"I wouldn't even have been able to take the course and get extra income without the Virginia Ready program. Plus the Credential Achievement Award after passing my course was very helpful as well."

"I would not be helping patients and doing what I love had it not been for Virginia Ready’s support."

"Let your passions guide you. If it’s something you want to do, the sacrifices and extra time spent will all be worth it. Virginia Ready has helped me get my foot in the door."

"The cumulative effect of the program has been life-changing without the least addition of exaggeration. I now have a job that even with all of the daily pressures [of the job still leaves me fulfilled at the end of the day. I think what resonates with me the most is the quality of family time that I have gained."

"Virginia Ready helped with updating my resume to submit my job applications. They gave me a digital Virginia Ready badge that I got to attach to my resume which made it look really nice, and I was able to talk about Virginia Ready at my interview"

"Without Virginia Ready, I doubt I would ever have taken the first steps, but today I am reaching higher than I ever expected to be able to."

“Increasing access to workforce training programs in high-demand fields helps to position our talent in Virginia to lead. Investments in talent development and training, like Virginia Ready, are crucial to our Commonwealth’s future success.”

“Virginia Ready is a timely initiative that will help thousands of Virginians to recover more quickly from the economic damage of the COVID-19 pandemic, while also enabling them to meaningfully increase their wages and/or explore new career opportunities. What Glenn and Suzanne Youngkin have launched is an exemplar of high-impact, well-designed philanthropy that builds on great work that already is underway at community colleges across the Commonwealth. I’m grateful to Glenn and Suzanne, as well as to all the other leaders and companies involved, for envisioning this exciting program and bringing it to life in record time.”

“I’m excited for the launch of the Virginia Ready Initiative in our state. As our economy begins to recover from the devastating effects of COVID-19, it’s essential that workers have immediate access to the necessary skills that employers are looking for. Virginia Ready and their partners are giving workers the opportunity to set a new path for themselves and their families during these trying times.”

“I appreciate the innovation and focus of Virginia Ready where businesses and our community colleges are working together to fill in-demand, high-paying jobs.  I hope Virginians across the state will take advantage of this unique opportunity to be retrained with skills that will lead to rewarding careers and help grow our economy.”

“Virginia Ready is an extraordinary plan to put Virginians back to work during these extraordinary times.  The mission of Glenn and Suzanne Youngkin and the Virginia Ready board is simple, match living wage jobs with those hit-hard by the COVID-19 recession.  Best of all it is a private sector solution from some of the best business minds in our Commonwealth. This will be a bi-partisan effort with a strong partnership with our Community College System that will pay dividends for years to come.”

“Virginia is home to hundreds of thousands of technology job openings, many of them located in the tech hub of Northern Virginia’s 32nd District. Virginia Ready is the missing link in our efforts to rapidly provide employment to our unemployed neighbors and provide trained employees for Virginia businesses. It represents enlightened business at its best.”

“It is very encouraging to see businesses across the Commonwealth taking the initiative to help Virginians in this way.  Retraining workers for available jobs in growing business sectors has a double benefit:  It helps Virginians who have lost their jobs due to this terrible pandemic, and it helps Virginia businesses find the well-trained employees they need in order to grow.  Great vision and execution by Virginia Ready.”

"This is a tremendous opportunity for many of our citizens who have lost employment as a result of Covid 19. I want to thank Suzaane and Glenn Youngkin and Dr. Nancy Agee for making this program available to the Roanoke Valley. This effort complements the city’s partnership with Virginia Western Community College and the current Star City Strong Recovery fund initiative of City Council, which is intended to support our community’s economic recovery. As I have said on many occasions we are in this together."

"Career Technical Education is a critical pathway that allows our young people to develop in-demand advanced skills. But the rising cost of postsecondary education continues to erect barriers to access for occupations that can elevate promising students into the middle class.  We are grateful that Virginia Ready is helping us to take down barriers to fulfilling vocational careers and personal achievement.  With this significant investment, they are supporting our students and preparing them to work across emerging industries in a rapidly evolving economy."

"The Virginia Ready program allows our city’s unemployed residents to leverage their talents and reposition their skills to compete and contribute in the high-growth sectors of technology, healthcare and manufacturing and skilled trades.  Virginia Ready makes Richmonders ready, and I am pleased to support this timely initiative."

"This is an exciting new partnership to help people who are out of work because of the pandemic. We have people who need work and companies who need employees, so Virginia’s community colleges and employers are coming together to help. If you choose a high-demand field, our community colleges will train you and then Virginia Ready will help you find a job and give you a $1,000 achievement award. This is one more way that Virginia is demonstrating that helping workers also helps business and our economy."

"At Maximus, we foster a culture that respects and values individual contributions and differences that spark innovation, leadership, and exceptional performance. Incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion is a personal and business imperative. Given the diverse nature of our BPO services, we offer a wide variety of employment opportunities from supporting individuals through case work and engagement center operations to driving business development opportunities, to enhancing our digital transformation through IT. No matter the role, we are driven by our mission to help government serve people though health and human services benefit programs, here in Virginia, as well as across the country and around the world. We are proud to partner with Virginia Ready and help Virginians find a home at Maximus."

"Harris Williams is proud to be a part of this innovative, impactful effort and is committed to supporting our community. We applaud Glenn and the corporate partners for creating the cause, and supporting Virginians during these trying times. This model provides an exponential impact in helping people get back on their feet and back to work."

"1901 Group looks forward to working closely with VA Ready to strengthen our economy, support career pathways, and fulfill thousands of open positions by identifying, training, and employing Virginians impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. VA Ready’s vision aligns closely with 1901 Group’s 10-year track record of developing sustainable IT jobs in regions such as Southwest Virginia."

"The VA Ready program stands to make a high-demand, high-potential career accessible to the many Virginians who are out of work and in need right now. With career readiness education being one of K12’s top priorities, we are so proud to be supporting this program, and look forward to seeing how its upskilling opportunities will help empower people and get the state’s economy moving again."

"Training and employment opportunities — particularly for racial minorities, who have been disproportionately impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and the systemic injustices of our society — are more important than ever. We have focused for many years on training and reskilling our employees to meet the changing needs of our clients and business. We are honored to partner with Virginia Ready on this vital initiative and to help fill the growing demand for skilled technology jobs."

"The organization's track record speaks for itself. Any company located in Virginia, large or small, is relying on a well-skilled employee base from which to draw much-needed talent. With support from employers, Virginia Ready is facilitating access to a broader pool of motivated, skilled, and credentialed workers to fill key jobs."

"If we think about the really innovative way that VA Ready is providing access to education and job opportunities, it actually aligns perfectly with SAIC’s business strategy, which is focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and bringing more skilled talent into the workforce."

"Unprecedented times like these require innovative and impactful approaches. Virginia Ready will strengthen the resiliency of Virginia’s workforce, in particular in underrepresented communities. EY is proud to stand with this commitment to retrain unemployed Virginians and stimulate the economy."

"I did this in the middle of a pandemic, in the middle of grief, in the middle of being a single parent, and if it wasn’t for Virginia Ready making it so simple, financial-wise, I wouldn’t have been able to keep up."

"Virginia Ready gave me hope and a much-needed opportunity to learn a new skill that I know will serve me in my future career endeavors."

"I was able to go back with the company I was with before, in a much higher position."

"Participating in Virginia Ready is one of the many steps I’ve taken to improve myself, avoid poverty, and provide for my daughter."

"I have a big ambition about this career, and that’s my goal. I want to continue gaining experience traveling the country and welding throughout the United States… I just hope more people can find out about the program and take advantage of it."