BridgeValley Community & Technical College and West Virginia University Parkersburg receive $2 million ARC POWER grant

BridgeValley Community & Technical College and West Virginia University Parkersburg have received a $2 million grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative. The grant funding will see the college and the university working together to strengthen the state’s advanced manufacturing workforce.

According to an article on BridgeValley Community & Technical College’s website, Dr. Chris Treadway, who serves as the college’s president, was quoted as saying of the grant funding, “This investment represents an important opportunity to strengthen both our workforce and the communities we serve. 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.”

The grant funding is awarded to BridgeValley as the lead institution and federal grantee in partnership with WVU Parkersburg. Together, the institutions will work toward expanding and enhancing advanced manufacturing education and training and enhancing career pathways. These efforts will be focused on Clay, Fayette, Jackson, Kanawha, Pleasants, Putnam, Ritchie, Roane, Tyler, Wirt, and Wood counties.

In order to accomplish an enhanced advanced manufacturing regional workforce, the partnership will allow for the purchase of more modern advanced manufacturing equipment, create increased access to the available training programs, and establish two new open-access training labs. The institutions will also work with area employers to ensure training and education are in alignment with current workforce needs. 

Dr. Torie Jackson, the president of WVU Parkersburg, said, “This partnership demonstrates what our institutions can accomplish when we work together to address workforce needs that extend beyond any one campus or community. 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 build upon existing initiatives in the industry, including Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME), American Welding Society (AWS), and National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) models and credentials. It is expected that over the three years of the project, it will serve approximately 900 students and 100 incumbent workers.

For more information about BridgeValley Community & Technical College, visit the school’s website.