students and connecting them with local manufacturers to promote learning .
Building young students ’ awareness about the diversity of career options within manufacturing is the first step to inspiring a new generation of workers to consider this industry as a career path . The Gas and Oil Association of West Virginia , Inc . ( GO-WV ), is similarly using education as a tool to grow its industry ’ s workforce .
“ In addition to the work our members do with area technical colleges and other workforce development and job training initiatives , GO-WV holds various education programs and STEM teacher workshops , so students are exposed to the many career opportunities in the oil and natural gas industry — many of which do not require a typical four-year degree ,” says Charlie Burd , executive director of GO-WV .
While introducing the state ’ s youth to the manufacturing and energy industries is essential , it is also important to focus on higher education .
“ Companies are partnering with our community and technical college system to develop programs that focus on high-demand skills and offer opportunities to receive onthe-job training while pursuing degrees or credentialing ,” McPhail says .
Beyond education , organizations are actively working to recruit and retain their workforce . Some are looking to their own communities to utilize grassroots style tactics to employ new members to the workforce . One example of this is Mountaintop Beverage , a manufacturing facility in Morgantown , WV . When Mylan — now Viatris — closed its West Virgina facility in 2020 , many well-educated and motivated workers were left without jobs . Mountaintop Beverage looked at this as an opportunity to employ qualified workers ; a win-win for both the establishment and its employees .
“ Mountaintop has been fortunate to assemble a diverse team that has strong knowledge and industry experience . Specifically , the ex-Viatris team members bring transferable skills and relevant experience with respect to good manufacturing practices , a strong foundation required for any worker in the beverage manufacturing space ,” says Beth Pratt , chief people officer at Mountaintop Beverage . “ We see our business as much more than a beverage manufacturing facility . Mountaintop Beverage ’ s vision is ‘ dedicated to better .’ We believe this business will better diversify the regional economy by providing steady , gainful careers in beverage manufacturing , agriculture and supply chain .”
Mountaintop Beverage identified a need and worked to fulfill it to the benefit of both the company and its team .
Furthermore , according to McPhail , some organizations are offering signing or retention bonuses or increasing wages dramatically . Others are utilizing resources within the state .
“ We are working with WorkForce West Virginia and the state ’ s Office of Miners ’ Health Safety and Training to devise an industry wide and statewide worker recruitment and training strategy to respond to coal ’ s manpower needs ,” Hamilton says .
WorkForce West Virginia is a powerful tool for combatting the labor shortage on a state level .
“ West Virginia is leading the nation through the reorganizing , rebranding and repositioning of WorkForce West Virginia as an employment and upskilling focused agency , as well as the entity that provides a safety net for those in job transition ,” says James Bailey , cabinet secretary at the West Virginia Department of Commerce . “ WorkForce West Virginia has recently launched programs that better serve job seekers , including those in recovery , to develop new skills and find a pathway to re-entering the workforce . WorkForce West Virginia has unveiled a program that assists employers facing market downturns , which provides alternatives to layoffs and downsizing so that when the market returns there is a trained , viable workforce still in place . It has also become the leader in virtual job fairs , helping West Virginia employers recruit for open positions the first Wednesday of every month , utilizing a virtual job fair environment that has proven to connect hundreds of job seekers with hundreds of employers .”
There is an optimistic outlook for the workforce shortage challenge West Virginia faces , which has come with the hard work and dedication of a myriad of individuals and establishments .
“ West Virginia is at a pivotal point . We must capitalize on opportunities as we address the workforce issues facing our state . We are doing this through the development of career pathways , creating public-private partnerships to provide job-specific training , instituting a ‘ no wrong door ’ policy for workforce resources and revolutionizing the general manner in which WorkForce West Virginia delivers services . This is imperative to ensuring that workers in West Virginia can maximize their career opportunities ,” says Bailey .
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