Opinion

States pick up pace on workforce development

An editorial from The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Both West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear had some success in bringing new jobs to their states last year.

In his “state of state” address on Wednesday, Tomblin pointed out the expansion of the Sogefi plant at Prichard, W.Va., that will add 250 jobs, a new Carbonyx plant in Jackson County and the great promise of a possible ethane cracker and polyethylene plants in Wood County.

On Tuesday, Beshear noted that last year his state announced 217 projects representing more than 12,000 projected new jobs and $3.1 billion in investment. Kentucky is now third in auto production, behind only Michigan and Ohio.

But both acknowledged that a big part of future economic growth will mean improving our regional workforce and increasing the pool of candidates for today’s jobs and the jobs of the future. Tomblin and Beshear each mentioned planned workforce development efforts this week.

And they are not alone.

States across the country are finding innovative ways to improve worker skills and education and better match that training to the needs of business and industry in their communities…

Click here for more.

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