Education & Workforce Summit 2025: Connecting the Pieces

Join us for this year’s Education & Workforce Summit, co sponsored with Lynchburg Regional SHRM, where employers and educators come together to tackle key workforce challenges and explore collaborative solutions for success especially as it relates to the Regional Workforce Roadmap. If you're in the business of people—hiring, developing, or educating talent—this is an event you won’t want to miss!
 

Featured Speaker: Patience Fairbrother

We’re thrilled to welcome Patience Fairbrother, Vice President of Talent Attraction at Development Counsellors International (DCI), as our Hot Topic Speaker. Drawing from the latest "Talent Wars" report, Patience will provide insights on:
✔️ The current talent landscape and what’s shaping workforce trends
✔️ The “path to purchase” for relocating talent
✔️ What drives career change and upskilling decisions
✔️ Best practices from across North America with actionable takeaways for the Lynchburg region

Stay tuned for more details, and mark your calendar—it’s time to connect the pieces for a stronger workforce!

Agenda

7:30 am – 8:00 am           Coffee, Breakfast & Registration

8:00 am – 8:05 am           Welcome & Overview of Event           
                                                       
8:05 am – 8:25 am           Lynchburg Regional Workforce Roadmap – Progress Update

8:25 am – 8:40 am           CVWDB and their role in the Regional Workforce Strategy   
          
8:40 am – 9:00 am           Big Picture Speaker                                          LL47 Workforce Team
The Results are In: Workforce Development Job Readiness Survey

9:00 am - 9:10 am            Networking Break & Visiting Exhibitors

9:10 am – 10:00 am         Big Picture Speaker                                          Patience Fairbrother, DCI
A Proactive Approach to Talent Retention & Attraction

10 am – 10:15 am            Networking Break & Visiting Exhibitors

10:15 am – 11:00 am      Connection Sessions 
The Connection Sessions are designed to help you piece together the big picture of workforce and education. Each session acts as a puzzle piece, fitting into the larger framework of talent development, industry needs, and future opportunities. Discover insights on Generation Z and learn how workforce partners like DARS, United Way, and CVCC are shaping the future of talent development.

11 am – 11:10 am            Networking Break & Visiting Exhibitors

11:10 am –11:30 am       Table Talks and report outs                                                                          
Turning Talk into Action – What is your takeaway and how will you move to action?

11:30 am – 11:45 am      Panel Prompts with Index Cards

11:45 am – 12:45 pm     Leverage Lunch Panel – Educator Workforce Academy                                    
Your time to ask questions about the Educator Workforce Academy from educators and employers who experienced it firsthand

12:45 pm – 1:00 pm        Closing Remarks & Next Steps