How Lynchburg’s Workforce Strategy Is Driving Job Growth Across Every Sector
By: Megan A. Lucas, CEO & Chief Economic Development Officer, Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance
The Lynchburg region is entering a new era of economic momentum—one defined by coordinated leadership, strategic talent development, and a commitment to ensuring that every locality and every resident can participate in regional growth. At the center of this progress is the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance’s Regional Workforce Roadmap, a comprehensive strategy that aligns employers, educators, and community partners to meet both current and future workforce needs. With the recent Hickey Global Nuclear Technology & Energy Workforce Analysis adding deeper insight into one of the region’s signature industries, the Roadmap is becoming an even more powerful tool for shaping long-term economic competitiveness.
The purpose of the Hickey Global study was clear: to understand the community’s ability to meet the demands of the nuclear technology and energy industry, one of the Lynchburg region’s most significant economic drivers. Through an extensive review of employment, skills, education, and industry trends, the analysis confirms what regional employers have long known: The Lynchburg region possesses an unusually concentrated and highly qualified workforce, particularly in production and engineering fields. These strengths position the community as a national leader in high-tech, high-demand sectors, and they create powerful opportunities for sustained job creation.
Yet the study also underscores the complexities of continued growth.
While the region’s production and engineering talent give it a distinct competitive edge, certain occupations and skillsets are at risk of shortage over the next five years. As digital transformation reshapes energy, manufacturing, and technical services, new roles—such as software developers and computer systems analysts—are becoming increasingly important. These positions are not currently regional strengths, signaling a need for targeted upskilling, stronger recruitment pipelines, and expanded partnerships with educational institutions. At the same time, demographic trends pose additional challenges. A large portion of the region’s workforce is nearing retirement age, especially in production and technical occupations, while younger workers must be incentivized to remain in the community after graduation.
What makes the Lynchburg region uniquely prepared to address these challenges is the strength of its talent pipeline. Local colleges, universities, and training providers continue to produce skilled graduates across all occupation categories. Central Virginia Community College, Liberty University, University of Lynchburg, Randolph College, Sweet Briar College, and Virginia University of Lynchburg College collectively deliver a steady stream of talent, particularly in engineering, technical fields, and workforce-ready production roles. However, the study makes clear that the region must work deliberately to retain these graduates. That is where the Alliance’s Workplace pillar—and the broader Regional Workforce Roadmap—play a critical role.
The Roadmap is built on two overarching priorities. The first is the development of clear, industry-aligned career pathways that give residents structured routes into high-demand fields. These pathways strengthen the region’s workforce foundation by making it easier for individuals to enter, advance, and ultimately thrive in careers that offer living wages and long-term stability. The second focus is workforce access, which addresses the barriers that prevent residents from fully participating in employment opportunities. Childcare shortages, transportation gaps, and the need for wraparound supports such as re-entry assistance or financial coaching all influence whether employers can fill open positions and whether workers can remain attached to the labor force. Addressing these barriers is essential not only for individuals seeking opportunity but also for employers striving to meet rising demand.
The Hickey Global study reinforces the importance of these two priorities. The region’s nuclear technology and energy sector requires a higher level of education, training, and certification in its workforce than many other sectors. From engineering licensure and management training to quality assurance credentials and advanced production certifications, the industry depends on a pipeline that is both technically prepared and continuously developing.
Strengthening pathways from high school to career—through expanded work-based learning, improved alignment with Career and Technical Education programs, and more hands-on exposure to high-tech manufacturing—is a necessity for maintaining competitiveness. These efforts also help address the demographic and diversity gaps highlighted in the study, ensuring that more women, more students of color, and more young residents see a future for themselves in the region’s highest-demand fields.
At the same time, the Roadmap’s focus on workforce access directly supports the talent needs identified in the study. Expanding childcare capacity makes it possible for more parents to enter and stay in the workforce. Improved transportation options, including microtransit and employer-connected mobility solutions, ensure that workers across the region can reliably reach job centers. Wraparound services increase worker stability and employer retention, particularly in industries where precision, safety, and reliability are essential.
Together, the Workforce Roadmap and the Hickey Global insights create a compelling picture of a region that understands both its strengths and its future needs. The Lynchburg region has the workforce, the institutions, and the collaborative infrastructure to lead in nuclear technology, advanced energy, manufacturing, healthcare, and emerging digital fields. It also has a strategy capable of ensuring that growth is shared, sustainable, and inclusive.
The Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance remains committed to driving this momentum forward. By aligning education, industry, and community resources; addressing barriers with practical, data-driven solutions; and promoting career opportunities that keep residents rooted in the region, the Alliance is building the workforce of tomorrow while strengthening the economy of today. The result is a region poised for national competitiveness—one where job creation, economic vitality, and opportunity extend across every sector and every community.
