Virginia Community Colleges FastForward

Program Description: 

FastForward is a job training program offered in conjunction with all of Virginia’s 23 community colleges. It is a job training program for high-demand industries that takes place over the course of weeks rather than years. Credentials and certifications are available in fields like healthcare, welding and manufacturing, logistics and transportation, education, skilled trades, information technology, and more. Training is offered both in-person and online and leads to third-party, industry-recognized credentials, not simply certificates of completion.

A unique aspect of the program’s design is its pay-for-performance funding model. Unlike a traditional grant program, the learner initially pays one-third of the tuition cost. Upon successful completion of the training, the Commonwealth pays the second third to the college. If the learner also earns the required industry credential, the Commonwealth pays the final third, reimbursing their initial payment (or the third-party payer, if applicable). This shared-investment model aligns incentives for learners, colleges, and the Commonwealth while emphasizing successful credential attainment rather than enrollment alone. 
 
FastForward’s workforce training programs are based on the needs of local employers, which means learners are receiving training for in-demand jobs. Additionally, some of the programs include guaranteed job interviews with local businesses. Career coaching is also available to help learners navigate their program and subsequent job search. 
 
The program is affordable, with the average out-of-pocket cost of $801 and scholarships available to offset those costs. FastForward staff also help learners find grants and financial assistance. The programs take an average of 6-12 weeks and are built to accommodate the availability of working learners. 
 
Many of the credentials available with FastForward are stackable, allowing learners to get a head start on earning more advanced credentials at a low cost. 

Impact: 

Since 2016, over 80,000 credentials have been awarded through FastForward. The program sees impressive learner outcomes, including a 94 percent completion rate and a 72 percent credential attainment rate. 

Learners who complete the program see an average annual wage increase of $15,000. Graduates report that their new careers come with significant quality of life benefits, like paid vacation time and employer-sponsored healthcare. Per the program, those who complete see their median wage increase by an average of 50 percent. 

FastForward Chancellor David Dore says that investment in the program has a great return on investment for Virginia. From 2016-2025 Virginia invested $96 million to support learners in the program, and graduates have earned approximately $9 billion in wages. 
 
Because the program is available at community colleges statewide, most learners commute less than half an hour for their training. 

Population Served: 

The majority of FastForward learners are career-changers in Virginia. 

Key Steps for Implementation: 

• Launched in July 2016 

• FastForward is funded through the New Economy Workforce Credential Grant Program, established by the Virginia General Assembly.

• The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia serves as the administrator of the program. 

• Enrollment hit an all-time high in 2025 with 15,753 students enrolled, a 17 percent increase from the previous year.

Learn more here.

Page last updated in August 2026