We have long heard about the skills gap facing the nation’s labor market. In the Capital Region alone—from Baltimore to Richmond—research indicates that employers risk 60,000 tech and tech adjacent jobs going unfilled annually through 2025 (The Capital Region Faces a Huge Tech Talent Shortage).  

Meeting this need requires a cross-sector approach to engage current and future workers, which is why Greater Washington Partnership launched the Capital CoLAB in 2018. The Capital CoLAB (“CoLAB”) is an action-oriented partnership of business and academic institutions that develops the talent pipeline for the jobs of today and tomorrow, with a vision of making the Capital Region the most diverse digital tech workforce in the country. This partnership relies on a continuous feedback loop between employers and educators with clear communication about talent demand, skill needs, and opportunities to address it, which is why the Greater Washington Partnership was thrilled to host its annual CoLAB Principals Meeting in tandem with the release of an Employer Insights Brief in October.