“Talent Up” Program Recognized in National ‘50 States, 50 Breakthroughs’
The “Talent Up Fairfax” Program, a workforce development initiative of Fairfax County Department of Economic Initiatives, Fairfax County Department of Family Services, and Virginia Career Works Northern Region / The SkillSource Group, Inc., has been recognized as Virginia’s featured innovation in the “50 States, 50 Breakthroughs” nationwide showcase highlighting a single transformative public service project from each U.S. state.
This national showcase is a collaboration between Apolitical, the National Academy of Public Administration, and Humans of Public Service.
Launched in late 2023, Talent Up Fairfax addressed two key challenges: (1) connecting overlooked jobseekers with high-quality career pathways and (2) providing businesses with a low-risk strategy to expand their workforce.
The program delivered the following results by the time it concluded in Fall 2025:
- 347 local employers engaged across diverse industries.
- 179 paid work-based learning internships established in high-demand jobs.
- $25.00 per hour median wage for participants, ensuring competitive and livable earnings.
- Established a scalable model utilizing state-of-the-art tools to track placements and create a blueprint for “grow-your-own” talent strategies.
Visit the original Talent Up Fairfax website for information on the initial program. A second phase of the program, Talent Up Northern Virginia, began in late 2025, and more information is available here.
PDDG has served as the marketing agency of record for Virginia Career Works Northern Region and The SkillSource Group since 2012 and supported all marketing, design, web/digital, and outreach needs to brand, launch, and provide continuous promotion of the Talent Up Fairfax Program and the subsequent Talent Up Northern Virginia initiative.
Photo courtesy of Virginia Career Works Northern Region.