West Virginia Northern Community College receives grant from US Department of Labor

West Virginia Northern Community College has received a $1.5 million grant from the US Department of Labor’s Strengthening Community Colleges (SCC) Training Grant initiative, a $65 million effort, that will fund the college’s M.A.P.S. 2.0: Manufacturing and Production Skills Pathway for the 21st Century project.

According to an article on West Virginia Northern Community College’s website, the college’s President Dr. Daniel Mosser was quoted as saying of the grant award, “This grant represents an incredible opportunity for our students, our region, and our college to lead the charge in workforce innovation. M.A.P.S. 2.0 is a transformative pathway that will ensure our graduates are well-prepared for the future of advanced manufacturing and energy production.”

The area of West Virginia’s northern panhandle has recently undergone a renaissance that has brought 7,000 jobs in the clean energy industry to the region. The area is now in need of a skilled workforce in manufacturing and production to keep up with demand from the clean energy industry, which is where West Virginia Northern Community College’s M.A.P.S. 2.0: Manufacturing and Production Skills Pathway for the 21st Century plan comes in.

Partnering with organizations and institutions like Form Energy, West Virginia Manufacturers Association, Marshall County Schools, Brooke County Schools, Hancock County Schools, Ohio Valley Construction Employee Council, and Williams Energy, among others, West Virginia Northern Community College will, with its M.A.P.S. 2.0 project, enhance workforce training capacity, target underserved populations in the industry such as women and veterans, and create and implement career pathways that will provide certifications and training opportunities to get students from the classroom to the available clean energy manufacturing jobs in the region.

Sarah Bray, who serves as the Vice President of Communications & Corporate Affairs at Form Energy, said, “Partnerships like this are essential for building a pipeline of skilled talent that will not only sustain, but also drive the growth of manufacturing in the region. West Virginia Northern Community College’s M.A.P.S. 2.0 program is exactly the kind of forward-thinking initiative that ensures our workforce is ready for the opportunities of tomorrow.”

For more information about West Virginia Northern Community College, visit the school’s website.