31,000 new degrees in these fields, exceeding the legislative goal.

Virginia Tech says it will receive up to $545 million in funding over the next 20 years.

Radford University will receive $17.3 million to produce additional graduates over the next 20 years.

"This initiative is an investment in Virginians," said Northam. "Virginia's tech sector will continue booming only if we can train the workforce those jobs require. With today's announcement, we are educating a workforce that will fill jobs at hundreds of tech companies around the Commonwealth, including at Amazon, helping boost our economy and quality of life in every corner of Virginia."

Northam said that these 11 universities will not only be the only higher education institutions involved as subsequent agreements will be established with other institutions, including community colleges in the future.

Here are the 11 colleges that received funds in this round, and the degrees over their baseline that they have committed to producing: 

  • Virginia Tech: 5,911 bachelor's degrees, 10,324 master's degrees
  • George Mason University: 2,277 bachelor's degrees, 5,328 master's degrees
  • The University of Virginia: 3,416 bachelor's degrees
  • College of William & Mary: 930 bachelor's degrees
  • Old Dominion University: 765 bachelor's degrees
  • Virginia Commonwealth University: 722 bachelor's degrees
  • James Madison University: 467 bachelor's degrees
  • Radford University: 394 bachelor's degrees
  • Christopher Newport University: 392 bachelor's degrees
  • Virginia State University: 186 bachelor's degrees
  • Norfolk State University: 126 bachelor's degrees