STAUNTON -- U.S. Sen. Mark Warner said the Shenandoah Valley's quality of life is a key ingredient in attracting new industry.

But Warner, D-Va., told a roomful of Valley leaders Wednesday that the Valley must capitalize on its tourism offerings and be part of ever improving workforce training to continue attracting jobs.

THE DAILY PROGRESS/RYAN M. KELLY
Sen. Mark Warner tours the EMS simulation lab, designed to replicate tight quarters within an ambulance, at Piedmont Virginia Community College on Wednesday.

"You have millions of people within a three to four-hour drive,'' said Warner, who noted the area's recreation and growing wine industry. Tourism and the area's amenities that include biking can be further exploited to attract visitors and residents, the senator said.

Warner said if isolated Southwest Virginia can exploit its music and recreation opportunities, it should be easier for the centrally located Shenandoah Valley.

Warner spoke to the Shenandoah Valley Leadership Pinnacle conference at the Staunton Holiday Inn. He said the region's many colleges and universities have young entrepreneurs, but said those future business owners need startup capital to stay in the area. He said a strategy is needed to keep the local best and brightest here.

But during a speech and in an interview afterwards, Warner said education is the real key to future economic development.

"We ought to offer computer coding and programming in every high school,'' said Warner, who said the United States is losing tens of thousands of jobs to other countries because those countries are training more computer programmers.

And while it is important to offer specific workforce education at the high school and college level, Warner said education starts at preschool. He praised a preschool initiative in Danville as one that is offering children the start they need.

College training doesn't necessarily mean a baccalaureate degree, the senator said. Earlier Wednesday, Warner visited Charlottesville's Piedmont Virginia Community College. He said the community college's training programs in nursing and radiology technology have job placement levels of close to 100 percent.

He said it is not asking too much for students and parents to inquire about the placement chances of students. "As you make your choice, know as much about higher education as you do when you buy a car,'' he said.

Warner joked about being a member of Congress early in his speech, saying that success in politics in America now is measured more by "saying what is wrong with the other guy."

But as he was wrapping up his speech, Warner said the country's $17 trillion in debt is the biggest threat to the future and to national security.

He said "everyone has to contribute to the solution." That contribution means reforming the federal tax code to obtain more tax revenue and asking young workers in their 20s to delay receiving Social Security by a year when they reach retirement age.

While he is focused on Washington, Warner is aware of the legislative gridlock in Richmond over whether to expand Virginia's Medicaid program. As a former business owner, he thinks Virginia shouldn't allow "Virginia tax dollars to go to other states'' when the commonwealth could use the federal money to expand the program.

But he said reforming the Medicaid program can be a part of the overall acceptance of the $2 billion in revenue that would come to the state from the expansion.

Currently, a deadlock over Medicaid expansion is delaying the passage of the state budget. Legislators are to return to Richmond next week for a special session on the budget.