Shenandoah Valley 21st Century Workforce Transitions Project

In December 2006, with support from the Commonwealth of Virginia, SRI International established SRI Shenandoah Valley and its Center for Advanced Drug Research (CADRE) in Rockingham County, Virginia. In 2007, SRI Shenandoah Valley expanded its programs to bring SRI’s education and workforce development expertise to the region.

In this context, SRI Shenandoah Valley is partnering with JMU on a project to inventory the education and training systems in the Shenandoah Valley region, and assess the adequacy of the systems to meet the long-term needs of the area as the local job market changes and grows through research-based and high-tech economic development. The project assumes that existing local industries (e.g., commercial distribution centers, agriculture, health care) and the new businesses that will come to the soon-to-be-built Rockingham County Research and Technology Park will require a local workforce with solid 21st century skills. The project’s result will be a strategic plan, developed by the Shenandoah Valley research partnership and regional stakeholder groups, to ensure planned and parallel development of citizens prepared to undertake new jobs.

The Shenandoah Valley 21st Century Workforce Transitions Project will initially focus specifically on strategies to ensure that the education and training systems are designed to support and retain youth and young adults until they have attained the skills they need for successful employment in 21st century jobs. Research tells us that too many young people tend to become "lost" from the systems at key transition points (e.g., between middle school and high school, after 9th or 10th grade), or view a high school diploma as the stopping point in their education. Other young people begin postsecondary education or training but, for a multitude of reasons, drop out and find it difficult to get back on track when they are ready to do so. The Transitions Project will examine all of these factors and develop a plan for addressing problem areas.

Phase II

Phase II establishes a volunteer Board of Directors and two Task Forces that will develop, coordinate, and execute new strategies to address identified strategic priorities. Staff members from SRI will work in collaboration with the Board and the Task Forces to provide additional support during future implementation activities.

Members of the Transitions Project team, from left to right: Robin Sullenberger (CEO, Shenandoah Valley Partnership), Neal Menefee (President and CEO, Rockingham Group), Kaily Yee (SRI), Nicolette Mayes (SRI), Bonnee Groover (SRI), Sharon Johnson (SRI), John Sternlicht (SRI), and Ray McGhee (SRI)

Meet our Board of Directors.

Key Staff

Principal Investigator: Nancy Adelman

Project Co-Directors: Sharon Johnson, Raymond McGhee

Staff: Bonnee Groover, Nicolette Mayes, Patrick Shields, Kaily Yee

Contact Us

Raymond McGhee, Ph.D.

Senior Researcher

Center for Education Policy

SRI International 

1100 Wilson Blvd., Suite 2800

Arlington, VA 22209

Phone: 703-247-8573

Email: raymond.mcghee@sri.com