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President's Message
Yesterday, we hosted over 650 business, education and policy leaders at the Greater Richmond Convention Center for the 2017 Virginia Workforce Conference.
This is a timely topic, as education and workforce has again emerged as the top issue for businesses in our Blueprint Virginia 2025 polling. Our discussion centered around Virginia's workforce pipeline and how businesses can hire veterans to help close the workforce skills gap.
During the luncheon, the Department of Veterans Services presented the 5th Annual Virginia Values Veterans Awards. A number of Virginia Chamber members were recognized with an award for their commitment to hiring veterans. You can see the list
here.
This week, you can hear where each of the candidates for statewide office stands on the issue of education and workforce in the
Virginia Chamber Election Center's candidate questionnaire videos. In the weeks leading up to the November election, we'll release a new set of videos each week on various topics that impact Virginia's business climate. See below for each week's topic.
I hope you'll also mark your calendars for the Virginia Economic Summit on December 1, where we'll present Blueprint Virginia 2025 to the Governor-elect. More details will be released soon.
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Where do the candidates stand on issues impacting Virginia's business climate? The Virginia Chamber Election Center has the answers from all the statewide candidates regarding the major issues facing the Commonwealth's competitiveness.
In the weeks leading up to the November 7th election, be sure to check the Virginia Chamber's Election Center to see where each of the statewide candidates stands on the following issues:
Fall 2017 Candidate Questionnaires Schedule:
Week of September 25 - Education & Workforce Development
Week of October 2 - Taxation
Week of October 9 - Business Climate
Week of October 16 - Infrastructure
Week of October 23 - Legal & Regulatory Reform
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Virginia Conference on World Trade
October 17-18, 2017 - Williamsburg, VA
Join us for a two-day event for Virginia business leaders interested in developing and cultivating international partnerships!
Full conference registration: $275
| THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! |
Presenting Sponsor:
Signature Sponsor:
Media Sponsor:
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Nominations Currently Being Accepted for Virginia Chamber Board of Directors
As a business leader in your community and a member of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, you can be most helpful in identifying businessmen and women for possible service on the Chamber's Board of Directors. We are seeking individuals with a proven record of community service and leadership ability and who would have a commitment to preserving a positive business climate in Virginia on a statewide basis.
To make recommendations, please write to:
Mr. Tom Palmer
Chairman, Nominating Committee
Virginia Chamber of Commerce
919 East Main Street, Suite 900
Richmond, VA 23219
ATTENTION: Maryann Crowder, Executive Director of VACCE
or email Maryann at
[email protected] and identify your nominee(s) and attach a current bio. Please note our mailing address above.
Your letter must be received by Wednesday, November 22, 2017.
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Federal Judge Overturns U.S. Department of Labor Overtime Rule
Last month, a federal judge in Texas struck down a rule from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) that would have extended overtime pay to more than 4 million workers. The
rule would have required employers to pay overtime to most salaried workers who earn less than $47,476 annually, a sharp increase from the current annual salary limit of $23,660. Ruling in favor of various business groups, the judge held that the Department of Labor had "exceeded its authority and gone too far" with the rule. Noting that the agency improperly looked at salaries instead of job descriptions when determining whether a worker should be eligible for overtime pay. The U.S. Justice Department has indicated that it would not appeal the case.
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Virginia's Rural Roads Ranked In Poor Condition
The quality of life in Virginia's small communities and rural areas, and the health of the Commonwealth's rural economy-to include farming, manufacturing, tourism and the transport of energy, food and products-is highly reliant on the quality of Virginia's transportation system. A good transportation system is critical to the efficiency of a region's economic performance.
Unfortunately, according to a report recently released by TRIP, a national transportation research group, Rural Connections: Challenges and Opportunities in America's Heartland, 20 percent of Virginia's rural roads are rated in poor condition - the 14th highest rate in the nation - and 24 percent are rated in mediocre condition. Seven percent of Virginia's rural bridges are rated as structurally deficient. The rate of traffic fatalities on Virginia's non-Interstate, rural roads is the 11th highest rate in the nation and nearly five times higher than the fatality rate on all other roads in the state. Rural Virginia needs a reliable and effective transportation system to be economically competitive.
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The Need To Grow "Middle Skill" Workforce
Lack of a college diploma can make it hard to find work at all. According to 2016
Georgetown University study
, there are 7.3 million fewer jobs today for workers with only a high school degree than there were in 1989. Of the 7.2 million jobs lost during the Great Recession, 5.6 million were for workers with a high school degree or less, and only about 1 percent of those jobs have been recovered since 2010. However, approximately 6 million good-paying "middle skill" jobs, that do not require workers to have a college degree but more than a high school diploma, remain unfilled in America.
According to the National Skills Coalition, middle-skill jobs account for 49 percent of Virginia's labor market, but only 39 percent of the state's workers are trained to the middle-skill level.
Between 2014-2024, it is anticipated that 45 percent of job openings will be middle-skill. Virginia needs to ensure its workforce development programs address the growing need for "middle skill" workers.
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US Small Business Administration to Hold Regional Regulatory Roundtable
The US Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy will hold
a roundtable discussion of federal regulatory issues impacting small businesses. Advocacy is also inviting Virginia Congressional offices and key federal agencies to hear concerns about federal regulations and other issues.
The Glen Allen roundtable will take place at 4201 Dominion Blvd beginning at 9 am on October 16.
Registration for this event is free, however attendees are asked to
RSVP by clicking here.
Attendees are also asked to provide input ahead of time on regulatory issues by completing
this form. If you are unable to attend, but would like to provide feedback, please feel free to complete the same form as well.
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Interested in International Expansion? Take Advantage of VITAL!
The Virginia Chamber is proud to partner with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership on VITAL, the Virginia International Trade Alliance. As a VITAL partner, our member companies have access to international market research as well as international trade shows and international trade missions facilitated through VEDP.
Click below for more information:
If you or a company that you work with is interested in learning more about VITAL, please contact Samantha Quig, Director of Communications and Program Manager, at [email protected] or 804-237-1457.
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Keep up with the Virginia Chamber on Twitter!
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