Review of the G3 Program's Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market (March 2023)
Summary
A March 2023 report, Review of the G3 Program's Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market, responding to a directive in the 2022 Acts of Assembly, Special Session I, for the Virginia Office of Education Economics (VOEE) at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership to evaluate training needed for jobs in regional council areas. It reviews Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3) fields of study and their associated occupations against labor market data, based on analysis conducted from July to October 2022. The report states that associate and sub-associate award levels make up 79% of programs currently eligible for G3 funding, and that 85% of G3-aligned occupations require no formal work experience. Its sections include wage performance and recommendations.
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“Review of the G3 Program's Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market (March 2023).”
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Patrick Henry Community College Central Virginia Community College
New River Community College
Review of the
G3 Program’s Alignment to
the Virginia Labor Market
March 2023
Table of Contents
Executive Summary 1
Introduction 5
What is G3? 6
Data & Methods 8
Limitations 10
Analysis of G3 Fields Of Study 11
Analysis of G3 Fields of Study Designated in Budget Language 12
Analysis of G3 Occupations 14
Analysis of G3-Aligned Occupations Based on NCES CIP to SOC Crosswalk 15
Career Cluster Representation in Current G3-Aligned Occupations 16
G3 Occupational Alignment to the New Economy Workforce Credential Grant 18
Projected Job Change for the G3 Program 20
Regional Perspectives on Aggregate Projected Job Change 22
Labor Market Alignment of the G3 Program 24
Posting Intensity and Job Postings Analysis 25
Analysis of Instructional Programs Ineligible for G3 Funding 29
G3-Aligned Occupations Wage Performance Indexed to Living Wage Scenarios 34
Summary of Findings 36
Recommendations 38
References 39
Executive Summary
1
Executive Summary
Item 213 D.2. of Chapter 2 of the 2022 Acts of Assembly, Special Session I (the 2022–24 Biennial Budget)1
directs the Virginia Office of Education Economics (VOEE) at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership
to evaluate the skills and training needed for Virginians to fill jobs available in certified regional council
areas. The charge asks VOEE to look at a variety of training — high school career and technical education,
credentials, certifications, apprenticeships, internships, and other degree and non-degree programs — and make
recommendations to the governor and the General Assembly on what programs should qualify for financial
assistance under Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3). This report serves as that recommendation for 2022.
The General Assembly gave VOEE this task as an ongoing responsibility. As a result, this report, based on
analysis conducted from July to October 2022, should be viewed as a first look at the G3 program’s alignment
to the labor market. VOEE will update and refine the data contained here in future iterations.
The purpose of this review was to conduct a baseline evaluation to estimate the level of alignment between
the 91 G3-specific fields of study identified in budget language and their associated occupations in the labor
market. As part of creating that assessment, VOEE reviewed a variety of labor market metrics at both the state
and regional levels to estimate how G3 programs are positioned to support projected growth in the Virginia
economy. Though not exhaustive, the review presented in this study does suggest that G3 funding is strongly
aligned to the middle-skilled labor market in the state and with projected growth opportunities through the end
of the decade. For example:
■
Associate and sub-associate award levels make up the largest portion (79%) of available programs currently
eligible for G3 funding (when graduate programs are excluded).
■
85% of G3-aligned occupations require no formal work experience.
■
57% of G3-aligned occupations typically require educational attainment of an associate degree or lower.
■
91% of G3-eligible associate degrees are occupational and career-focused rather than transfer-focused.
■
G3-aligned occupations show continuity between the most frequently advertised online job postings and
end-of-decade projected job growth.
■
The current G3 fields of study represent 32% of occupations in the Standard Occupational Classification
System (SOC).
■
The 255 G3-eligible occupations range across 18 SOC major groups.
All career clusters within the 17 Career Cluster framework2 are represented in the current list of G3-aligned
occupations except for the Hospitality and Tourism cluster. The career clusters containing the most G3-aligned
occupations include:
1. Information technology
2. Education and training
3. Law, public safety, corrections, and security
4. Manufacturing
5. Business, management, and administration
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 2
There is a 43% (109) overlap of occupations that are aligned to both the G3 and FastForward programs.
Three quarters (75%) of G3-aligned occupations have a median wage above the MIT living wage threshold for a
household of one, and about half (51%) of G3-aligned occupations offer wages above the living wage threshold
for a two-earner household of four. G3-aligned occupations with the strongest wage performance across both
living wage scenarios fall within the SOC major groups of management, business and financial operations, and
computer and mathematical.
This report presents a selection of the metrics used to conduct the analysis of the labor market alignment of the
G3 program. Users interested in further exploration can download a data set with filters based on Virginia worker
concentration, median earnings, projected job change, diversity, and living wage at https://voee.org/data.
Recommendations for Consideration
It is VOEE's recommendation that no significant changes be made to the list of approved fields of study for
G3 at this time. This recommendation stems from the analysis, presented here, which shows a strong general
alignment of the current G3 list to the middle-skilled labor market in the Commonwealth. Additionally, at the time
of this analysis, the G3 program has completed only two semesters. VOEE will be able to understand more about
how G3 is being used by students when richer enrollment and outcomes data become available. It will also be
essential to relate uptake and outcomes to other state programs like the Workforce Credential Grant.
One area where changes to the G3 program may be considered is in using a broader level of definition within
the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) taxonomy to specify G3 educational program eligibility
within budget language. Currently G3 relies on the six-digit level CIP to qualify program eligibility. Given the
closeness of many fields of study aligning to the same occupation, converting to the four-digit series may be a
more realistic way to define G3 programming while acknowledging the broader linkages between educational
programs and occupations in the labor market.
In summary, the G3 funding program is an important policy initiative for the Commonwealth of Virginia. As a
last-dollar financial aid assistance program, G3 exists as one of the many variations of funding assistance
programs found in the United States that seek to support students’ access to higher education. This report is
intended to contribute to the further analysis and discussion among policy makers and educators regarding how
Virginia may best invest and support this important mission for the benefit of its residents and future economic
competitiveness.
VOEE Project Team
Todd Oldham, Ed.D. Heather McKay William Richter
Research Director Executive Director Research and Data Analyst
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 3
Notes
“(Chapter 2), Item 213 D” 2022 Special Session I, State Budget, Legislative Information System, Virginia General
1
Assembly, Commonwealth of Virginia, https://budget.lis.virginia.gov/item/2022/2/HB30/Chapter/1/213/.
“SB 1405 Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3) Fund and Program,” Virginia’s Legislative Information System
2
(LIS), 2021, https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?212+sum+SB1405.
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 4
Introduction
5
Introduction
Item 213 D.2. of Chapter 2 of the 2022 Acts of Assembly, Special Session I (the 2022-24 Biennial Budget)1
directs the Virginia Office of Education Economics (VOEE) at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership
to evaluate the skills and training needed for Virginians to fill jobs available in certified regional council areas.
