Workforce Programs

Virginia Jobs Investment Program

The Virginia Department of Business Assistance’s Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP) provides customized recruiting, training services and financial incentives to companies creating new jobs or experiencing technological change. These incentives and services are offered through the New Jobs Program, Small Business New Jobs Program and Retraining Program.

As a business development incentive supporting economic development efforts throughout Virginia since 1965, the program reduces the human resource development costs of new and expanding companies throughout the Commonwealth. VJIP offers consulting services, organizational development, electronic media services, and funding.

Eligibility for assistance in any of the VJIP program offerings is limited to for-profit companies that create basic employment (not engaged in retail) paying a minimum wage of $10.00 per hour. Only fulltime jobs are eligible for funding. Companies in the following business sectors will qualify: 

• Manufacturing 
• Distribution centers 
• Corporate headquarters for companies with multiple facilities 
• Inbound call centers 
• Information technology services exclusively to business 
• Research and development facilities

New Jobs Program

The New Jobs Program is a vital part of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s economic development efforts. The program targets expansions of existing companies or new facility locations which involve competition with other states or countries.

To qualify, an existing or new company must:

• be considering another state or country for their new facility or expansion,
• generate over 50% of its revenues from outside of Virginia,
• create at least 25 net new jobs in Virginia within the first 12 months of the first hire date,
• make a new capital investment of at least$1,000,000, and
• pay a minimum wage rate o f$10.00/hr.

Small Business New Jobs Program

The Small Business New Jobs Program is designed to support small businesses as they grow. 

To qualify, an existing or new company must:

• have fewer than 250 employees company-wide,
• create at least 5 net new jobs in Virginia within the first 12 months of the first hire date,
• make a new capital investment of at least $100,000, and
• pay a minimum wage rate of $10.00/hr.

Retraining Program

The Retraining Program provides services and funding to manufacturing companies and distribution centers to assist in upgrading the skills of existing employees identified as essential to the production or distribution of a product. Companies participating in the program are typically those which are undergoing an integration of new technology into their production processes, changing product lines in keeping with marketplace demands, or substantially changing service delivery processes, requiring an assimilation of new skills and technological capabilities.

To qualify, an existing company must:

• currently located in Virginia,
• be a manufacturer or distribution center,
• must make a new capital investment of at least $500,000 associated with the retraining project,
• pay a minimum wage rate of $10.00/hr, and
• can not have utilized the program within the proceeding three years.

Learn more about the about the financial incentives and in-kind training services offered through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program, contact:

Debbie Melvin, Project Manager
Virginia Department of Business Expansion
Phone: 804-921-0002
Email: dmelvin@yesvirginia.org