Mountain State residents received an early Christmas present this year, in the form of the West Virginia Forward study. Like so many nice but complicated things — think electronics — the question now is what to do with it? How do we get the most out of the research?
President Gee spoke about the future of the State and West Virginia Forward at a luncheon hosted by the Logan County Chamber of Commerce at the Logan County Club.
Thanks to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Commerce, West Virginia will soon be one of the nation’s premier places for cybersecurity job opportunities, research and development. NCWV Business Editor and Fairmont News Editor John Dahlia reported this week that Fairmont’s I-79 Technology Park is one of four sites NOAA and the DOC has chosen for a massive agency-wide cybersecurity operations and support services initiative.
Continuing its commitment to excellence in science, technology, engineering and math education, the West Virginia University Center for Excellence in STEM Education announced today (Dec. 8) its selection as a regional partner of Code.org, a national network working to ensure that all students K-12 have the opportunity to learn computer science.
Rochelle Goodwin, senior associate vice president for academic public strategy at West Virginia University, and Josh Jarrell, deputy Secretary of Commerce, presented a broad view on the state’s economy along with ways to showcase West Virginia’s positives. Both pointed to the summary of findings in West Virginia Forward, a report that identified possible short and longterm solutions for the state’s economy.
More economic development opportunities are coming, Harrison County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Jamie Metz told the Harrison County Mayors’ Association Wednesday night (Dec. 6). Metz told representatives from Anmoore, Bridgeport, Salem, Shinnston, Stonewood and West Milford that companies are “kicking the tires” on possible natural gas downstream manufacturing projects, including one on the state level.
Rocky Goodwin, senior associate vice president for academic and public strategy at West Virginia University and Josh Jarrell, deputy cabinet secretary in the state Department of Commerce, discussed economic challenges and opportunities on Tuesday, December 5, 2017 before the Legislative Oversight Commission on Workforce Investment for Economic Development during legislative interim meetings.
In order to compete at the national level, West Virginia needs not only a full array of programs and resources but also developable sites that are either pad ready or where the development process is clearly defined and primed for timely completion. West Virginia Forward suggests the establishment of a site certification program in which specific business and industrial sites are cataloged showing their current status toward being pad ready for immediate development.
Governor Jim Justice said a delegation of 28 people from China were in West Virginia, working to solidify plans for a memorandum of understanding that has the potential to create a more than $80 billion energy investment in West Virginia during the next 20 years.
An op-ed by Brian Anderson, director of the WVU Energy Institute: The potential to turn around the state’s fortunes by leveraging our resources has never been clearer, particularly as we enter into a long-term agreement with the largest coal and power company in the world that could bring up to $83.7 billion of investment in manufacturing to the state. It is an impressive investment into the chemical industry and manufacturing, but for West Virginia University it is no surprise.
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