The charge asks VOEE to look at a variety of training — high school career and technical education (CTE),
credentials, certifications, apprenticeships, internships, and other degree and non-degree programs — and make
recommendations to the governor and the General Assembly on what programs should qualify for financial
assistance under Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3). This report serves as that recommendation for 2022.
The General Assembly gave VOEE this task as an ongoing duty. As a result, based on analysis conducted from
July to October 2022, this report should be viewed as a first look at the G3 program’s alignment to the labor
market. VOEE will refine this analysis over time as more data becomes available.
G3 was established in the 2021 Special Session (HB 2204/SB1405).2 The legislation established the G3 fund
and required the Virginia Community College System to establish the G3 Program. The purpose of G3 is to
provide financial assistance to qualifying low-income and middle-income Virginia students “who are enrolled in
an educational program at an associate-degree–granting public institution of higher education that leads to an
occupation in a high-demand field.” The statute contains provisions for student eligibility, financial assistance
award amounts, and data reporting, which will be discussed in more depth below.
This year’s review was limited in scope and scale for two reasons. First, VOEE did not have access to all the
datasets required to fulfill the charge at the time of analysis. Second, because the G3 program has only been
active for one year, there are few outcomes data to analyze. Although the first G3 outcomes report was released
in October 2022, there was not enough time to incorporate that information into this analysis. These issues will
be discussed more in the data and methods section.
Given these limitations, VOEE focused this review on a three-pronged process:
■
Analyzing the current list of G3 programs approved in the budget language
■
Looking at labor market demand statewide and in each of the nine GO Virginia regions
■
Examining programs for possible future inclusion in G3 based on projected job change
VOEE gathered a working group to review and comment on this analysis. They provided feedback and had
discussions on both the current analysis and the process for analysis in future years. They also received
occasional calls and emails from working group members with comments on this analysis. Where possible,
those comments have been considered. The working group included representatives from the following
organizations:
■
GO Virginia
■
The House Appropriations Committee staff
■
The Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee staff
■
The Secretariat of Education
■
The Secretariat of Labor
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 6
■
The State Council for Higher Education in Virginia
■
The Virginia Board of Workforce Development
■
The Virginia Community College System
■
The Virginia Department of Planning and Budget
What is G3?
The G3 program developed by the Virginia Community College System provides tuition assistance based on
eligibility requirements.3
To receive G3 funding, a student must:
■
Be a Virginia resident
■
Be enrolled in an eligible G3 program
■
Qualify for in-state financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Financial
Aid for Noncredit Training leading to Industry Credentials (FANTIC) application
■
Have a total household income of less than or equal to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level
■
Take a minimum of six credit hours at one of the 23 community colleges, Richard Bland College, or be enrolled
in a Workforce Credential Grant program
G3 is an example of a “last-dollar assistance” program, meaning G3 will cover remaining costs after other
federal or state grant aid is applied. Dollars can be used for tuition, fees, and books. Students must be enrolled
in approved associate and certificate degree programs. G3 only applies to designated programs in the industries
identified as in-demand when the legislation was written:
■
Early childhood education
■
Healthcare
■
Information technology
■
Manufacturing
■
Public safety
■
Skilled trades
The G3 budget language included a list of educational programs eligible for funding that identifies 91 fields of
study using Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes at the six-digit level of specificity. VOEE used
this list of six-digit CIP codes as the basis for this analysis.4 The State Board for Community Colleges later
established a process for reviewing and approving G3 programs at each community college in Virginia. This list
was not available at the time of analysis but will be included in future work.
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 7
Data & Methods
8
Data & Methods
In response to Item 213 D.2., VOEE developed a set of research questions to guide its analysis of the 91 eligible
fields of study identified in the G3 budget language and its assessment of the program’s alignment to the
current and future labor market of Virginia.
The primary research questions guiding this analysis are as follows:
1. Do the current G3-eligible fields of study and their associated occupations align with the legislation in terms
of overall requirements for employment such as required entry-level education and work experience?
2. How are G3 fields of study and their aligned occupations positioned to support current and projected demand
for workers in the state and regional labor markets within Virginia?
3. What occupational families and career clusters are most represented by the current G3 fields of study list?
4. In what ways, if any, should the list of educational programs identified in the budget language as G3-eligible
be revised based on this analysis?
To address the primary research questions, VOEE first conducted a review of the current state of the G3 program
and its relation to the labor market to establish a baseline for further analyses aligned with the mandate. To
conduct the current state review, they mapped the 91 G3 fields of study identified in the Code of Virginia to the
occupations most aligned to those courses of study using a method developed by the National Center of
Education Statistics (NCES) in partnership with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) called the CIP SOC
Crosswalk. The NCES website describes the crosswalk this way:
The CIP SOC Crosswalk … matches 6-digit CIP Codes from the 2020 Classification of Instructional Programs …
with 6-digit detailed descriptions from the 2018 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC). The purpose of the
crosswalk is to match postsecondary programs of study that provide graduates with specific skills and knowledge
to occupations requiring those skills or knowledge to be successful. The matches are based on the content of the
CIP Code and SOC Code descriptions combined with expertise from statisticians at both federal agencies.5
Following the mapping of the CIP SOC Crosswalk, VOEE matched labor market information at both the state and
regional level for each SOC. For regional data, they followed the nine distinct GO Virginia regions as defined by
the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board. Labor market data and O*NET occupational attributes for detail-level
SOC were sourced from the Lightcast 2022.3 dataset. The O*NET database,6 collected and maintained by the
Employment and Training Administration (ETA), is updated through ongoing surveys of workers in each
occupation and supplemented by occupation experts. These data are incorporated into new versions of the
database on an annual schedule to provide up-to-date information and characteristics on recognized
occupations.
Primary government data used for the analysis but sourced from the Lightcast dataset included but were not
limited to: ETA O*NET 26.3, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages 2021 Q4, Occupational Employment
and Wage Statistics (OES) 2021, BLS Employment Projections 2020–2030, Census American Community Survey
2020, and Census Quarterly Workforce Indicators 2022 Q2. SOC codes used in this analysis are limited to the
798 for which data are available for Virginia through Lightcast. Lightcast’s SOC framework closely follows that
of OES. (Details are available on the Emsi Knowledge Base website.7)
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 9
VOEE analyzed G3-aligned occupations using these state- and regional-level datasets in the following ways:
■
Indexed earnings to MIT Living Wage for Virginia for three household scenarios:
— Single adult
— One wage-earning adult and one child
— Two wage-earning adults and two children
■
Reviewed aligned jobs by typical entry-level education and required work experience
■
Projected eight-year (2022–30) job growth for occupations
■
Identified percentage of racial and ethnic diversity within the incumbent workforce for G3-mapped occupations
■
Assessed the number and percent of career clusters represented by G3-aligned programs based on the National
Career Cluster Framework (NCCF) and the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE)
To provide an assessment of how G3-aligned occupations compared to the demand for jobs in the overall labor
market, VOEE utilized online job posting analytics at the state level to identify occupations showing the
strongest demand measured by frequency of postings and projected job change from 2022–30.
