Two and four-year college graduates (55.5% and 62.7% respectively) responded that Virginia's colleges and universities should focus on the provision of more apprenticeships, internships, externships and other hands-on opportunities.
Old Dominion University and the Hampton Roads Workforce Council (HRWC) will lead the 757 Regional Internship Collaborative, a new effort to strengthen the talent pipeline through work-based learning opportunities.
The 757 Regional Internship Collaborative brings together representatives from K-12 school districts, higher education institutions, businesses, industry, economic development, and regional leadership organizations.
The collaborative is funded through a $250,000 grant from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) from its Innovative Internship Fund and Program.
The members of the collaborative include:
- K-12 career and technical education representatives from Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Isle of Wight, Southampton County and New Horizons.
- Higher education representatives from Old Dominion University, Norfolk State University, Virginia Wesleyan College, Regent University, Christopher Newport University, The College of William & Mary, Tidewater Community College, Paul D. Camp Community College, Eastern Shore Community College, ECPI and the Virginia Tidewater Consortium for Higher Education.
- Business and community partner representatives from the cities of Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Hampton; 757 Collab; Coastal Virginia Center for Cyber Innovation (CoVA CCI); Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce; Hampton Roads Alliance; Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Coastal Virginia; Hampton Roads Workforce Council; Reinvent HR; Norfolk Innovation Corridor; Hampton Roads Maritime Collaborative for Growth & Innovation; Black BRAND; and SimIS Inc.
- Additional invited partners include Hampton University and Virginia Peninsula Community College.
| Executive Leadership | Brian Payne (ODU) and Whitney Lester (Hampton Roads Workforce Council) |
| Project Director | Michelle Simmons (ODU) |
| Subcommittee Chairs | |
| K-12 | Christina Brooks |
| Higher Education | Jenn Grimm |
| Non-profit | Bridget Weikel |
| Industry | Sarah Jane Kirkland |
| Marketing | Giovanna Genard |
| Technology | Marissa Jimenez |
| Data | David Shirley |
The members of the collaborative include:
- K-12 career and technical education representatives from Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Isle of Wight, Southampton County and New Horizons.
- Higher education representatives from Old Dominion University, Norfolk State University, Virginia Wesleyan College, Regent University, Christopher Newport University, The College of William & Mary, Tidewater Community College, Paul D. Camp Community College, Eastern Shore Community College, ECPI and the Virginia Tidewater Consortium for Higher Education.
- Business and community partner representatives from the cities of Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Hampton; 757 Collab; Coastal Virginia Center for Cyber Innovation (CoVA CCI); Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce; Hampton Roads Alliance; Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Coastal Virginia; Hampton Roads Workforce Council; Reinvent HR; Norfolk Innovation Corridor; Hampton Roads Maritime Collaborative for Growth & Innovation; Black BRAND; and SimIS Inc.
- Additional invited partners include Hampton University and Virginia Peninsula Community College.
| Executive Leadership | Brian Payne (ODU) and Whitney Lester (Hampton Roads Workforce Council) |
| Project Director | Michelle Simmons (ODU) |
| Subcommittee Chairs | |
| K-12 | Christina Brooks |
| Higher Education | Jenn Grimm |
| Non-profit | Bridget Weikel |
| Industry | Sarah Jane Kirkland |
| Marketing | Giovanna Genard |
| Technology | Marissa Jimenez |
| Data | David Shirley |