Great Opportunities in Technology and Engineering Careers (GO TEC®) stimulates job growth within the commonwealth by creating dependable talent pipelines in strategic, STEM-focused sectors. A talent pathway initiative, GO TEC introduces Virginia middle school students to emerging, STEM-focused career fields through hands-on GO TEC Labs.
Public and private partnerships drive the success of this program, which is administered by the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR).
Beginning in the 2025-26 academic year, more than 11,000 students from 73 Virginia middle schools from Abingdon to Virginia Beach will interact with the GO TEC curriculum annually.
Participating GO TEC Localities
IALR serves as the fiscal agent and program lead for GO TEC, which is supported and guided by partners that include K12 school systems, higher education, industry and economic development.
Career Awareness
The primary goal of the GO TEC program is to let students experience in-demand and growing manufacturing and engineering career fields with applied learning. In other words, this strategic career education is memorable, hands-on and fun.
Each of the modules includes technology-driven, hands-on learning that grows students’ awareness of available and emerging careers.
Linda Green / Vice President of Economic Development, IALR; Executive Director, SVRA
Dr. Chip Jones / Superintendent, Cumberland County Public Schools
Christy Shelton / GO TEC Teacher, Gretna Middle School
Travis Staton / President & CEO, EO
Angela Brown / GO TEC Director, IALR
Brayla Pickeral / 8th grader at Chatham Middle School.
Keith Hare / 8th grader at Chatham Middle School
Jake Taylor / GO TEC Technical and Training Manager, IALR
GO TEC Modules
| Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering | Manufacturing Engineering |
| Automation & Robotics | Welding | Precision Machining |
| Healthcare Technologies | IT Coding & Networking | Metrology |
| Precision Agriculture | Energy |
Many of the industry pathways covered in the program, such as welding and automation & robotics, require critical skills needed across various industries. Other modules, like precision agriculture, are focused on a specific industry and combine various skills from other modules.
The GO TEC curriculum is both flexible and scalable to meet the workforce and economic development needs of participating GO Virginia regions. Each module’s equipment and content are standardized, ensuring that students across the commonwealth receive the best instruction.
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Some school divisions offer GO TEC as an elective course that students can choose to take; others require that every student complete the curriculum at some point during middle school. Some divisions even have the capacity for students to have sequential experiences across multiple grade levels. It depends on the size of the individual school and the division. In addition to middle schools, the GO TEC team is also supporting the creation of STEM-focused career and technical education opportunities for 9th and 10th grade. |
GO TEC staff also operate the GO TEC Mobile Lab, which is equipped with all the same equipment as the middle school labs and can be utilized for teacher training or student experiences.
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A Talent Pathway
While the middle school labs are the most innovative element of the GO TEC program, the multi-region effort is about more than technology integration and early exposure.
Through partnerships with K12 school systems, higher education and industry, GO TEC is a collaborative talent pathway model that begins in middle school and continues through high school, dual enrollment and postsecondary programs.
The GO TEC Labs introduce students to these strategic, technology-focused sectors – and help them identify the education and skills needed to pursue those careers.
GO TEC uses a model that progressively generates a robust talent pipeline. Middle schoolers are introduced early to the occupations and base skill training in GO TEC Labs and are then connected in high school to expanded career and technical education (CTE) courses, industry certification programs and dual-enrollment training opportunities with higher education partners. Finally, students may progress to advanced-level training with an educational provider.
The program has proved to be an effective recruiting tool for companies interested in expanding into Southern Virginia. The effectiveness and uniqueness of the GO TEC program – and how it funnels directly into other strong workforce training programs – is a primary selling point for Southern Virginia.
The GO TEC program fits into two strategic focus areas of IALR’s Advanced Learning division: connecting students to careers and providing applied STEM education opportunities.
Expanding with Partners
GO TEC started as a pilot program in Danville Public Schools and Pittsylvania County Schools in 2018-2019. In the seven years since then, the program has effectively spread across the commonwealth. GO TEC Labs will be in 73 Virginia middle schools in the 2025-26 academic year.
The GO TEC program is still young. The first cohort of students who experienced multiple years of the GO TEC Labs just completed their senior year of high school. GO TEC staff are looking at preliminary data to determine necessary tracking measurements, students’ entry rate into CTE pathways and related career outcomes.
The growth of the GO TEC framework is the result of strong partnerships, significant investments from GO Virginia and support from regional partners.
The program leverages $9 million in total funding from GO Virginia, along with another $11 million from localities, federal agencies and philanthropy. A $3.4 million grant from GO Virginia is driving the current expansion efforts. The program is only possible because of widespread public and private sector support. For instance, localities and school divisions invest in the equipment needed to outfit the labs at each school and provide the space and classroom teachers.