Counts of academic programs used in the analysis included only programs from institutions reporting data
to the State Higher Education Council for Virginia in the 2020–21 academic year, which include both public
and private not-for-profit institutions. All program-related analysis was based on the CIP 2020 taxonomy.
As a supplement to this report, VOEE has provided an Excel spreadsheet that allows the user to filter on a
variety of metrics and explore G3-eligible mapped workforce data by GO Virginia regions. It is downloadable at
https://voee.org/data/.
Limitations
There are two primary limitations to the approach used to study the G3 funding program in this review:
1. G3 is a new program, and student outcomes data were not available to VOEE at the time of conducting this
analysis. As this type of review is intended to become an annual process, in future years they anticipate
having access to various outcomes data, including which programs are the most popular among students
receiving G3 funding as well as a variety of student and graduate outcomes data related to the use of G3
funding.
2. The NCES CIP SOC Crosswalk is not based on empirical data, but as noted above, matches are made
based on aligning fields of study to similar skills and knowledge that occupations have documented as
required for a candidate to be successful in performing on the job. New methods based on emerging big
data technologies such as computational social science show promise in testing and refining these older
program-to-occupational mappings by analyzing alumni social profiles to better measure graduates’ actual
occupational progression in the labor market post-completion. VOEE anticipates using these methods to
enhance future analyses of the G3 program and to create an empirically derived understanding of how
programs link to occupations and the labor market.
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 10
Analysis of G3
Fields of Study
11
Analysis of G3 Fields of Study Designated in
Budget Language
Budget language uses CIP codes at the 6-digit level of specificity to identify exactly 91 fields of study that qualify for
G3 funding. These 91 fields correspond to 12 of the 48 academic disciplines recognized within the 2-digit series NCES
CIP taxonomy. In academic year 2020–21, Virginia institutions offered 866 programs aligned with the 91 G3-eligible
CIP, ranging from awards of less than one year of study to post-baccalaureate certificates. Because G3 focuses on
programs that enable a graduate to gain access to entry-level occupations, graduate-level programs were excluded
from the analysis. It is important to note that even though these programs are aligned in terms of belonging to the 91
CIP defined in legislation, not all of these programs may be participating in the G3 funding program. Table 1
summarizes the categorization and breakdown of these 12 academic disciplines and the count of programs eligible
for G3 funding by award level and academic discipline.
Table 1
The 12 Academic Disciplines (2-digit CIP Series) Containing G3 Programs
Award/Academic Year
Classification Less At least Assoc. Degree Assoc. Degree Four-Year Post-
of Instructional than one but less (Occupational (Bachelor's Bachelor's Baccalaureate
Program (CIP) one than two Technical Credit) Credit) Degree Certificate Total
Business, 9 10 13 0 0 0 32
Management,
Marketing, and
Related Support
Services
Computer And 27 5 22 8 80 9 151
Information
Sciences and
Support Services
Construction 15 6 4 0 0 0 25
Trades
Education 1 0 0 2 4 6 13
Engineering/ 62 10 37 0 5 0 114
Engineering-
Related
Technologies/
Technicians
Family and 20 10 13 0 0 0 43
Consumer
Sciences/Human
Sciences
Health 112 39 84 0 33 5 273
Professions and
Related Programs
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 12
Table 1 Continued
The 12 Academic Disciplines (2-digit CIP Series) Containing G3 Programs
Award/Academic Year
Classification Less At least Assoc. Degree Assoc. Degree Four-Year Post-
of Instructional than one but less (Occupational (Bachelor's Bachelor's Baccalaureate
Program (CIP) one than two Technical Credit) Credit) Degree Certificate Total
Homeland Security, 20 13 30 2 22 6 93
Law Enforcement,
Firefighting and
Related Protective
Services
Mechanic 33 15 18 0 0 0 66
and Repair
Technologies/
Technicians
Multi/ 0 0 0 9 4 0 13
Interdisciplinary
Studies
Precision 22 16 3 0 0 0 41
Production
Science 1 0 1 0 0 0 2
Technologies/
Technicians
Figure 1 illustrates the breakdown of degree award level identified in Table 1. Evident from the analysis is the strong
focus of G3 funding on programs linked to middle-skills occupations or the community college labor market.8
Middle-skills occupations are those that require education greater than a high school diploma but less than a
four-year degree and are strongly aligned to community college programming.9 In total, 79% of programs within the
current G3 academic disciplines meet the middle-skills definition being at, or below, the associate degree level and
a programmatic intent that is direct to the workplace upon student completion. In contrast, only 2% of G3 qualified
programs at the associate degree level are categorized as intending to transfer or lead to a bachelor’s degree.
Figure 1
Academic Award Level (Excludes Graduate Programs)
3%
Award of less than one academic year
17%
At least one but less than two
37%
Associate Degree (Bachelor’s Credit)
2%
Associate Degree (Occupational Technical Credit)
Four-Year Bachelor’s Degree
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
26%
14%
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 13
Analysis of G3
Occupations
14
Analysis of G3-Aligned Occupations
Based on NCES CIP SOC Crosswalk
The NCES CIP SOC Crosswalk maps 91 specific fields of study identified in budget language to 255 unique
occupations at the six-digit SOC level of detail. This count indicates G3-aligned occupations account for
approximately 32% of all occupations within the SOC taxonomy and 74% of SOC major groups. Figure 2 shows
the distribution of G3-aligned occupations among the 23 SOC major groups. The percentages at the end of each
bar represent the percent of occupations in each SOC major group that are G3-aligned. The top five SOC major
groups in order of highest percent of G3 occupations within them are as follows: Healthcare Support (82%);
Office and Administrative Support (76%); Educational Instruction and Library (67%); Protective Service (57%);
and Installation, Maintenance, and Repair (55%).
Figure 2
G3-Aligned Occupations by 2-Digit SOC Major Group and G3-aligned SOC (% of total Major Group)
Production 33%
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 55%
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical 35%
Construction and Extraction 32%
Architecture and Engineering 53%
Management 47%
Computer and Mathematical 30%
Protective Service 67%
Educational Instruction and Library 57%
Office and Administrative Support 76%
Healthcare Support 82%
Business and Financial Operations 28%
Community and Social Service 47%
Life, Physical, and Social Science 13%
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 10%
Transportation and Material Moving 6%
Sales and Related 9%
Personal Care and Service 3%
Unclassified
Food Preparation and Serving Related
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
Military-only
Legal
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Number of Occupations
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 15
Career Cluster Representation in Current
G3-Aligned Occupations
The career clusters presented in the National Career Cluster Framework (NCCF) are broad groups of careers and
industries created by the U.S. Dept. of Education (DOE) to organize CTE programs. As part of its evaluation of
G3 fields of study and their aligned labor market, VOEE examined how the current CIP-to-SOC mapping relates to
the NCCF.10 The 16 career clusters in the NCCF represent 79 career pathways and are intended to help learners
navigate their way to greater academic and career success.11 Virginia’s Department of Education has
augmented the 16 clusters in the framework with a 17th cluster defined around energy jobs. Table 2 displays the
proportion of SOC representation in G3-aligned occupations relative to each of the 17 career clusters. All career
clusters are represented at some level through the current list of G3-aligned occupations except the Hospitality
and Tourism cluster. An individual SOC may have membership in more than one cluster. The highlighted rows
represent the career clusters with the most G3-aligned occupations.
