Business Facilities magazine has named Virginia the top state for Overall Business Climate. No doubt your favorite conservative blogger will tell you that the voting was somehow rigged, but, whatever.
This ranking comes in addition to Virginia’s number one ranking by CNBC as the Best State for Business that we learned about earlier this year.
“I am proud of the work our administration has done to develop the strongest business-friendly environment in the nation,” Gov. Ralph Northam said. “During my term, we’ve attracted more than $80 billion in economic investment, creating more than 100,000 jobs—a record for any Virginia governor. Virginia has set a new standard for all other states. Companies want to invest here and create jobs here because of our welcoming environment, commitment to developing our workforce, and our existing infrastructure.”
The Glenn Youngkin administration is inheriting an economy with record job creation, one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country and lower than any of our neighboring states, and back-to-back titles as the nation’s best state for business.
When another state surpasses us in the best state rankings next year, it’ll still somehow be Northam’s fault.
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Business Facilities is a national publication that has been the leading location source for corporate site selectors and economic development professionals for more than 50 years.
“For the first time, we thought it was appropriate to name three winners in this prestigious process,” said Business Facilities Editorial Director Seth Mendelson. “As businesses look to expand or relocate, the questions they have about communities are becoming more complex. They want to know as much as they can about a community before making a final decision.
“We think this is going to help them make informed choices. The commonwealth’s location, right next to the District of Columbia, combined with its pro-business work environment, strong workforce and educational systems, makes it a great place to do business in.”
Virginia finished first in the Best Overall Business Climate because of work done by local and statewide economic development councils to make the Commonwealth more attractive to prospective employers.
Virginia’s workforce exceeds 4.1 million people and the unemployment rate is the 10th lowest in the country at 3.4 percent. The Commonwealth runs many highly-successful workforce programs, including the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, a customizable job-specific training and recruitment initiative, and Fast Forward Virginia, a short-term credential program to train Virginians for top, in-demand jobs across the commonwealth.
In addition, workforce development programs and workforce connection programs in Virginia assist employers in finding qualified workers and to assist workers in finding suitable jobs.
Story by Chris Graham
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