Google Increases Community Investments in Virginia with New Support for Skilled Trades and New Energy Impact Fund

Alongside the Governor, Google announces local partnerships that will increase skilled job training

RICHMOND, VA. — June 11, 2026 — Today, at a community celebration at the Richmond Electricians’ Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee facility alongside Governor Abigail Spanberger, Google announced new state-wide programs to support Virginians. The company detailed how it will help catalyze this next chapter of innovation in Virginia by helping train and expand the labor workforce needed to build new infrastructure and supporting programs that will drive down monthly energy bills for households across The Commonwealth.

Google has proudly called Virginia home for more than 15 years with both offices and data centers across the state. The new community funding announced Today reflects Google’s commitment to deepen its roots in Virginia the right way—through supporting thousands of jobs in the region, creating economic opportunity for Virginians, and responsibly expanding energy affordability programs.

“Virginia is winning the competition for talent and technology because we offer what businesses need most right now — stability, a skilled workforce, and a state that shows up as a reliable partner,” said Governor Abigail Spanberger. “Google’s investment in workforce training and energy affordability is exactly the kind of partnership that keeps Virginia ahead and ensures that the growth of our tech economy creates real opportunity for Virginia workers and families.”

“Google is committed to helping communities in Virginia and across the country capture the opportunities technology can deliver,” said Ruth Porat, President and Chief Investment Officer of Alphabet and Google. “Virginia is helping to secure America’s continued technology leadership, and Google is proud to deepen our investments in the Commonwealth to protect energy affordability and support Virginians in gaining the technical and trade skills they need to build and benefit from the tech-powered economy.”

Creating Local Jobs and Supporting Economic Opportunity.

Google growth serves as a powerful economic engine. In 2025 alone, our data center investments and operations in Virginia supported upwards of 17,000 jobs across the state and contributed approximately $2.3 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) to the state economy. This is in addition to the vibrant workforce in Google’s Virginia offices.

To help prepare Virginians for skilled job opportunities that infrastructure investments create, Google is providing funding to the electrical training ALLIANCE (etA) to support local electrical apprenticeship training facilities in increasing training capacity to support an additional 2,741 apprentices by 2030, increasing the projected pipeline of new electricians in Virginia by approximately 135%.

“Virginia’s leadership in the technology economy is driving strong demand for skilled electrical workers, and Google’s investment will help us train more of them here in the Commonwealth,” said Gregg Spicer, Director of the Richmond Electricians’ Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee. “By expanding electrical apprenticeship opportunities, we can prepare more Virginians for good-paying, high-quality careers while building the workforce needed to power, wire, and maintain America’s digital infrastructure. Google’s support is a significant commitment to our workers, our communities, and Virginia’s future.”

Google’s support for Virginia electricians builds on the company’s existing funding to etA to expand local electrical apprenticeship training facilities. It is also part of a national commitment from Google’s philanthropy Google.org to prepare more than 300,000 skilled tradespeople. This funding goes directly to the training experts supporting 14 labor unions and four trade and contractor associations, ensuring workers gain the state-of-the-art skills and credentials needed to thrive in their careers, wherever they choose to work.

Expanding Energy Capacity and Affordability

Google is responsibly building data centers with a focus on increasing local infrastructure capacity and protecting energy affordability with sizable investment at the system-wide wide level as well as grants to support local efforts. In the Commonwealth, Google’s comprehensive approach includes investing in over 500 megawatts of new energy capacity, developing innovative technology like fusion energy, expanding statewide energy efficiency programs, and championing regulatory proposals that keep consumer costs affordable. Because Virginia is part of the 13-state PJM electricity grid, Google is also collaborating with energy partners to unlock capacity with flexible resources and significantly expand modern power generation—including hydropower.

To further support energy affordability efforts at the local level, Google Today announced a $15 million Energy Impact Fund to help drive down monthly utility bills for households. The Virginia-specific fund will support critical community projects like home repairs, weatherization, and energy-efficiency upgrades. As one of the fund’s first recipients, FLIPP Inc will use this support for the Trades Workforce Development Program, helping build a pipeline of skilled trade workers to deliver these upgrades where they are needed most.

“With the funds from Google, FLIPP Inc will be able to build upon our organizations existing programs, deepen the relationships with its employer partner network and shape a skilled workforce ready to deliver energy-efficient upgrades and critical home repairs across the Commonwealth.” said Raye Elliott, Executive Director of FLIPP Inc. “Through Registered Apprenticeships, clean energy training and credentialing, FLIPP Inc is able to turn Google’s commitment to energy affordability into a permanent, sustainable career pathway in the skilled trades.”

This is part of Google’s years-long commitment to Virginia: investing deeply, partnering locally, and ensuring that as it grows, the company invests the right way for the communities they call home. By anchoring Google’s continued growth to tangible investments in energy affordability and career opportunities, Google is reinforcing its dedication to being a responsible, long-term neighbor and active community member across the Commonwealth. Learn more about Google’s commitment to its data center communities at datacenters.google and Google in Virginia at g.co/economicimpact/virginia.