WEST UNION — Doddridge County students will soon have access to their own trade facility where they can learn skills and become certified for the workforce.

According to Schools Superintendent Adam Cheeseman, the Board of Education gave the OK at the meeting Dec. 3 to start the bid process for the construction company.

It is hoped for the groundbreaking to take place in the middle of January.

“The end goal is to have it open for the fall of 2021,” Cheeseman said.

Along with the new building, new programs will be available, including courses that center on HVAC systems, plumbing, diesel mechanics, and an innovative oil and gas program.

Funding for the project is from “local monies that we have dedicated toward the construction project to continue to enhance our facilities and to provide our kids with the best opportunities possible,” Cheeseman said.

Doddridge County partners with Harrison County to send students to United Technical Center for programs like welding or cosmetology.

“We’ve made sure we’re not offering pathways here that will compete with UTC,” Cheeseman said. “We are now expanding our opportunities and broadening the pathways; now they can do that right there in our own back yard.”

The state has mapped the county’s curriculums for all of the pathways except for the oil and gas program. Cheeseman said the school system hopes to develop its own.

“We feel pretty strongly about designing our own,” Cheeseman said. “We have a pretty good understanding of the oil and gas industry and tailoring it to what we have here; we want kids to graduate and go right into a job here in Doddridge County.”

Cheeseman said students will continue studies in core classes. Their day will be split between core classes at the high school and the trade classes at the new facility.

Positive reactions from the community have poured in, Cheeseman said.

“We’re trying to continue to grow and build what we’ve started, giving students the best opportunities and giving them all we can to prepare them for life,” he said.

Cheeseman feels this is an important opportunity for students.

“To make sure kids’ plans and needs are met, we’re wanting to do what’s best for individual kids. Part of this holistic child approach (is to) look out for the best interest of each kid,” he said. “By offering this, they match hand in hand with the industry booming all around us.”

While educators continue to promote the college pathway, Cheeseman said it’s not for everybody.

“With the industry continuing to boom like it is, we think this is a very timely and appropriate measure to take,” he said.

Candice Black can be reached at cblack@newsandsentinel.com.