FY 2027 Research Agenda

Each year, VOEE is required to submit a research agenda to the Governor and General Assembly based on input from key stakeholders, as outlined in Item 113 L.3., Chapter One of the 2026 Acts of Assembly, Special Session 1. These stakeholders—also referred to as the research advisory group—include:

• Governor’s administration: Secretaries of Labor, Commerce and Trade, and Education
• General Assembly: Members of, or staff to, committees of the General Assembly
• Agencies: State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) – GO Virginia Board, Department of Workforce Development and Advancement (Virginia Works), Virginia Employment Commission (VEC), Department of Education (DOE)

VOEE staff identified 16 projects and key tasks for FY 2027 (Appendix A of the attached report) based on the themes of: labor market insights, talent development and skills alignment, and data translation and capacity building.

Projects and tasks were reviewed with members of the research advisory group and other key stakeholders. Projects that are required as part of legislation, either through the budget or as part of the Code of Virginia, include references to their mandated activity.

Primary projects that will require a high percentage of staff engagement in the coming year include the following:

• Employer Feedback and Talent Attraction Research (Projects 1 and 3): VOEE will strengthen Virginia’s understanding of workforce challenges by developing a new employer intelligence capability. Working initially with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), VOEE will collect and synthesize qualitative employer feedback on talent attraction, retention, and workforce needs. Findings will be shared through research briefs and tools. In addition, VOEE will update its analysis of Virginia college graduate outcomes, including where students live and work upon completion, to better understand talent retention in the Commonwealth.
• Skills, AI, and Workforce Alignment Analysis (Project 2): VOEE will analyze changing employer demand for skills and examine how workforce needs are evolving beyond traditional degree requirements. This work will assess the alignment of education and training programs with high demand skills and will include an analysis of both the technical and durable skills associated with the adoption and use of artificial intelligence (AI).
• Education Program Alignment Work (Projects 6-8): VOEE will work with education and workforce partners to evaluate how existing and planned education and training programs, including internships, align with labor market demand. This analysis will identify areas of strength, highlight potential gaps, and provide insights to support future program development and workforce planning. In addition, VOEE will map industry credentials and training to high demand occupations to further assess alignment to middle skills jobs.
• Data Awareness, Communications, and Outreach (Projects 11–13): VOEE will expand its efforts to increase awareness and use of workforce and education data across the Commonwealth. Through the implementation of new webinars, research briefs, enhanced dashboards, and the development of statewide talent metrics in partnership with state agencies, VOEE will help policymakers, educators, workforce practitioners, and other stakeholders better understand and apply data to inform planning, policy, and program decisions.

To ensure alignment with stakeholder needs, VOEE provides quarterly meetings and other updates.

For additional questions, please contact us at voee.org.

Read and download the report here