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PARKERSBURG - West Virginia University in Parkersburg, in partnership with another school, has received a grant that will expand manufacturing education and help develop the area's workforce.
WVU Parkersburg and BridgeValley Community and Technical College have been awarded nearly $2 million through the Appalachian Regional Commission's (ARC) Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative to expand advanced manufacturing education and workforce development across 11 West Virginia counties, according to a press release from BridgeValley.
BridgeValley, with locations in South Charleston and Montgomery, will serve as the lead institution and federal grantee in partnership with WVU Parkersburg.
Together, the colleges will establish a regional manufacturing corridor designed to strengthen advanced manufacturing education, expand career pathways, and support workforce and economic development across Clay, Fayette, Jackson, Kanawha, Pleasants, Putnam, Ritchie, Roane, Tyler, Wirt, and Wood counties, according to the press release.
"This investment represents an important opportunity to strengthen both our workforce and the communities we serve," said Chris Treadway, President of BridgeValley Community and Technical College. "By working alongside WVU Parkersburg, employers, schools, and workforce partners across the region, we can create stronger pathways into advanced manufacturing careers while helping West Virginia businesses develop the highly skilled workforce they need to grow and compete."
Through the three-year initiative, BridgeValley and WVU Parkersburg will expand access to industry-aligned education and training, modernize advanced manufacturing equipment, and establish two open-access training labs serving the southern and north-central portions of the project region.
The labs will provide students, incumbent workers, educators and employers with greater access to advanced manufacturing technologies and hands-on training opportunities, according to the press release.
"This partnership demonstrates what our institutions can accomplish when we work together to address workforce needs that extend beyond any one campus or community," said Torie Jackson, President of WVU Parkersburg. "By combining the strengths of WVU Parkersburg and BridgeValley, we can expand access to advanced manufacturing education, better serve employers across a broader region, and create more opportunities for West Virginians to build rewarding careers close to home."
The initiative will strengthen connections among education, workforce development, and industry. BridgeValley and WVU Parkersburg will work with employers to ensure education and training remain responsive to workforce needs while expanding opportunities for high school students, adult learners, and current workers to develop skills for advanced manufacturing careers, officials said.
Over the three-year project period, the initiative is expected to serve approximately 900 students and 100 incumbent workers while engaging at least 20 businesses, 10 high schools, and 10 workforce development organizations throughout the region, according to the press release.
The project will also build upon nationally recognized and industry-aligned approaches to advanced manufacturing education, including the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME), American Welding Society (AWS), and National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) models and credentials, officials said.
Employer input will be incorporated throughout the initiative to help ensure programs and training opportunities reflect current and emerging workforce needs, they added.
The ARC POWER Initiative directs federal resources to communities and regions affected by changes in the coal economy, supporting efforts to create new economic opportunities, strengthen local and regional economies, and prepare workers for in-demand careers, according to the press release.