The Virginia Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is nationally recognized for the quality of its labor force providing companies with a diversity of skills and training resources.
| Civilian Labor Force |
823,932 |
| Employed |
765,680 |
| Unemployment Rate (Jan. 2012) |
6.9% |
Source: Virginia Employment Commission
| |
Virginia Beach |
MSA |
| Construction |
5.77% |
5.06% |
| Manufacturing |
3.28% |
7.60% |
| Wholesale Trade |
2.98% |
2.79% |
| Retail Trade |
13.57% |
11.98% |
| Transportation and Warehousing |
1.11% |
2.83% |
| Information |
2.26% |
1.82% |
| Finance and Insurance |
4.65% |
2.94% |
| Real Estate, Rental and Leasing |
2.87% |
1.95% |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services |
7.23% |
6.48% |
| Company and Enterprise Management |
1.47% |
1.22% |
| Administration, Support and Waste Management |
7.19% |
5.90% |
| Educational Services |
2.03% |
1.76% |
| Health Care and Social Assistance |
11.49% |
10.88 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation |
1.19% |
1.30% |
| Accommodation and Food Services |
12.24% |
9.89% |
| Other Services |
3.38% |
3.09% |
| Government |
17.20% |
22.49% |
Source: Virginia Employment Commission & Virginia Beach SGA Office
Exiting military men and women
There are nearly 128,000 active duty military in the Virginia Beach MSA. Each year approximately 13,000 - 16,000 personnel with a diverse and disciplined skill set exit the military locally.
| Navy |
107,947 |
| Army |
21,286 |
| Air Force |
7,400 |
| Coast Guard |
1,836 |
| TOTAL |
127,385 |
Opportunity, Inc.,Hampton Roads' Workforce Investment Board, has published "An Employer's Guide to Hiring Exiting Military Personnel" to help tap into this valuable resource.
Spouses of military personnel
Military spouses in the Virginia Beach MSA number over 30,000, and many work full-time or part time to supplement the family income. Most have a minimum of two years of college, as well as administrative, customer service, and computer skills.
College students
Post-secondary education options abound in the Virginia Beach MSA, providing access to more than 191,000 existing or graduated students to part-time and full-time employment. There are more than 57,000 baccalaureate graduates and a graduate population of nearly 30,000 in Virginia Beach. For more information on educational attainment in the MSA, click here. For more information on public post-secondary education options,click here. For private options,click here.
New working-age residents
Each year, over 5,000 Virginia Beach students graduate from high school, ready to enter directly into the workforce or continue their education at area colleges, universities, and training institutions. Many of these students have received specialized job training and taken advanced placement courses while in school.
Last year, in Virginia Beach alone, over 4,500 students earned industry certifications, adding their skills to an already outstanding employee applicant pool.
Virginia’s Workplace Readiness Skills program teaches high school students the critical skills they need for the workplace, whether they get a job right out of high school, or continue on to college or other advanced training.
Last updated: April 2012