The Tech Talent Investment Program is a $1.1 billion investment in computer science education that will transform Virginia’s tech talent pipeline for the next two decades.

The addition of more than 32,000 graduates in computer science and related fields over the next two decades (in excess of current levels) will ensure a steady stream of qualified Virginians are prepared to fill the jobs of the future.

Virginia Tech’s Department of Computer Science systems and networking track trains students to understand the interaction of software and hardware in computer systems and networks. Programs include the Distributed Systems and Storage Laboratory, where students look at the design, development, and evaluation of next-generation storage and file systems, and the Systems, Networking, and Renaissance Grokking (SyNerGy) Lab in which students conduct basic and applied research in parallel and distributed computing to provide scientists and engineers with scalable and efficient computational tools.

At Virginia Tech’s Bradley Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering faculty and students delve into all major areas of electrical and computer engineering. The main campus is in Blacksburg, and the department has additional research and teaching facilities in Arlington, Falls Church, and Hampton.

The Southern Virginia Higher Education Center IT Academy (ITA) offers short-term training to prepare individuals with the skills and certifications required for employment in the information technology industry. ITA learning spaces include a data center lab housing five rows with 200+ servers, routers, and switches; a hardware repair center with a full complement of needed IT tools and equipment; and a trainee classroom computer lab.

The Northern Virginia Technology Council’s Data Center and Cloud Infrastructure Committee promotes the interests of the region’s growing data center, cloud, and critical infrastructure community in an effort to contribute to the long-term growth and prosperity of the industry. Efforts include:

• Providing educational and training programming for its members and forums for thought leadership and the sharing of best practices.
• Leading efforts to identify the needs of the future workforce and advocate for industry-specific education programming.
• Standing up, in conjunction with Northern Virginia Community College, a two-year program called Engineering Technology: Datacenter Operations Technician, to provide student training in a cross-section of data center operations.

Many of Virginia’s 23 community colleges offer programs of study in network administration, including:

• Tidewater Community College – Career Studies Certificate in network administration
• Northern Virginia Community College – Network Engineering (Specialist) Career Studies certificate
• Piedmont Virginia Community College – Computer and Network Support Technologies Career Studies certificate 
• Virginia Highlands Community College – Associate’s degree in information technology, specialization in networking