The administration of Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell set aside an additional $100 million to enhance funding opportunities for aspiring professionals including those aiming to fill healthcare jobs, according to a press release.
The proposal aims to support the new economy and efforts to propel preparation for the workforce in sectors also including science, technology and engineering, among other fields.
"This is the next step in our own two-year initiative to reform, restructure and reinvest in higher education. It is our responsibility to ensure that the opportunity to earn a college degree is there for every Virginia student who is prepared to take that step," McDonnell said. "This is about their future as individuals, and our future as a Commonwealth. In this competitive global economy, the more Virginia students who attend our colleges and universities and emerge with the skills and training necessary to compete for the best jobs in the 21st century, the stronger our state will be in the years ahead."
Thomas F. Farrell II, chair of McDonnell's Higher Education Commission, said the initiative will help prepare students for the future's high-paying, high-quality jobs.
Also formerly the rector of the University of Virginia, Farrell said the McDonnell administration's efforts are geared toward the healthcare field.