Table 2
Career Cluster Representation in G3-Aligned Occupations
Total SOC in G3 SOC in % of G3 SOC in
Career Cluster Career Cluster Career Cluster Career Cluster
Information Technology 20 18 90%
Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security 38 20 53%
Education & Training 36 19 53%
Manufacturing 133 61 46%
Business Management and Administration 62 27 44%
Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources 41 4 10%
Architecture and Construction 88 28 32%
Arts, Audio/Video Technology and Communications 45 5 11%
Energy* 12 3 25%
Finance 25 3 12%
Government and Public Administration 19 8 42%
Health Science 93 39 42%
Hospitality and Tourism 45 0 0%
Human Services 45 10 22%
Marketing 29 5 17%
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics 49 10 20%
Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics 64 12 19%
*The Energy career cluster is a Virginia-specific addition to the 16 career clusters defined within the National Career Cluster Framework.
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 16
In Figure 3, G3-aligned occupations are categorized by the education level necessary to perform job tasks using data
from the O*NET database. Over half (57%) of the occupations mapped to G3 using the CIP SOC Crosswalk report an
education level no greater than an associate degree as necessary to successfully perform job tasks, revealing a
strong middle-skills focus across G3-aligned fields.
Figure 3
G3-Aligned Occupations by Education Level as Reported to O*NET
No Formal Educational Credential 6
High School Diploma or Equivalent
Some College, No Degree 3
108
57%
Associate Degree 28
33%
Bachelor’s Degree 72
Master’s Degree 11
Postsecondary Non-degree Award 27
10%
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Figure 4 shows that most occupations mapped to G3 programming report that no work experience is required for
the position beyond the reported education and training.
Figure 4
Work Experience Requirements of G3-aligned Occupations as Reported to O*NET
6%
None
9%
Less than five years
Five years or more
85%
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 17
G3 Occupational Alignment to the New Economy
Workforce Credential Grant
Virginia’s New Economy Workforce Credential Grant program (branded by the Virginia Community College
System as FastForward) was developed during the 2016 General Assembly Session to create and sustain
a supply of credentialed workers to fill high-demand occupations in fields that support the state’s economy
while making the attainment of these credentials more affordable.12 VOEE compared the list of G3-aligned
occupations to those designated as eligible for Workforce Credential Grants to determine how the programs
align or overlap.13 Table 3 and Figure 5 display the occupational overlap between the two funding programs by
2-digit SOC major group. Overall, 109 occupations (43% of G3-aligned occupations) are common to both the
G3 and FastForward (FF) funding programs.
Table 3
G3 Occupational Alignment to the New Economy Workforce Credential Grant
G3- and
Total Occupations G3-eligible FF-eligible
SOC Family Code SOC Family Description in SOC Family Occupations Occupations % Overlap
51-0000 Production Occupations 105 35 8 23%
49-0000 Installation, Maintenance, 51 28 16 57%
and Repair Occupations
29-0000 Healthcare Practitioners 71 25 16 64%
and Technical Occupations
17-0000 Architecture and Engineering 36 19 9 47%
Occupations
47-0000 Construction and Extraction 60 18 8 42%
Occupations
11-0000 Management Occupations 38 18 0 0%
15-0000 Computer and Mathematical 21 16 14 88%
Occupations
25-0000 Educational Instruction 28 16 12 75%
and Library Occupations
33-0000 Protective Service 24 16 0 0%
Occupations
43-0000 Office and Administrative 54 16 14 88%
Support Occupations
31-0000 Healthcare Support 17 14 9 64%
Occupations
13-0000 Business and Financial 32 9 1 11%
Operations Occupations
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 18
Table 3
G3 Occupational Alignment to the New Economy Workforce Credential Grant
G3- and
Total Occupations G3-eligible FF-eligible
SOC Family Code SOC Family Description in SOC Family Occupations Occupations % Overlap
21-0000 Community and Social 17 8 0 0%
Service Occupations
19-0000 Life, Physical, and Social 48 6 2 33%
Science Occupations
27-0000 Arts, Design, Entertainment, 41 4 0 0%
Sports, and Media
Occupations
53-0000 Transportation and Material 50 3 0 0%
Moving Occupations
41-0000 Sales and Related 22 2 0 0%
Occupations
39-0000 Personal Care and Service 32 1 0 0%
Occupations
Total 798 255 109 43%
Figure 5
Overlap of G3- and FastForward-aligned occupations
43%
G3- and FF-eligible 109
Occupations
Overlap
G3-eligible Occupations 255
Total Occupations 798
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 19
Projected Job Change for the G3 Program
As part of the analysis of how G3 fields of study support in-demand occupations, Table 4 ranks the top ten
G3-aligned occupations at the six-digit SOC level of detail in Virginia based on projected job change between
2022-30. The fields of study most directly mapped to each occupation are listed in the table based on the NCES
CIP SOC Crosswalk. The academic disciplines most aligned to high-growth G3 occupations include Engineering
Technologies and Engineering Related Fields (CIP 15) and Healthcare Professions and Related Programs (CIP
51), followed by Computer Information Sciences and Support Services (CIP 11).
