The Virginia Board of Workforce Development’s High Demand Occupations List

The Virginia Board of Workforce Development (VBWD) oversees the Virginia Workforce System, including Virginia’s High Demand Occupations List. The Board was established to fulfill the requirements of the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which provides funding to help job seekers access employment, education, and training and to match employers with skilled workers. The Board works with the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Secretary of Labor to meet workforce development needs in the Commonwealth.

The Code of Virginia outlines the responsibilities of the VBWD, including publishing the biennial list of high demand Occupations.1 Section § 2.2-2472 directs the VBWD to determine and publish a list of jobs, trades, and professions for which a high demand for qualified workers exists or is projected by the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement (DWDA). The Board must then disseminate the list to a wide array of stakeholders, including employers; education and training entities, including associate- and baccalaureate-granting public institutions of higher education; government agencies, including the Department of Education and public libraries; and other users in the public and private sectors.

The Virginia Office of Education Economics (VOEE) is a close partner of the VBWD and the DWDA. VOEE was commissioned to compile the list for the Board’s approval starting in 2023. The full 2024 High Demand Occupations List is available in Appendix A of this report.

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