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K12 Inc. Helps Virginia Get Back to Work
[June 29, 2020]

K12 Inc. Helps Virginia Get Back to Work


K12 Inc. (NYSE:LRN) announced today that it is a Strategic Business Partner of the Virginia Ready Initiative (VA Ready), a new private-public partnership to help unemployed Virginians across the Commonwealth get back to work quickly. In partnership with businesses, Virginia's community colleges, and Galvanize, VA Ready equips people who are out of work due to the COVID-19 pandemic with the required skills for in-demand jobs in high-growth sectors.

"The VA Ready program stands to make a high-demand, high-potential career accessible to the many Virginians who are out of work and in need right now," said Nate Davis, CEO of K12 Inc. "With career readiness education being one of K12's top priorities, we are so proud to be supporting this program, and look forward to seeing how its upskilling opportunities will help empower people and get the state's economy moving again."

The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on our nation's economy, with the impact being felt at home in Virginia. More than 800,000 people in the Commonwealth have filed for unemployment since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. One challenge is that great opportunities remain in high-demand sectors like technology, healthcare, and manufacturing/skilled trades, but these jobs require specialized skills. By providing the needed training, K12, in partnership with VA Ready, is helping people compete for these very jobs.

K12 has long been committed to providing career readiness education through its Destinations Career Academies, and most recently through its acquisition of Galvanize, a leader in helping talent learn the skills needed to excel in software engineering and data science positions. As an extension of these efforts, K12 is partnering with VA Ready in this shared mission.



VA Ready, a newly formed public charity, rewards out-of-work Virginians who commit themselves to training for in-demand jobs. VA Ready Scholars earn a credential in one of many selected training programs through FastForward, a state-led short-term workforce credential program to train Virginians for top, in-demand jobs across the Commonwealth. FastForward is offered through the Virginia Community College System's (VCCS) 23 community colleges. Upon achieving their credential, VA Ready Scholars receive a $1,000 Credential Achievement Award and are offered opportunities to interview with VA Ready's business partners.

"As the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we are seeing an urgent need to get Virginians back to work," said Glenn A. Youngkin, co-founder and chairman of VA Ready. "Employer engagement is critical to retraining thousands of Virginians for in-demand jobs. I'm grateful to K12 and the unique coalition that is partnering in this much-needed effort."


K12 will be supporting this initiative in the following ways:

  • Financial support for Credential Achievement Awards and awareness efforts;
  • Input on offerings and curricula to VA Ready's Talent Task Force with VCCS to ensure training program success;
  • Participating in the VA Ready Job Exchange and providing job interview opportunities to VA Ready Scholars.

To learn more about Galvanize, visit: www.galvanize.com.

About K12

K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN) helps students of all ages reach their full potential through inspired teaching and personalized learning. The company provides innovative, high-quality online and blended education solutions, curriculum, and programs to students, schools and enterprises in primary, secondary and post-secondary settings. K12 is a premier provider of career readiness education services and a leader in skills training, technology staffing and talent development. The company provides programs which combine traditional high school academics with career technical education through its Destinations Career Academies. Adult learning is delivered through K12's subsidiary, Galvanize, a leader in developing capabilities for individuals and corporations in technical fields such as software engineering and data science. K12 has delivered millions of courses over the past decade and serves students in all 50 states and more than 100 countries. The company is a proud sponsor of the Future of School, a nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the gap between the pace of technology in daily life and the pace of change in education. More information can be found at K12.com, destinationsacademy.com, jobshadowweek.com, and galvanize.com.

About The Virginia Ready Initiative (VA Ready)

VA Ready is uniting stakeholders, including the Commonwealth's business community and the FastForward program of the Virginia Community College System to retrain out-of-work Virginians with high-demand skills and build career opportunities. For more information visit https://vaready.org/.


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