Virginia has been ranked first in the nation for Tech Talent Pipeline and Cybersecurity in Business Facilities’ 18th Annual Rankings Report. This is the second year the state has taken the top spot in both of these ranking categories. Virginia is also ranked second for Best Business Climate overall and was recognized as a Business Facilities State of the Year in early 2022 for its competitive business climate.
“In this second year of BF’s Tech Talent Pipeline ranking, Virginia stood out again with the investments and partnerships the state and other entities have forged to meet the workforce needs of so many businesses today,” said BF Editorial Director, Anne Cosgrove. “We were impressed with the accomplishments that the state’s Tech Talent Investment Program continued to deliver in 2021.”
As part of its drive to expand its tech talent workforce, Virginia has a strong focus on skilled cybersecurity workers. In this year’s rankings, BF recognizes initiatives in that sphere, including the close to 50 colleges and universities that have established cyber degrees. Virginia is also home to 23 NSA/DHS Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE) in cybersecurity.
The states that round out the top 5 for the Tech Talent Pipeline ranking are: California, New York, North Carolina, and Maryland, respectively.¹ In Cybersecurity, Texas, Maryland, Utah, and Colorado are right behind Virginia as leaders in the field.
¹ Each category in Business Facilities Annual Rankings Report ranks 10 top locations. The full report is published in the July/August 2022 issue of Business Facilities and will also be featured on this website in August.
Business Facilities is a national publication that has been the leading location source for corporate site selectors and economic development professionals for more than 50 years. Focused on site selection for rising industry sectors, Business Facilities’ inaugural LiveXchange Emerging Industries event takes place November 16-18, 2022 at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando. The 19th Annual Business Facilities LiveXchange will take place April 24-26 at Marina Inn at Grand Dunes in Myrtle Beach, SC.
