For many West Virginians, building a better future starts with having access to the right opportunity at the right time — a chance to earn a degree, learn new skills, and step into a career that offers stability and purpose without having to leave home. New funding approved by the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education will help make those opportunities possible for more students.
Nearly $470,000 in Technical Program Development Grant funding will support new and expanded career training programs at Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College and Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College. The investment is designed to help students prepare for careers that employers are actively seeking to fill while strengthening the communities that depend on a skilled workforce.
In the eastern part of the state, students will soon have a new pathway into careers operating the heavy equipment that helps build roads, develop infrastructure, and keep projects moving forward. Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College received $239,575 to develop a Heavy Equipment Operation Associate of Applied Science degree program that is expected to serve 60 students over the next three years.
In southern West Virginia, licensed practical nurses will have additional opportunities to advance their education and careers through an Associate Degree Nursing pathway at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College. The college received $229,599 to support the program, which is expected to serve 45 students over the next three years and help address the growing demand for registered nurses in the region.
Behind each new program is a larger goal: helping West Virginians find meaningful careers while ensuring employers can find the skilled workers they need.
“Every student deserves the opportunity to pursue a rewarding career without feeling like they have to leave their hometown to find it,” said Dr. Sarah Armstrong Tucker, West Virginia’s Chancellor of the Community and Technical College System. “These investments help create pathways to good jobs, strengthen local employers, and support the long-term success of our communities.”
The programs were developed in partnership with employers, healthcare providers, workforce leaders, and community organizations that understand the challenges facing today’s workforce. From construction and infrastructure projects to hospitals and healthcare facilities, employers across the state continue to need skilled professionals who are ready to step into critical roles.
The Technical Program Development Grant is one of several workforce-focused investments available to West Virginia’s community and technical colleges. The funding helps colleges create new programs or expand existing ones in response to workforce needs identified by employers and communities.
Other initiatives include Learn and Earn, which allows students to gain valuable work experience and earn a paycheck while completing their education, and the Rapid Response Advance Grant Program, which helps colleges quickly develop training solutions when employers face urgent workforce challenges.
To learn more about the Technical Program Development Grant, Learn and Earn internships, and the Rapid Response Advance Grant, visit WVCTCS.edu.