Business and Workforce Engagement
In a 2017 report, "Workforce of Today, Workforce of Tomorrow", the U.S. Chamber of Commerce noted, "A broad set socially and economically valuable skills start developing in children's very first months, build over time, and are critical determinants of academic and economic success." This inextricable link between a strong start in the early years and a talented future workforce has been recognized and championed by Virginia's business community for many years and is included as a priority in the Virginia Chamber's Blueprint Virginia 2025.
Early Childhood Business Alliance
To drive implementation of Blueprint 2025's early education priorities and bring influential focus to investments at the start of the workforce pipeline, the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation and the Virginia Chamber of Commerce have convened a small group of Virginia executives to lead the charge. Click here to view a list of the Early Childhood Business Alliance members.
The goals of the Early Childhood Business Alliance are:
- Ensure Virginia's early childhood system remains a vibrant, community-driven, public-private partnership, bolstering public sector efforts with private sector innovation, flexibility and support
- Rally collective agreement and shared vision across key partners including the Administration, legislature, and business community
- Support development and enactment of a policy and fiscal framework for early childhood in Virginia (Early Childhood Success Act)
- Promote innovative and integrated early childhood financing strategies
In the News
- Dr. Michael Friedlander, The Roanoke Times Op-Ed - The Science of Early Childhood Success.
- Bill Ermatinger, The Virginia Pilot Op-Ed - Planning for the future workforce.
- Jim Dyke and Gary Thomson, Richmond Times Dispatch Op-Ed - Future workforce talent demands exceptional early childhood programs.
- Mike Petters, Virginia FREE Annual Luncheon Speech
Executive Briefing on the Economics of Early Childhood
The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation and the Virginia Chamber of Commerce are pleased to host an annual Executive Briefing on the Economics of Early Childhood – an event highlighting the direct link between a strong start in the early years and a vibrant productive workforce for the Commonwealth. Speakers, including business executives and leading researchers, focus on the importance of early childhood education for Virginia's economic competitiveness. Below are past speeches and materials.
Executive Briefing 2020
Tom Barkin Remarks - Early Childhood Education - Now More than Ever
Executive Briefing 2019
- Richard Bynum - Early Childhood Education: Investing for the Long Term
- Video of presentation
- Stephen Moret - Early Childhood Education: Investing for Economic Opportunity
- Video of presentation
Executive Briefing 2018
- Dr. Michael Friedlander - The Underlying Biological Process of Early Brain Development and Learning
- Gary Thomson - The Roadmap for School Readiness: A Win-Win Opportunity for Virginia
- Watch full event video
Executive Briefing 2017
- Shawn Boyer - Early Childhood Development: Driving Virginia's Current and Future Workforce
- Dr. Laura Jana - Upstream Innovation: Nurturing the Skills Today that will Shape Virginia's Children Tomorrow
Executive Briefing 2016
- Mike Chinn - All Aboard: Growing Momentum for Strategic Early Childhood Investment in Virginia
- Patricia K. Kuhl, Ph.D. - Early Learning and the Developing Brain: The Importance of the First 2000 Days
Executive Briefing 2015
- Paul D. Koonce - Building a Competitive Workforce Right from the Start
- Jeffery Lacker - Early Childhood Education in the Context of Lifetime Human Capital Investment
Executive Briefing 2014
- Mike Petters - Economics of Early Childhood
- Dr. Craig T. Ramey - Research of Early Childhood