In this episode of Site Selectors Are People Too, host Devin Hillsdon-Smith heads to the East Coast to address one of the most critical hurdles in the economic development industry: rapidly recruiting and training a specialized workforce. He is joined by Jason El Koubi, President and CEO of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), to unpack how the Commonwealth customizes its talent initiatives for the exact needs of employers.

When faced with a massive corporate expansion or relocation, the instinct for many states is to offer standard, transactional workforce development grants or programs. But Jason pulls back the curtain to reveal exactly how Virginia sets a new standard with its Talent Accelerator Program. Spoiler alert: true economic development doesn't just promise a good labor pool; it delivers a fully customized, turnkey workforce ready to operate on day one.

Jason breaks down why bespoke training and proactive site readiness are the ultimate deal-clinchers for major brands like Amazon, Lego, and AstraZeneca, and he introduces the partnership framework VEDP uses to move at the speed of business.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• The Power of Customization: How the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program designs, develops, and delivers fully branded recruitment and training solutions at zero cost to the company.
• The "Authentic Partnership" Advantage: Why VEDP’s unique structure as a nonpartisan state authority creates the long-term stability needed to mitigate development risks and shrink timelines.
• Future-Proofing Economic Development: How embracing AI, virtual reality, and digital twins in both industrial training and internal workflows keeps Virginia ahead of the curve.

Stop relying on generic workforce promises and start building the tailored infrastructure that major employers actually need to succeed from the moment they cut the ribbon.