Today, we all know that Virginia and the US are in the midst of unprecedented progress fueled by economic growth and job creation. Clearly, Virginia's higher education system is a key factor in helping us strengthen our Commonwealth's competitiveness, and attract more economic development, more capital investments, and more jobs for hard-working Virginians and their families. To keep Virginia competitive in the fast-changing world of the 21st Century, we must be constantly changing adapting innovating and improving. I believe that's true across the board - from strengthening our tax and regulatory policies and improving transportation to ensuring public safety promoting national and international investment in Virginia and strengthening our educational system. A company's success depends on them.
Businesses can train employees to do specific tasks.
But workers should already know how to read, write and perform basic computation. Similarly, excellence in higher education depends on applicants who are academically prepared and ready to take their education to the next level and fulfill the richness of their and our nation's potential. Since my coming to Richmond over 10 years ago, I have been immersed in championing a cause in which I believe deeply - Virginia higher education policy. During my career, I've seen economies - bad and good. I have seen differing political agendas for education.