Table 4
Top Aligned SOC- & G3-Specific Fields of Study Based on Projected Job Change
2022–2030
Rank SOC SOC Name Associated G3-eligible CIP Change
1 31-1128 Home Health and 51.3902 Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient 17,538
Personal Care Aides Care Assistant/Aide
2 15-1252 Software Developers 11.0101 Computer and Information Sciences, 11,023
General
11.0103 Information Technology
11.0201 Computer Programming/Programmer,
General
11.0701 Computer Science
51.2706 Medical Informatics
3 11-1021 General and Operations 15.0613 Manufacturing Engineering Technology/ 6,529
Managers Technician
46.0000 Construction Trades, General
4 13-1111 Management Analysts 15.0613 Manufacturing Engineering Technology/ 4,653
Technician
5 29-1141 Registered Nurses 51.0999 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, 3,523
and Treatment Professions, Other
6 41-4012 Sales Representatives, 15.0613 Manufacturing Engineering Technology/ 2,995
Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technician
Except Technical and Scientific
Products
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 20
Table 4
Top Aligned SOC- & G3-Specific Fields of Study Based on Projected Job Change
2022–2030
Rank SOC SOC Name Associated G3-eligible CIP Change
7 15-1212 Information Security Analysts 11.0101 Computer and Information Sciences, 2,815
General
11.0103 Information Technology
11.0701 Computer Science
11.0901 Computer Systems Networking and
Telecommunications
11.1001 Network and System Administration/
Administrator
11.1003 Computer and Information Systems
Security/Auditing/Information
Assurance
43.0104 Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
43.9999 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement,
Firefighting and Related Protective
Services, Other
8 39-9011 Childcare Workers 19.0709 Child Care Provider/Assistant 2,801
9 29-1171 Nurse Practitioners 51.1105 Pre-Nursing Studies 2,388
51.3801 Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
51.3899 Registered Nursing, Nursing
Administration, Nursing Research
and Clinical Nursing, Other
10 49-9071 Maintenance and Repair 15.0613 Manufacturing Engineering 2,349
Workers, General Technology/Technician
46.0000 Construction Trades, General
47.0101 Electrical/Electronics Equipment
47.0105 Installation and Repair Technology/
Technician, General
47.0603 Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation
and Refrigeration Maintenance
Technology/Technician
48.0508 Autobody/Collision and Repair
Technology/Technician; Welding
Technology/Welder
Table 4 data is inclusive to all SOCs aligned with G3-eligible CIPs according to NCES mapping, regardless of the SOC's reported typical
entry-level education.
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 21
Regional Perspectives on Aggregate Projected Job
Change
VOEE compared the projected job change for G3-aligned occupations categorized by their 2-digit SOC major
group across each GO Virginia region and statewide. Table 5 highlights the SOC major groups with the largest
projected job growth aligned to G3-designated fields of study. The top five major occupational groups by projected
job change statewide include Healthcare Support (24,886), Computer and Mathematical (21,030), Management
(16,544), Healthcare Practitioners and Technical (11,526), and Business and Financial Operations (10,505).
Table 5
2022–30 Projected Job Change in Nine GO Virginia Regions and Statewide by 2-Digit SOC Major Group
GO Virginia Region*
2-digit SOC Family Name
SOC (Occupations) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Statewide
11-0000 Management 451 1,267 420 2,201 1,568 1,104 3,323 1,214 1,033 16,544
13-0000 Business and 211 426 135 909 490 1,040 2,146 592 659 10,505
Financial Operations
15-0000 Computer and 184 520 143 575 1,047 1298 8,201 592 854 21,030
Mathematical
17-0000 Architecture and 99 195 86 145 -159 139 -281 135 114 1,057
Engineering
19-0000 Life, Physical, and 7 25 4 -64 11 10 61 10 23 121
Social Science
21-0000 Community and 111 545 62 869 598 325 1,104 188 195 4,392
Social Service
23-0000 Legal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
25-0000 Educational 105 268 -27 1,218 842 597 4,032 677 779 8,764
Instruction
and Library
27-0000 Arts, Design, 41 85 30 227 65 89 194 82 112 1,243
Entertainment,
Sports, and Media
29-0000 Healthcare -30 1,294 -50 1,648 1,157 605 4,059 891 546 11,526
Practitioners
and Technical
31-0000 Healthcare Support 563 2,074 1,055 2,631 3,440 1,310 8,437 1,350 1,536 24,886
33-0000 Protective Service 70 316 -209 120 -229 225 714 191 160 1,490
35-0000 Food Preparation and 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Serving Related
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 22
Table 5 Continued
2022–30 Projected Job Change in Nine GO Virginia Regions and Statewide by 2-Digit SOC Major Group
GO Virginia Region*
2-digit SOC Family Name
SOC (Occupations) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Statewide
37-0000 Building and 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Grounds Cleaning
and Maintenance
39-0000 Personal Care 20 183 -22 396 300 149 1,258 -8 204 2,801
and Service
41-0000 Sales and Related 110 275 134 347 125 145 587 282 232 3,612
43-0000 Office and 84 -482 -178 -295 -2,224 600 -1,881 262 580 2,007
Administrative Support
45-0000 Farming, Fishing, 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
and Forestry
47-0000 Construction -63 162 54 962 -508 54 1,157 104 73 3,563
and Extraction
49-0000 Installation, 214 622 249 884 -566 501 -609 648 513 4,336
Maintenance,
and Repair
51-0000 Production 434 757 251 385 -414 174 677 460 194 3,668
53-0000 Transportation and 10 1 1 15 -8 7 23 11 0 62
Material Moving
Table 5 includes only the 18 SOC major groups with G3-aligned occupations. Within each SOC major group, only occupations that map
to a G3-eligible program are included.
* Nine GO Virginia Regions include: Region 1, Southwest; Region 2, West Central; Region 3, Southside; Region 4, Capital Region; Region 5,
Hampton Roads; Region 6, Eastern; Region 7, Northern; Region 8, Valley; Region 9, Piedmont
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 23
Labor Market Alignment
of the G3 Program
24
Posting Intensity and Job Postings Analysis
A significant focus of this analysis was to assess how well aligned the 91 fields of study named in the G3
budget language are with the current and projected workforce needs of Virginia. To provide an assessment of
how G3-aligned occupations compared to the demand for jobs in the larger labor market, VOEE accessed online
job posting analytics using Lightcast Developer to retrospectively survey occupations showing the strongest
measured demand by frequency of online job postings and their posting intensity from October 2021 to
September 2022.
Posting intensity as defined by Lightcast is the ratio of total to unique (deduplicated) job postings for an
occupation. This ratio for each individual occupation or occupational grouping can be compared to the ratio for
all job postings for a given region to estimate the effort an employer or industry is making to find specific talent.
Emphasis in this analysis was given to the most frequent postings aggregated to 2-digit SOC major group. Table
6 shows the 10 SOC major groups that received the most postings over the 12-month period spanning January
2021–June 2022, including the posting intensity and median posting duration. The average posting intensity for
all postings statewide during this period was 3 to 1. Taken together, Tables 5 and 6 reflect a continuity between
recent historic demand measured by online job ads and long-term government projections for occupations.
Table 6
Top Ten SOC Major Groups Ranked by Total and Unique Job Postings - Statewide
January 2021–June 2022
G3-Aligned Median
Occupations in SOC Total Unique Posting Posting
2-digit SOC Major Group Major Group Postings Postings Intensity Duration
Computer and Mathematical 76% 435,510 191,952 2 to 1 23 days
Healthcare Practitioners 35% 423,454 168,856 3 to 1 23 days
and Technical
Management 47% 403,839 155,146 3 to 1 27 days
Sales and Related 9% 446,782 122,904 4 to 1 27 days
Office and Administrative Support 30% 544,787 115,007 5 to 1 25 days
Business and Financial Operations 28% 269,222 100,480 3 to 1 26 days
Food Preparation and Serving 0% 228,436 68,324 3 to 1 28 days
Related
Transportation and Material 6% 312,957 67,270 5 to 1 28 days
Moving
Installation, Maintenance, 55% 129,508 46,375 3 to 1 29 days
and Repair
Healthcare Support 82% 132,128 42,988 3 to 1 25 days
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 25
To estimate how the G3 program aligns to the future workforce, VOEE developed two metrics based on
employment projections for Virginia through 2030. The first metric focused on analyzing projected job
growth by 2-digit SOC major group for both G3-aligned and non-aligned occupations for middle-skills jobs
exclusively (occupations requiring education less than a bachelor’s degree but greater than a high school
diploma). The exclusive focus on middle-skills occupations was employed to match the current emphasis of
the G3 program on community college educational programming leading to entry-level jobs. Table 7 provides
a comparison of these data. The highlighted rows indicate the 2030 middle-skills occupational categories
with the highest percent of jobs aligned with a G3-eligible field of study based on projected job change.
