Hampton Roads is a richly complex region — where military installations, global ports, shipyards, hospitals, banking, tourism and growing tech industries all coexist, and where workforce education fuels progress. What sets Hampton Roads apart is our intentional focus on collaborative expansion and ensuring that we have the workforce to meet employer demands. We not only respond to workforce needs, we anticipate them, evolve and design innovative solutions in partnership with local industries, municipalities and other educational institutions.
Tidewater Community College serves as a leader in agile workforce development — aligning talent, training and labor-market demand.
TCC’s proven workforce model provides a collaborative framework to improve student outcomes and expand local Hampton Roads talent pipelines at scale. The EDU Ledger cites that students completing workforce programs at TCC see wage increases ranging from 150-288% within six months of completion. Even the lowest employment rate six months post-completion stands at 68%, with some programs approaching 100%. Perhaps most significantly, 82% of workforce graduates remain in Virginia.
As the second largest community college and a primary trainer of the regional workforce, TCC serves Hampton Roads through four campuses and six learning centers, offering in-demand certifications, credentials and associate degrees aligned with employer needs. Our strategic focus is simple and urgent: strengthen the talent pipeline while meeting employer demand.
At TCC, the mission is supported by significant investments in workforce infrastructure. Our 32,000-square-foot TCC Skilled Trades Academy includes maritime and construction trades wings. These facilities support hands-on training in welding, pipefitting, sheet metal, electrical, HVAC, carpentry and heavy equipment operation, made possible through strong public-private partnerships with organizations such as the Beazley Foundation, Elizabeth River Crossings, the city of Portsmouth and the Hampton Roads Workforce Council.
Beyond fixed facilities, TCC expands access through mobile training labs in welding, health care and culinary arts, bringing workforce education directly into neighborhoods and onto employer sites. These labs extend the reach of our campuses and remove practical barriers to training by delivering instruction where it is needed most.
TCC’s effective strategies help establish community colleges as vital solutions for our growing industries. Through the Community College Workforce Cooperative, Tidewater Community College partners with Virginia Peninsula Community College, Camp Community College and Eastern Shore Community College to deliver collaborative training across Hampton Roads. This regional training model supports hundreds of students across more than 10 locations, serving four counties and 11 cities. This regional collaboration partners with Hampton Roads Workforce Council, Hampton Roads Alliance, Hampton Roads and Virginia Peninsula chambers, Hampton Roads Executive Roundtable, Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance, and Virginia Ship Repair Association.
Hampton Roads continues to attract new employers and sustained investment, most notably in maritime — an industry that anchors both our regional economy and national security mission.
The Hampton Roads Maritime Training System (HRMTS), powered by the Hampton Roads Workforce Council, demonstrates the strength of regional coordination: more than 6,650 individuals have enrolled in maritime training programs, more than 5,800 have entered the workforce, and completion rates across critical trades reach 87%. By mid-2025, HRMTS had delivered nearly 6,000 trained workers, meeting a documented regional demand of 5,017 maritime jobs. These outcomes reflect the power of aligning industry demand, training providers and public investment.
TCC’s tailored training and apprenticeships grow talent from within. Industry partners recognize the community college workforce training framework and continue to co-design programs that meet real-world needs. TCC is poised to grow its role as a regional apprenticeship leader with state and national influence. Our broader community actively invests in workforce solutions that expand access, increase capacity, and adapt to industry demand.
Tidewater Community College, along with our sister institutions, is committed to being the premier provider of workforce development solutions for Hampton Roads. Closing the skills gap is not optional. TCC stands ready to collaborate, innovate and lead. It is essential to our region’s future prosperity.
Marcia Conston, Ph.D., is the president of Tidewater Community College.
