Working in Synch with Employers (WISE): A GO Virginia Region 7 Planning Grant Initiative

George Washington University (GW) has received a GO Virginia Region 7 Planning Grant for Working in Synch with Employers (WISE)—a project designed to strengthen collaboration between employers, educators, and workforce leaders across Northern Virginia. This planning grant is well aligned with the 2025 updated Region 7 Growth & Diversification Plan, which emphasizes workforce alignment and collaboration to meet industry demand in life sciences, one of the Region 7 industry clusters.

The WISE initiative is a strategic workforce development project designed to strengthen the Life and Health Sciences industry cluster in the Northern Virginia region by embedding Artificial Intelligence (AI) competencies into training programs. The project responds to a growing demand for professionals who can apply AI methods to biomedical data, digital health, and clinical research—skills increasingly critical to innovation and competitiveness in the life sciences sector. The WISE project seeks to assess current and future workforce needs and to design strategies for curriculum development, credential alignment, and employer engagement.

WISE will pilot a scalable, employer-informed workforce development model that aligns training with real-world demands. The initiative will:

• Develop short courses and workshops (6 weeks) focused on AI readiness, business acumen, and applied science skills.

• Create career pathway frameworks that connect students and graduates with internships and job opportunities.

• Establish replicable strategies that can be expanded across the Commonwealth.

WISE aims to position the life and health sciences sector as an AI-empowered career

pathway, helping students and job seekers navigate opportunities in a high-growth, high-impact industry. Over the next year, the project team will conduct 20 employer interviews and convene a cross-sector Advisory Panel representing business, higher education, and workforce organizations. The goal is to identify regional skill priorities, analyze training gaps, and design a framework that better synchronizes education and employment systems. 

The WISE project proposes to convene education, workforce, and employer partners to assess current and future workforce needs and to design strategies for curriculum development, credential alignment, and employer engagement. Planning activities include conducting employer surveys, holding regional convenings, and drafting a framework for pilot programs

Executive Director of the Virginia Career Works Alexandria/Arlington Workforce Council, David Remick said, "The WISE project addresses a critical challenge facing our region’s innovation economy: the growing gap between the skills employers need and the training students receive. Despite our region’s abundance of highly educated individuals, life and health science companies continue to struggle to find talent with the applied skills necessary to thrive in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. This project’s focus on short courses and workshops in AI, business acumen, and applied science effectively responds to that challenge." He added, "I am confident that it will impact the competitiveness of our region’s life and health sciences sector."

Together, WISE partners are building the foundation for a stronger, more responsive regional workforce ecosystem.

John Newby, CEO of Virginia Bio, "The life and health sciences industry is a cornerstone of

Virginia’s innovation economy, encompassing diverse companies that rely on biology, chemistry, and emerging technologies to improve health outcomes. Despite a well-educated talent pool, many employers struggle to find candidates with the applied skills necessary to thrive in today’s fast-evolving landscape. The WISE project addresses this gap

by aligning academic training with real-world industry demands. The project’s multifaceted approach includes short courses and workshops in artificial intelligence, business acumen, and hands-on scientific training. These offerings are relevant and essential for preparing

graduates to contribute meaningfully to the workforce from day one. The emphasis on

scalable strategies and statewide collaboration further underscores the project’s

potential to serve as a model for workforce development across Virginia."

The WISE project is not just timely, but essential. It will strengthen our talent pipeline, support the continued growth of the life sciences sector, and enhance our region's position as a national leader in health innovation.