An Unparalleled Workforce Near D.C.

Diversified as it is skilled, Northern Virginia talent is the backbone of jobs in Fairfax VA.

Few places in the world offer the depth and range of the Fairfax County workforce, a labor pool totaling more than 3.4 million people. Educated and internationally progressive, 65 percent of the population holds at least a bachelor’s degree, some from well-known Northern Virginia universities, and nearly 38 percent speak at least one foreign language. Fairfax County is home to one of the most educated workforces in the world, helping to fill the many jobs in the region.

Long known as a defense industry hub, Fairfax County has long attracted professionals with military experience, technology expertise, and security clearances. And now as sectors such as cyber and cloud, AI and machine learning, software and satellite technology grow in the county, the range of technical skills and expertise has broadened even further. 

Given the depth of Fairfax County’s educated workforce, the supply pipeline of tech talent is strong. More than 18,000 tech degrees and certificates are awarded annually across the region. 

Fairfax County’s strategic location to Alexandria and the Washington, D.C., metro area is another feather in the cap when it comes to the availability of tech talent, considering that D.C. is the fourth most concentrated tech talent market in the U.S.

Workforce

Exceptional Expertise

Leidos, Google, Inova, Microsoft, Facebook, Northrop Grumman, and other Fairfax County businesses recruit from an impressive talent pool of 3.4 million-plus people. 

Sixty-five percent of the population has a bachelor’s or higher degree, representing double the U.S. average educational attainment. Northern Virginia universities and colleges confer 82,000 degrees each year. 

The regional workforce has a higher-than-average concentration of occupations in the fields of finance, information technology, and management. Companies in high-growth markets such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data analytics, and personalized health easily recruit the talent they need. In fact, one in four jobs in Northern Virginia is filled by a high-tech team member. 

Beyond the books, the Fairfax County workforce includes one of the largest millennial-generation populations in the region. Internationally-minded, nearly 38 percent of the area’s population speak a language other than English, an especially valuable asset for Hilton, Volkswagen and other companies with a foreign customer base. 

The region’s national defense presence attracts talent with military expertise and security clearances, a boon for government contractors Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics and Booz Allen Hamilton. 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, “professional, scientific, and technical services” are the largest economic activity in Reston, VA, which is located in Fairfax County. The headquarters of both General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman are in Falls Church, which is also in Fairfax. Chantilly is home to the headquarters of the NRO. Dyncorp and Noblis are located in Annandale. 

Higher Education

Supported Talent Pipeline

Fairfax County workforce continues to expand thanks to scores of accredited higher education institutions in the Greater Washington region, where more than 85,000 degrees are conferred annually. More than 60 colleges and universities are located throughout the greater region. Among them, are Georgetown University, Howard University and the University of Maryland. 

Eleven college and university campuses operate in Fairfax County. 

Workforce Resources

Put Our Resources to Work for You

A wide range of programs, many of them free, help Fairfax County businesses with employee recruitment, education, and training. 

Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) and George Mason University work with employers interested in hiring current students or graduates for full-time, part-time, entry-level, cooperative education or internship positions. They’re also available to help with the application process and job alerts. 

Fairfax County companies work with NVCC to develop customized workforce training, and they may establish distance learning at their own sites through UVA’s Cardinal Education.

Seven workforce centers and the Virginia Employment Commission provide free employer services. Virginia Career Works oversees an Employer Solutions Team solely focused on helping companies with the hiring process. Equal opportunity employers receive assistance with initiatives to find their perfect new workforce, a much more effective process than simply using job postings on Linkedin. You can reach a larger base of people with differing factors, including veteran status, national origin, and more, with an in-depth job description to find the right candidate. 

The Virginia Jobs Investment Program offers consulting, training, and training funding support. Businesses must directly or indirectly derive 51 percent or more of their revenue from out-of-state sources and meet criteria for employee count, net new jobs, and/or capital investment. 

Whether you need employees for prospective job titles such as project manager, store associate, or executive assistant, you can find a resource to help in Fairfax. The opportunities here make necessary reasonable accommodations so you can find your next administrative assistant or other job seekers quickly and easily. 

Looking to hire talent, create apprenticeship programs or upskill existing employees? Let us help.

Michael Batt

Vice President, Talent Initiatives

mbatt@fceda.org
703-287-4370
LinkedIn

Rankings & Facts

37.8%

Residents who speak a language other than English

51.1%

Population that identifies as Asian, African-American or another race

#4

Scoring Tech Talent Report
(Greater Washington Area)

CBRE 2022

#1

Workforce development/talent attraction (Virginia)

Business Facilities 2022