When Amazon announced Northern Virginia as the site of its second headquarters in 2018, the commonwealth responded with a bold investment: $2 billion to supercharge its tech workforce.
The Tech Talent Investment Program (TTIP) was born, setting an ambitious goal of doubling the number of computer science and engineering graduates across Virginia’s universities, assuring an educated workforce for the region’s technology companies.
At the heart of this initiative is George Mason University. After six years, George Mason is not only meeting its TTIP promises, it is surpassing them by a considerable margin. With a combination of new cutting-edge facilities, increased enrollment, and a strong push for student diversity, the university is proving that Virginia’s bet on tech talent is paying off.
Fuse at Mason Square
A key part of Mason’s TTIP success is Fuse at Mason Square, the university’s new tech innovation hub in Arlington, Virginia. More than just another academic building, Fuse is designed to be a crossroads for students, researchers, industry leaders, and government partners.
“Fuse at Mason Square represents one aspect of TTIP investment, serving as a tech research hub to attract students, researchers, industry and government partners, and entrepreneurs,” said Liza Wilson Durant, associate provost for strategic initiatives and community engagement in the College of Engineering and Computing.
The building, she said, “will be the nexus of George Mason’s transdisciplinary work in digital innovation and will support instruction in the TTIP majors of computer science and computer engineering as well as coursework more broadly related to AI, robotics, data analytics and statistics, cybersecurity, software engineering, gaming, entrepreneurship and ethics.”
Fuse will also serve as headquarters for George Mason’s Institute for Digital Innovation (IDIA) and support research led by faculty from all 10 of Mason’s colleges and schools focusing on robotics, AI, digital twins, quantum, AR/VR, secure cyber physical systems, and national security. Fuse opened to the public with its commercial launch in December 2024.
Increasing Computer Science and Engineering Graduates
In 2018, George Mason also committed to producing 8,400 undergraduate and 7,500 master’s graduates in computer science and related fields over 20 years—accounting for nearly 30 percent of Virginia’s overall goal.
The promise was ambitious—and six years later, it’s ahead of schedule.
Over the past five years, the university has exceeded expectations, graduating 424 more undergraduates and 650 more master’s students than its baseline projections.
That’s not just meeting the demand—it’s leading the charge, said university administrators.
“The College of Engineering and Computing has been investing in recruiting and especially retention of computer science and engineering students to ensure we not only meet the goals of the TTIP Program but ensure student success. Part of that student success is exposure to robust experiential learning opportunities that reinforce their classroom acquired knowledge with practical career-ready skills, ensuring they are ready to meet industry’s needs for tech talent in Virginia and beyond,” Durant explained.
Beyond the aggregate numbers, George Mason is reshaping who enters the tech workforce. In 2015, women made up 15 percent of Mason’s computer science and engineering BS graduates. By 2024, that figure had grown to 19 percent. Master’s programs saw even bigger gains, with female representation rising from 24 percent to 32 percent over the same period.
The numbers also show increased participation from Black, Asian, and Hispanic students—though there’s still work to be done, particularly in boosting representation among Black and Hispanic women.
“It is heartening to see that George Mason’s programs are mirroring national increases in the number of women graduating with computer science degrees, as reflected in NCES data,” said Bonnie Stabile, an associate professor in the Schar School of Policy and Government and founding director of the Gender and Policy (GAP) Center. “It is our hope that these increases will continue and contribute to addressing the low numbers of women in STEM. This development will benefit not only women’s individual career trajectories, but also improve outcomes in the broad array of STEM fields for the benefit of all.”
Despite the progress, Virginia’s tech talent pipeline remains constrained. A 2024 report from the Schar School’s Center for Regional Analysis and coauthored by the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness found that employers continue to struggle with hiring and retaining qualified workers, and diversity in high-wage tech roles remains an issue.
Keith Waters, assistant director of the Schar School’s Stephen S. Fuller Institute which monitors the economy of the Washington, D.C., region, explained, “While George Mason is making great strides at helping to broaden participation in talent pathways critical to the Washington Region’s success, there is clearly still more work to be done.”
The TTIP program will continue through 2039.
For more information, see our report here.
Ellen Harpel is a member of the Schar School’s affiliate faculty and founder of Smart Incentives. Research by Aurora King.
Photo by ThisIsEngineering
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