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Portsmouth workforce program reports enrollment gains and employer pipelines
Summary
Portsmouth staff reported enrollment increases and stronger employer partnerships for its Portsmouth at Work program, noting 414 residents served this fiscal year so far and expanded placement pathways with maritime and ship-repair associations; staff outlined efforts to connect graduates with city departments and apprenticeship opportunities.
Portsmouth staff presented an extended update on workforce development programs and employer partnerships at the May 19 EDA meeting, highlighting enrollment growth, improved completion rates and new placement pipelines.
Leo, who presented the workforce overview, reported: "In FY 2025, we served 414 hospital residents," and said enrollment growth and stronger employer engagement are driving higher completion and placement rates. He said projections point toward serving as many as 1,200 residents when current cohorts complete. Leo described partnerships with the Virginia Maritime Association and ship‑repair associations to create direct placement pathways and noted coordinated efforts with Portsmouth Public Schools, TCC and other training providers to align curricula with local industry needs.
Staff also said they are exploring internal city opportunities for apprenticeship hours and 'first‑look' employment for program completers through memoranda of understanding with several departments and the Housing Authority. Program leaders described a plan to route qualified completers to employer partners and to work on credentialing and on‑the‑job training (OJT) to meet certification requirements.
Why it matters: workforce training aligned to local maritime, skilled-trades and hospitality employers is intended to convert training completions into hires, addressing local labor needs while supporting economic development goals tied to port and waterfront growth.
What’s next: staff will continue quarterly updates and provide more detailed six‑month metrics on enrollments, completions and placements.
