Advisory Board
The Workforce Ready Advisory Board brings together higher education partners, early childhood professionals, and community stakeholders to guide project activities and strengthen connections across Virginia’s early childhood workforce. Through shared expertise and collaboration, members help advance disability-inclusive curriculum, professional development, and meaningful field placement opportunities to better prepare early childhood professionals to support all children, including those with disabilities and developmental delays.
Current Project Priorities
The Advisory Board helps guide Workforce Ready's work in several key areas:
- Curriculum Enhancement: Strengthening disability-inclusive content across community college early childhood education courses.
- Faculty Professional Development: Building faculty knowledge and confidence in preparing future early childhood professionals to support all children.
- Community Partnerships: Strengthening connections between higher education institutions, community organizations, and early childhood programs.
- Field Placement Opportunities: Expanding opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience in inclusive early childhood settings.
- Workforce Development: Supporting a well-prepared early childhood workforce equipped to meet the needs of children with disabilities and developmental delays.
Opportunities to Engage
Advisory Board members play an important role in advancing Workforce Ready's goals beyond scheduled meetings. Members are encouraged to:
- Share insights about current workforce needs and challenges.
- Identify potential community partners and field placement opportunities.
- Connect Workforce Ready with relevant organizations and resources.
- Share feedback on project activities, curriculum resources, and professional development.
- Identify opportunities to strengthen collaboration across higher education and community settings.
Meeting Resources
Access materials and information from Advisory Board meetings throughout the year.
- Meeting Materials
Materials will be added following each Advisory Board meeting.
Building Community Partnerships
Strong community partnerships are essential to preparing future early childhood professionals. Workforce Ready is committed to connecting higher education programs with organizations and early childhood settings that support children with disabilities and developmental delays.
Advisory Board members can help identify potential partnerships, expand field placement opportunities, and strengthen connections between students, faculty, and the communities they will serve.
Explore ways to get involved:
- Identify organizations that may be interested in hosting students for field experiences.
- Share information about disability-serving organizations and community resources.
- Help connect Workforce Ready with potential partners across Virginia.