Over the past 18 months, the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership and Arlington Economic Development have participated in unprecedented cooperation across borders. The biggest win from this partnership has been the Amazon HQ2 selection, with Arlington becoming home to Amazon’s corporate offices and Alexandria welcoming Virginia Tech’s Innovation Campus. But there have been other initiatives underway to foster collaboration to make ALX and ARL attractive to tech companies and workers. One example is the Alexandria/Arlington Regional Workforce Council‘s latest initiative to help tech workers increase their certifications and skills.
One of the biggest challenges facing tech companies across the region is developing and retaining talent. Ensuring tech workers stay current on the latest certifications and educational trends can be costly and time consuming. This why the Alexandria/Arlington Regional Workforce Council recently launched the “Careers in Technology” Tuition Reimbursement Program initiative which aims to help companies connect workers to certificate programs while also covering 50-90% of certain associated costs. This program will help companies attract and retain talent while also ensuring Alexandria and Arlington maintain our position as a top region for tech talent.
“Careers in Technology” Program Details
Alexandria/Arlington Regional Workforce Council will reimburse local companies for their full-time, permanent staff who participate in technology certification programs. Certification programs that the Council will fund include, but are not limited to:
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
- Information Technology Infrastructure Library Certification (ITIL)
- Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
- Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE)
- Certified Ethical Hacker (C/EH)
- Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
- Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)
- Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
- GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH)
Company Eligibility
- Participating companies must be less than 250 employees, have an office located in or planned to locate in Northern Virginia.
- The training must be a business necessity that will enhance the company’s ability to compete in the economy, expand present markets, and help ensure the permanency of the business in Northern Virginia.
Reimbursement Limits
Funding covers the costs of training, as well as the fees for certification exams and textbooks, as follows:
- 90% of the cost for employers with not more than 50 employees;
- 75% of the cost for employers with 51-100 employees; and
- 50% of the cost for employers with more than 100 employees.
To enroll employees or for more information about the program, please email Dave Remick. We look forward to continuing to show the world how innovation lives here.
