According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics, despite the steady demand for
agricultural products, many small farms
operate with slim profit margins and are
vulnerable to poor market conditions. By
pairing courses such as introduction to
agribusiness and agribusiness entrepre-
neurship with Eastern’s business manage-
ment degree, the college offers students a
unique niche to work with while supporting
the new generation of farmers and ranchers.
These courses will prepare agricultural
managers and farmers to manage their
businesses in light of unpredictable market
conditions.
While the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
projects that the job outlook for farm-
ers and ranchers will remain constant,
job opportunities for other management
positions related to agriculture are pro-
jected to increase by 8 percent through
2026. Eastern’s administration and faculty
can assist the future workforce because
they are helping prepare a new generation
of agribusiness employers and entrepre-
neurs as the retirement rate for current
farmers and ranchers continues to rise.
Students completing this program can also
go on to serve in roles such as nursery
and greenhouse managers, aquaculture
farmers and managers or even craft beer
or distillery managers.
This program not only benefits East-
ern’s community but also the state of West
Virginia and the surrounding states. In
the 2017 West Virginia Department of
Agriculture Annual Report, Agriculture
Commissioner Kent Leonhardt wrote,
“Agriculture can and will be part of
the solution to stabilize and grow West
Virginia’s economy with the right plan
in place.” This plan remains true today,
and Eastern is proud to provide the
state’s future workforce in agricultural
management.
inland shipping ports in the U.S. The
port includes 100 miles of the Ohio River
and moves more than 80 million tons per
year. This equates to a cargo value of $5.3
billion of coal, petroleum, chemicals, steel
and other bulk products being efficiently
transported on the region’s waterways.
“Export coal shipments remain strong,
and shipments of petroleum, steel and
other bulk cargo are booming,” says
Sherri Sowards, the academy’s interim
director. “With many river workers at or
nearing retirement age, that’s also creating
openings for new workers.”
Regular deckhand training graduates
boast a 97 percent placement rating for
employment, according to Jennifer Judge,
the director of career services at Mount
west. To ensure success, she helps the
students with their resumés while Sowards
contacts employers to let them know when
new deckhands will graduate.
Academy graduates can come from
unexpected places. According to Keith
Cotroneo, Mountwest’s president, part-
nerships like the one the college has with
the Hughes Re-Entry Center enable the
college to provide a wide variety of area
residents with the skills necessary to
David Henson throws a line
as part of his deckhand
training at Mountwest
Maritime Academy.
Photo by John Westfall.
become successfully employed in local
business and industry, including those
who are looking for a second chance. The
Hughes Re-Entry Center provides com-
prehensive care for individuals in need of
substance use and mental health treat-
ment, and Mountwest offers technical
training and employment services. As a
result, academy attendees gain skills for
high-paying maritime careers. In 2018, 10
clients began the maritime deckhand pro-
gram, and all 10 passed the course require-
ments and received their certifications.
Hitting the Water with
the Maritime Academy
BY LINDA VINSON. The Mountwest
Maritime Academy at Mountwest Com-
munity & Technical College provides
entry-level training and more than 20 U.S.
Coast Guard-approved licensure training
programs for the inland maritime industry
taught by instructors who are seasoned
river captains or pilots.
According to the Huntington District
Waterways Association, the Port of
Huntington Tri-State is one of the largest
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