The recent article shining a spotlight on Virginia’s struggle to retain college graduates highlights a challenge policymakers, employers and educators must take seriously. The data clearly shows that too many of Virginia’s college graduates leave the commonwealth within the first five years of earning their degrees. How does Virginia, a consistently ranked Top State for Business, have a talent retention problem? While the article suggests this trend reflects a lack of in-state job opportunities in certain fields, the issue is not simply about the quantity of jobs available, but making the career connections between talent and employers. Virginia, with its outstanding public institutions, private universities and community colleges, does not have a talent production problem. We have a talent connection problem.
Too often, students complete their education without meaningful professional relationships with Virginia employers. By the time they graduate, they may already be pursuing opportunities outside of Virginia because they have not built any connections here. This is where we see that talent retention does not begin at graduation. It’s clear that talent retention does not begin at graduation, but with early, real-world experience.
Internships are one of the most effective tools we have to address this talent challenge. Research consistently shows that more than 50% of interns convert to full-time hires, laying the foundation for a strong and sustainable talent pipeline for employers. In addition, 76% of employees who begin their careers as interns remain with their employer after one year. That 76% retention rate is more than 10% higher than Virginia’s overall one-year graduate retention rate of 63.4%. When students gain early, hands-on experience with an employer through an internship, they are significantly more likely to stay, both with their employer and within the commonwealth.
This is why Virginia launched InternshipsVA, a statewide initiative designed to help employers connect with students earlier. The program provides employers with practical guidance, ready-to-use resources and wage-matching grants to support paid internships. This makes it easier for organizations across the commonwealth to create meaningful opportunities that help students build professional networks and envision their futures locally.
The article correctly points out that retention rates vary by field, with stronger outcomes in areas where career pathways are clearer. That reinforces the importance of helping students gain real-world experience while they are still in school. When students work alongside Virginia employers before graduation, they gain firsthand exposure to different career fields, develop practical skills and build professional relationships that make their path forward clearer and more tangible. This early experience helps students see a future for themselves in that industry and in Virginia, increasing the likelihood that they will launch and grow their careers in the Commonwealth rather than looking elsewhere.
Virginia has already made significant investments in higher education. The opportunity now is to ensure those investments translate into long-term economic strength and reliable talent pipelines for employers. The goal in front of us is to ensure students do not just study here, but see their future in Virginia. By strengthening the connection between students and employers, Virginia can ensure the Commonwealth is not just a place where talent is educated, but a place where talent stays, grows and leads.
Megan Healy serves as the chief of talent and workforce strategy at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, where she leads efforts to make Virginia a top state for talent. She oversees major initiatives such as the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, the Virginia Office of Education Economics (VOEE), Regional Talent Solutions and Business Outreach (RTSBO) and the InternshipsVA program. Before joining VEDP, she was special advisor to the president at George Mason University, where she cultivated strategic partnerships to support economic development, innovation, and workforce alignment. Previously, she was Virginia’s first secretary of labor.