Table 7
Projected 2030 Middle-Skills Incumbent Workforce by G3 Eligibility - Statewide
2030 Jobs
2-digit Occupational Major Group G3-Eligible Non G3-Eligible G3-Eligible Non G3-Eligible
Architecture and Engineering 16,916 445 97% 3%
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, 0 5,082 0% 100%
and Media
Business and Financial Operations 691 0 100% 0%
Computer and Mathematical 33,143 0 100% 0%
Educational Instruction and Library 45,827 1,984 96% 4%
Food Preparation and Serving Related 0 52 0% 100%
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical 60,998 10,918 85% 15%
Healthcare Support Occupations 84,008 0 100% 0%
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 54,994 3,892 93% 7%
Legal Occupations 0 17,149 0% 100%
Life, Physical, and Social Science 1,410 5,042 22% 78%
Management 0 304 0% 100%
Office and Administrative Support 0 48,963 0% 100%
Personal Care and Service 0 29,595 0% 100%
Production 380 1,367 22% 78%
Protective Service 14,209 0 100% 0%
Transportation and Material Moving 0 62,909 0% 100%
Total 312,576 187,702 62% 38%
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 26
The second metric to assist in assessing G3’s alignment to the future projected workforce is the ranking of
the percent of workers in G3-aligned occupations in each SOC major group. In this analysis, all occupations
were included. Table 8 ranks these data by 2-digit SOC major group, highest to lowest percentage of G3-
eligible occupations. The top occupational groups by percent of G3 eligibility include Healthcare Support
(96%), Computer and Mathematical (95%), Installation, Maintenance and Repair (87%), Management (76%),
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical (70%), and Construction and Extraction (70%).
Table 8
Projected 2030 Jobs Categorized by G3 Eligibility - Statewide
2030 Jobs
2-digit Occupational Projected Non Non
Major Group 2030 Jobs G3-Eligible G3-Eligible G3-Eligible G3-Eligible
Healthcare Support 188,628 181,097 7,531 96% 4%
Computer and Mathematical 261,621 247,434 14,187 95% 5%
Installation, Maintenance, and 185,478 161,340 24,138 87% 13%
Repair
Management 293,721 224,572 69,149 76% 24%
Healthcare Practitioners and 254,089 178,968 75,121 70% 30%
Technical
Construction and Extraction 207,856 145,293 62,563 70% 30%
Office and Administrative 485,513 322,885 162,628 67% 34%
Support
Protective Service 112,479 70,680 41,799 63% 37%
Educational Instruction and 275,353 172,492 102,861 63% 37%
Library
Community and Social Service 87,514 51,965 35,549 59% 41%
Architecture and Engineering 81,925 46,257 35,668 56% 44%
Business and Financial 410,988 208,900 202,088 51% 49%
Operations
Production 185,310 73,537 111,773 40% 60%
Personal Care and Service 144,471 36,831 107,640 25% 75%
Arts, Design, Entertainment, 83,758 18,179 65,579 22% 78%
Sports, and Media
Life, Physical, and Social 47,644 5,084 42,560 11% 89%
Science
Sales and Related 395,950 36,957 358,993 9% 91%
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 27
Table 8 Continued
Projected 2030 Jobs Categorized by G3 Eligibility - Statewide
2030 Jobs
2-digit Occupational Projected Non Non
Major Group 2030 Jobs G3-Eligible G3-Eligible G3-Eligible G3-Eligible
Transportation and Material 352,933 1,234 351,699 0% 100%
Moving
Building and Grounds Cleaning 161,419 0 161,419 0% 100%
and Maintenance
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 16,260 0 16,260 0% 100%
Food Preparation and 340,523 0 340,523 0% 100%
Serving Related
Legal 44,377 0 44,377 0% 100%
Total 4,617,810 2,183,705 2,434,105 47% 53%
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 28
Analysis of Instructional Programs Ineligible
for G3 Funding
The following section assesses fields of study and their associated occupations that are not eligible for funding
under G3 with the highest projected employment in 2030. Table 9 ranks instructional programs (CIP) by the
number of projected jobs in 2030 in G3-aligned occupations as determined by the NCES CIP-to-SOC mapping.
Occupations in the following table are restricted to middle-skills occupations (those occupations requiring an
education greater than a high school diploma but less than a four-year) that are not currently aligned with any
other G3-eligible CIP. Prominent instructional areas include CIP series 49-Transportation and Materials Moving,
12-Personal and Culinary Services, and 22-Legal Professions and Studies.
Table 9
Top Non-G3 Eligible Programs, by Projected Employment in Non-G3 aligned Middle-skills Occupations
Projected Jobs Change in
(2030) in Aligned Aligned Jobs
Program (CIP) Title Aligned Occupations Occupations 2022–2030
49.0205 Truck and Bus 53-3032 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer 56,007 2,518
Driver/Commercial Truck Drivers
Vehicle
Operator and
Instructor
49.0299 Ground 53-3032 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer 56,007 2,518
Transportation, Other Truck Drivers
12.0401 Cosmetology/ 39-5011 Barbers 28,677 3,477
Cosmetologist, General
39-5012 Hairdressers,
Hairstylists, and
Cosmetologists
39-5091 Makeup Artists,
Theatrical
and Performance
39-5092 Manicurists and
Pedicurists
39-5094 Skincare Specialists
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 29
Table 9
Top Non-G3 Eligible Programs, by Projected Employment in Non-G3 aligned Middle-skills Occupations
Projected Jobs Change in
(2030) in Aligned Aligned Jobs
Program (CIP) Title Aligned Occupations Occupations 2022–2030
12.0499 Cosmetology and 39-5011 Barbers 28,677 3,477
Related Personal
Grooming Arts, Other 39-5012 Hairdressers,
Hairstylists,
and Cosmetologists
39-5091 Makeup Artists,
Theatrical and
Performance
39-5092 Manicurists and
Pedicurists
39-5094 Skincare Specialists
12.0413 Cosmetology, Barber/ 39-5011 Barbers 20,707 2,033
Styling,
and Nail Instructor
12.0407 Hair Styling/Stylist 39-5011 Barbers 20,707 2,033
and Hair Design
39-5012 Hairdressers,
Hairstylists,
and Cosmetologists
22.0399 Legal Support 23-2011 Paralegals and Legal 17,799 261
Services, Other Assistants
23-2099 Legal Support Workers,
All Other
27-3092 Court Reporters and
Simultaneous
Captioners
12.0406 Make-Up Artist/ 39-5012 Hairdressers, 17,767 1,612
Specialist Hairstylists,
and Cosmetologists
39-5091 Makeup Artists,
Theatrical, and
Performance
12.0411 Permanent 39-5012 Hairdressers, 17,767 1,612
Cosmetics/Makeup Hairstylists,
and Tattooing and Cosmetologists
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 30
Because many occupations map to multiple fields of study, VOEE also considered instructional programs (CIPs)
with the highest projected employment of middle-skills workers regardless of alignment to G3-eligible fields
of study. In particular, numerous non-G3 fields of study from CIP series 51 (Health Professions and Related
Programs) are mapped to in-demand middle-skills professions. In many cases, there are existing pathways
through G3 to the occupations associated with these fields of study, although G3 does not encompass all the
linkages to these occupations.
