Generation West Virginia (Generation WV) – the statewide organization dedicated to attracting and retaining young talent in the Mountain State – is hosting a press conference on Wednesday, Jan. 31 at Marshall University in Huntington to announce the launch of year two of the Impact Fellowship Program. The press conference will mark the official opening of applications and will announce the host companies from across West Virginia participating in year two of the program.
Generation WV’s Impact Fellowship Program works to strengthen West Virginia’s talent pipeline by offering yearlong, paid fellowship opportunities to connect young people from across West Virginia and across the country with innovative jobs that allow them to stay or choose West Virginia as their home. Launching in January of 2017, the program received nearly 200 applications for seven positions at five companies in its first year. Generation WV will be announcing more than double the number of fellowship positions for year two with more than double the number of participating host companies.
During the press conference, we’ll hear from Lee Farabaugh, COO of Core 10, about the company’s participation in year one of the program and why they are excited to more than double their number of fellowship opportunities for year two. We’ll also hear from Jacob Howell, a current fellow participating in the inaugural year of Generation WV’s Impact Fellowship Program as an employee at Core10. Natalie Roper, executive director of Generation WV, will be speaking about the economic impact the program has already had on the state and will announce the diverse cohort of participating host companies for year two. In addition, representatives from all participating host companies will be in attendance and available for interviews following the press conference.
WHO: Natalie Roper, Executive Director of Generation WV; COO of Core1 Lee Farabaugh, which participated in year one of the fellowship program and is returning in year two; Jacob Howell, 2017 Impact Fellow working as a web developer at Core10
WHAT: Press Conference
WHEN: Wednesday, Jan. 31 at 11 a.m.
WHERE: 2nd Floor Atrium of the Arthur Weisberg Family Applied Engineering Complex at Marshall University in Huntington, WV – 1676 3rd Ave., Huntington, WV 25703.
WHY: We lose too many young people to pursue better job opportunities outside of the state. This shortage of young professionals has created a significant hole in West Virginia’s talent pipeline. Companies struggle to find qualified candidates with the skills they need, and young people struggle to find good, quality jobs to allow them to stay in the Mountain State. Generation West Virginia’s Impact Fellowship program works to solve this problem.
We’re working to patch this hole in the talent pipeline by connecting young talent from across West Virginia and across the country with innovative jobs that allow them to stay or choose West Virginia as their home. Our goal is threefold: To connect young people to opportunities that ensure they can choose West Virginia, connect employers with top talent, and, in doing so, highlight the true potential that exists for the next generation to work and thrive in West Virginia.
For more information, visit weimpactwv.org.
