Key Industries

Target Sectors

Transformative Technologies

Due to the demands of Information Technology (IT) in the marketplace, an advantage our region has is the number of community colleges and 4-year colleges and universities that provide IT training through certifications or graduate degrees.

For example, James Madison University’s Center for Forensics and Information Security, Virginia Military Institute’s Computer and Information Sciences with a minor in Cyber Security, Bridgewater College’s degree in Computer Science and Blue Ridge Community College’s Cyber Security classes convey a strong message about computer skills availability.

Analogous to the IT sector is the professional business service sector. With a myriad of programs to choose from, and utilizing many of the same skill sets as computer science, this sector also seeks broader certifications and degrees.

The Shenandoah Valley is one of three targeted locations in Virginia that is part of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s Rural and Small Metro Tech Centers Initiative. Thanks to our region’s access to a highly educated workforce, low cost of doing business, and phenomenal quality of life, we’re working with our state partners to encourage companies to find their tech talent in the Shenandoah Valley.

Cybersecurity Workforce Development Project

A GO Virginia state grant allowed the cities of Harrisonburg and Waynesboro to partner with Blue Ridge Community College to develop a cybersecurity training program which trained dozens of analysts and recruited Tiber Creek Consulting to establish an office in Waynesboro.

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Employer Spotlight

Pilgrim’s Foods

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Why Businesses Choose The Shenandoah Valley

Representative Information Technology & Professional Services Employers

Bio-Innovation

The Shenandoah Valley has deep roots in agriculture and is a powerhouse when it comes to agricultural production — generating more than $2 billion in annual commodity sales.

The ag sector contributed more than $640 million to the Shenandoah Valley’s GRP in 2024.

Rockingham County is at the heart of the Valley’s agribusiness economy, generating $1.2 billion annually alone. As a whole, the region supports more than 13,000 agriculture related jobs and employment in agriculture and forestry is 71% above the national average.

Agriculture and agribusiness represent a broad range of companies including forestry operations and farm-dependent operations. The Shenandoah Valley’s strong agricultural logistics and supply chain network support every stage of production and create an efficient, vertically integrated agricultural ecosystem that keeps the Valley’s farm economy thriving.

Ag-tech in the Shenandoah Valley

The Shenandoah Valley’s strong agricultural base fuels a growing ag-tech sector, from drone technologies and crop-specific bio-fertilizers to controlled-environment farms. With James Madison University and business incubators like the Virginia Innovation Accelerator driving collaboration, the region continues to cultivate innovation at the
intersection of agriculture and technology.

Learn more About Incentives