Table 10
Top Non-G3 Eligible Programs, by Projected Employment in All Middle-Skills Occupations
Projected Jobs Change in
(2030) in Aligned Aligned Jobs
Program (CIP) Title Aligned Occupations Occupations 2022–2030
51.0899 Allied Health and 29-2031 Cardiovascular 83,096 6,029
Medical Assisting Technologists and
Services, Other Technicians
29-2032 Diagnostic Medical
Sonographers
29-2035 Magnetic Resonance
Imaging Technologists
29-2055 Surgical Technologists
29-2056 Veterinary Technologists
and Technicians
29-2072 Medical Records
Specialists
29-2099 Health Technologists
and Technicians,
All Other
31-1131 Nursing Assistants
31-2011 Occupational Therapy
Assistants
31-2021 Physical Therapist
Assistants
31-9092 Medical Assistants
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 31
Table 10 Continued
Top Non-G3 Eligible Programs, by Projected Employment in All Middle-Skills Occupations
Projected Jobs Change in
(2030) in Aligned Aligned Jobs
Program (CIP) Title Aligned Occupations Occupations 2022–2030
51.9999 Health Professions 29-2036 Medical Dosimetrists 71,906 4,889
and Related Clinical
Sciences, Other 29-2072 Medical Records
Specialists
29-2099 Health Technologists
and Technicians, All
Other
31-1131 Nursing Assistants
31-9092 Medical Assistants
31-9097 Phlebotomists
51.3999 Practical Nursing, 29-2061 Licensed Practical and 61,502 3,013
Vocational Nursing Licensed Vocational
and Nursing Nurses
Assistants, Other
31-1131 Nursing Assistants
49.0299 Ground 53-3032 Heavy and Tractor- 56,007 2,518
Transportation, Other Trailer Truck Drivers
49.0205 Truck and Bus Driver/ 53-3032 Heavy and Tractor- 56,007 2,518
Commercial Vehicle Trailer Truck Drivers
Operator and Instructor
51.1199 Health/Medical 29-2034 Radiologic 47,830 3,374
Preparatory Programs, Technologists and
Other Technicians
29-2042 Emergency Medical
Technicians
29-2043 Paramedics
29-2061 Licensed Practical and
Licensed Vocational
Nurses
31-2021 Physical Therapist
Assistants
31-9091 Dental Assistants
30.1101 Gerontology 29-2053 Psychiatric Technicians 43,604 1,993
31-1131 Nursing Assistants
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 32
Table 10 Continued
Top Non-G3 Eligible Programs, by Projected Employment in All Middle-Skills Occupations
Projected Jobs Change in
(2030) in Aligned Aligned Jobs
Program (CIP) Title Aligned Occupations Occupations 2022–2030
19.0702 Adult Development 29-2053 Psychiatric Technicians; 43,604 1,993
and Aging
31-1131 Nursing Assistants
51.0703 Health Unit 31-1131 Nursing Assistants 41,774 1,791
Coordinator/Ward Clerk
31-9094 Medical Transcriptionists
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 33
G3-Aligned Occupations Wage Performance
Indexed to Living Wage Scenarios
VOEE also analyzed how well G3-aligned occupations are able to provide a living wage. Table 11 compares
2-digit SOC major groups by the portion of G3-aligned occupations within each group that have a median
income above thresholds identified by the MIT Living Wage Calculator. They based the analysis on three family
scenarios: single adult earner; single parent, one child; two working adults with two children. Three occupational
groups — Management, Business and Financial Operations, and Computer and Mathematical — performed well
across all three living wage scenarios.
Table 11
Top Non-G3 Eligible Programs, by Projected Employment in Non-G3 Aligned Middle-skills Occupations
Occupations with medium
income above MIT Living Wage
1 Earner/ 2 Earners/ 1 Earner/
Total G3-Eligible 0 Children 2 Children 1 Child
SOC SOC Family SOC SOC ($19.40/hr) ($25.55/hr) ($36.20/hr)
11-0000 Management Occupations 38 18 100% 94% 94%
13-0000 Business and Financial 32 9 100% 100% 67%
Operations Occupations
15-0000 Computer and Mathematical 21 16 100% 100% 81%
Occupations
17-0000 Architecture and Engineering 36 19 100% 89% 32%
Occupations
19-0000 Life, Physical, and Social 48 6 83% 50% 17%
Science Occupations
21-0000 Community and Social Service 17 8 88% 25% 0%
Occupations
23-0000 Legal Occupations 8 0
25-0000 Educational Instruction and 28 16 81% 81% 19%
Library Occupations
27-0000 Arts, Design, Entertainment, 41 4 100% 75% 50%
Sports, and Media
Occupations
29-0000 Healthcare Practitioners and 71 25 88% 52% 40%
Technical Occupations
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 34
Table 11 Continued
Top Non-G3 Eligible Programs, by Projected Employment in Non-G3 aligned Middle-skills Occupations
Occupations with medium
income above MIT Living Wage
1 Earner/ 2 Earners/ 1 Earner/
Total G3-Eligible 0 Children 2 Children 1 Child
SOC SOC Family SOC SOC ($19.40/hr) ($25.55/hr) ($36.20/hr)
31-0000 Healthcare Support 17 14 21% 14% 0%
Occupations
33-0000 Protective Service 24 16 81% 50% 25%
Occupations
35-0000 Food Preparation and Serving 17 0
Related Occupations
37-0000 Building and Grounds Cleaning 10 0
and Maintenance Occupations
39-0000 Personal Care and Service 32 1 0% 0% 0%
Occupations
41-0000 Sales and Related 22 2 100% 100% 50%
Occupations
43-0000 Office and Administrative 54 16 25% 13% 0%
Support Occupations
45-0000 Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 14 0
Occupations
47-0000 Construction and Extraction 60 19 68% 26% 0%
Occupations
49-0000 Installation, Maintenance, 51 28 86% 39% 7%
and Repair Occupations
51-0000 Production Occupations 105 35 49% 20% 3%
53-0000 Transportation and Material 50 3 67% 33% 33%
Moving Occupations
55-0000 Military-Only Occupations 1 0
99-0000 Unclassified Occupation 1 0
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 35
Summary of Findings
36
Summary of Findings
The purpose of this review was to conduct a baseline evaluation to estimate the level of alignment between
the 91 G3-specific fields of study identified in budget language and their associated occupations in the labor
market. As part of creating that assessment, VOEE reviewed a variety of labor market metrics at both the state
and regional levels to estimate how G3 programs are positioned to support projected growth in the Virginia
economy. Though not exhaustive, the review presented in this study does suggest that G3 funding is strongly
aligned to the middle-skilled labor market in the state and with projected growth opportunities through the end
of the decade. For example:
■
Associate and sub-associate award levels are the largest portion (79%) of available programs currently eligible
for G3 funding (when graduate programs are excluded).
