Virginia’s Community Colleges’ FastForward program, the commonwealth’s premier workforce development initiative, saw a 17% increase in student enrollments in fiscal year 2024, resulting in the all-time highest enrollments. In addition, those who completed the program saw their median annual wages increase by an average of 50%.
The short-term, workforce development program is funded through New Economy Workforce Credential Grants, which are administered by The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). The program is the first of its kind in the nation. FastForward provides training for industry credentials that are aligned with in-demand jobs, and it includes tuition assistance for those who need support with paying for the program.
In-demand jobs that FastForward prepares students for include thousands in fields such as:
- Cybersecurity
- Information Technology
- Logistics and Transportation
- Healthcare
- Welding and Manufacturing
- Skilled Trades and Infrastructure
- Education
- Business and Customer Service
FastForward credential programs allow individuals to learn occupation-specific skills and earn a recognized credential in weeks or months, not years. Eligible students pay only one-third of the cost if they successfully complete the program. Many students qualify for financial assistance and pay little or no tuition.
“Our Fast Forward initiative has proven highly successful, having already awarded more than 64 thousand credentials to Virginians looking for meaningful careers in high-demand industries,” said Chancellor Dr. David Doré. “Since 2016, Virginia has invested about 96 million dollars to support students in the program, and its graduates have earned over 6 billion dollars in wages. That’s a tremendous return on investment.”
SCHEV Director Scott Fleming was equally enthusiastic about FastForward’s record-breaking performance. “These grants are incredibly effective tools to rapidly increase the number of workers available for high-demand jobs in the Commonwealth,” he said. “The popularity of the programs has grown exponentially, and we anticipate that growth to continue in the future as they continue to offer a rapid acceleration of earning power in Virginia’s dynamic economy, preparing students not only for the next step in their career, but for a lifetime of earning and learning opportunities.”
Outcomes
Of the 15,753 students who enrolled in the program this past fiscal year, research shows that 14,864 (94%) completed the training and of those, 10,887 went on to earn a credential (69%). A closer look at the 2024 data reveals that commercial driver’s license, medical assistant, construction, and phlebotomy technician were the most popular programs.
Before enrolling in FastForward, students earned a median annual wage of $21,300. Twelve months after completing the program, that median wage rose to $31,851. This $10,551 change represents a 50% increase compared to the median pre-wage.
FastForward launched in 2016 and has grown rapidly. FastForward programs are available at all 23 of Virginia’s Community Colleges.
About Virginia’s Community Colleges:
Since 1966, Virginia’s Community Colleges have given everyone the opportunity to learn and develop the right skills, so lives and communities are strengthened. By making higher education and workforce training available in every part of Virginia, we elevate all of Virginia. In academic year 2024, Virginia’s Community Colleges served more than 232,000 students across 23 schools throughout Virginia. For more information, please visit www.vccs.edu. For more information on FastForward, please visit fastforwardva.org