New River Valley, VA – Axios recently published an article titled “The New Tech Hubs”. The article features data from The Brookings Institute and details that tech jobs in the New River Valley grew by more than 12% from 2019 to 2020 making the region the 3rd highest for rate of growth in the entire U.S.
The Axios piece quotes Brookings’ Mark Muro, a co-author of the report saying;
“Tech jobs drive innovation, pay well, and have substantial multipliers, for local economies and the national one.”
Source: Brookings Institute analysis of Emsi Burning Glass Data
The Brookings report went on to outline the necessity of state funding as it relates to continued growth within the sector. “Renewed state investments in public higher education will be necessary in building up new tech hubs”. The writers go on to recommend four things to ensure strong growth within the tech sector:
- Developing a skilled, abundant and diverse digital workforce.
- Providing excellent broadband connectivity.
- Cultivating a vibrant tech community with plentiful networking opportunities and acceleration programs.
- Crafting an excellent quality of place, complete with top-notch schools, parks and greenspace, bike lanes and co-working spaces.
Click here to learn more about the tech industry in Virginia’s New River Valley.
Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment, and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.
