Workforce Ready

School of Education

About Us

PurposeA young child with a cochlear implant holds a red toy, looking attentively to the side.

The Workforce Ready Grant addresses the growing demand for personnel equipped with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to support young children eligible under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in community-based settings. This need is especially pressing in Virginia’s rural communities, where demand for qualified Early Childhood Education (ECE) professionals far exceeds available capacity.

 

Objectives

The Workforce Ready Grant aims to achieve the following objectives:

  1. Increase the Number of Qualified Personnel: Expand the pool of highly qualified ECE professionals who can effectively support young children with disabilities and their families.
  2. Strengthen Community College Faculty Capacity: Enhance the ability of community college faculty to integrate disability-related content into their curricula, equipping graduates with the necessary skills to work with young children with delays and disabilities.
  3. Deliver Effective Professional Development and Technical Assistance: Provide impactful professional development and technical assistance to community college faculty, supporting their roles as instructors and leaders in disability education.

Strengthening Early Childhood Education

The Workforce Ready Grant advances equity in ECE through:

  • Curriculum Enhancement for Empowerment: Empowering graduates of the Associate of Applied Science in Early Childhood Development (AAS-ECD) program with leadership and advocacy skills, ensuring they are prepared to support young children with disabilities in community settings.
  • Expanding Articulation Agreements: Increasing opportunities for AAS-ECD graduates, especially from rural and under-resourced communities, to pursue four-year degrees. This pathway broadens career options and increases earning potential for early childhood professionals.

Focus AreasA diverse group of women in a classroom claps and smiles while engaging in a learning session.

The Workforce Ready Grant emphasizes intensive, evidence-based technical assistance and professional development to strengthen the AAS-ECD curriculum. This approach prepares graduates to serve young children with disabilities and delays, as well as their families, in community-based settings across Virginia.

Through these efforts, Workforce Ready will build a stronger, more inclusive workforce of early childhood practitioners who can make a meaningful impact in rural and under-resourced communities.

Project Team

The Workforce Ready Grant is supported by strong partnerships with Virginia community colleges, including Southwest Virginia Community College (SWCC), Patrick & Henry Community College (P&HCC), Eastern Shore Community College (ESCC), and Central Virginia Community College (CVCC). These institutions play a crucial role in enhancing workforce readiness in their regions. Additionally, we have collaborated with George Mason University (GMU), and Old Dominion University (ODU), which further enriches our initiatives and expands our impact across Virginia.