Young Professionals of Central Virginia (YPCV), a partner of the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance, is dedicated to cultivating a young, vibrant, professional community that develops business and community leaders.
While YPCV hosts social and networking events for young professionals such as “5:35 Connect,” a main emphasis this year is providing professional development opportunities. “The YPCV produced a survey in September of 2017 that found young professionals in our region were most interested in professional development opportunities,” said Jamie Glass, deputy director of economic development at the Alliance, who provides staff support to YPCV. “Based on this data, we decided to focus on providing valuable yet affordable opportunities for our young professionals,” she added.
YPCV is also putting more attention on engaging with local companies, starting with raising awareness of the organization. “Because there is no fee associated with YPCV, it is a great opportunity for employers to encourage their employees to get more involved and take advantage of professional development and social activities,” Glass said. “Studies show that young professionals who are engaged in their community are two to three times more likely to stay,” Glass said. “Cultivating talent and retaining workforce are critical to economic success. Having an organization like YPCV to connect with our regional workforce is essential,” she added. WWW.YPCV.ORG