■
85% of G3-aligned occupations require no formal work experience.
■
57% of G3-aligned occupations typically require educational attainment of an associate degree or lower.
■
91% of G3-eligible associate degrees (225 programs) are occupational and career focused rather than transfer
focused.
■
G3-aligned occupations show continuity between the most frequent recent online job postings and end-of-
decade projected job growth.
The 255 occupations currently aligned with G3 range across 18 SOC major groups (74%) and comprise 32%
of the occupations in the SOC system.
The following are the top five SOC major groups by projected job change statewide:
1. Healthcare Support (+24,886)
2. Computer and Mathematical (+21,030)
3. Management (+16,544)
4. Healthcare Practitioners and Technical (+11,526)
5. Business and Financial Operations (+10,505)
All career clusters within the 17 Career Cluster framework14 are represented in the current list of G3-aligned
occupations except for the Hospitality and Tourism cluster. The career clusters containing the most G3-aligned
occupations include:
1. Information Technology
2. Education and Training
3. Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security
4. Manufacturing
5. Business, Management, and Administration
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 37
There is a 43% overlap (109 occupations) between G3-aligned occupations and those eligible for FastForward
funding.
Three quarters (75%) of G3-aligned occupations have a median wage above the MIT living wage threshold for a
household of one, and about half (51%) of G3-aligned occupations offer wages above the living wage threshold
for a two-earner household of four. Occupational groups with strong wage performance across both living wage
scenarios include management, business and financial operations, and computer and mathematical.
This report has presented a selection of the metrics used to conduct the analysis of the labor market alignment
of the G3 program. Users interested in further exploration can download a data set with filters based on Virginia
worker concentration, median earnings, projected job change, diversity, and living wage at https://voee.org/data.
Recommendations for Consideration
It is VOEE's recommendation that no significant changes be made to the list of approved programs for G3 at
the time of this analysis. This recommendation stems from its review, which shows a strong general alignment
of the current G3 list to the middle-skilled labor market in the Commonwealth. Additionally, at the time of this
analysis, the G3 program has only run for two semesters. VOEE will be able to understand more about how G3 is
being used by students when richer enrollment and outcomes data become available for analysis. It will also be
essential to relate uptake and outcomes to other state programs like the Workforce Credential Grant.
One area where changes to the G3 program may be considered is in using a broader level of definition within
the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) taxonomy to specify G3 educational program eligibility
within budget language. Currently G3 relies on the six-digit level CIP to qualify program eligibility. Given the
closeness of many fields of study aligning to the same occupation, converting to the four-digit series may be a
more realistic way to define G3 programming while acknowledging the broader linkages between educational
programs and occupations in the labor market.
In summary, the G3 funding program is an important policy initiative for the Commonwealth of Virginia. As a
last-dollar financial aid assistance program, G3 exists as one of the many variations of funding assistance
programs found in the United States that seek to support students’ access to higher education. This report is
intended to contribute to the further analysis and discussion among policy makers and educators regarding how
Virginia may best invest and support this important mission for the benefit of its residents and future economic
competitiveness.
VOEE Project Team
Todd Oldham, Ed.D. Heather McKay William Richter
Research Director Executive Director Research and Data Analyst
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 38
References
39
Notes
1
“(Chapter 2), Item 231 D” 2022 Special Session I, State Budget, Legislative Information System, Virginia General
Assembly, Commonwealth of Virginia, https://budget.lis.virginia.gov/item/2022/2/HB30/Chapter/1/213/.
2
“SB 1405 Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3) Fund and Program,” Virginia’s Legislative Information System
(LIS), 2021, https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?212+sum+SB1405.
3
Virginia Community College System, G3 Annual Report 2021–22, 2022.
4
“Budget Amendments - HB30 (Conference Report),” 2020 Session, State Budget, Legislative Information
System, Virginia General Assembly, Commonwealth of Virginia, https://budget.lis.virginia.gov/
amendment/2020/1/HB30/Introduced/CR/221/2c/.
5
“The Classification of Instructional Programs,” The Institute for Education Sciences, National Center for
Education Statistics, 2020, https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/Default.aspx?y=56.
6
“O*NET,” Employment and Training Administration, United States Department of Labor, n.d., https://www.dol.
gov/agencies/eta/onet.
7
“Lightcast SOC,” Emsi kb, 2022. https://kb.emsidata.com/methodology/emsi-soc/.
8
Dixie Sommers, “National Labor Market Projections for Community College Students,” New Directions for
Community Colleges 146 (Summer 2009), 33–52: https://doi.org/10.1002/cc.364.
9
William C. Symonds, Robert Schwartz, and Ronald Ferguson, Pathways to Prosperity: Meeting the Challenge
of Preparing Young Americans for the 21st Century (Pathways to Prosperity Project, Harvard Graduate School
of Education, February 2011), https://www.gse.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/documents/Pathways_to_
Prosperity_Feb2011-1.pdf.
10
“Pathways to College and Career Readiness: Career Clusters,” AdvanceCTE, n.d., https://cte.careertech.org/
sites/default/files/CareerClustersPathways_0.pdf.
11
“Career Clusters,” Career Technical Education, AdvanceCTE, 2022, https://careertech.org/career-clusters.
12
“Workforce Credential Grant,” Virginia Career Works, 2018, https://virginiacareerworks.com/workforce-
credential-grant/.
13
“New Economy Workforce Credential Grant Program, Demand Fields and Related Noncredit Workforce Training
Programs/Credentials,” Virginia Career Works, n.d., https://virginiacareerworks.com/wp-content/uploads/
HighDemandFieldsPrograms031618.pdf.
14
“Career Clusters,” Virginia Department of Education, 2022, https://www.vawizard.org/wizard/browse-by-cluster.
Review of the G3 Program’s Alignment to the Virginia Labor Market | 2022 40
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