Workforce Advantages

The measure of a student’s success at a school, higher education institution or program depends on a lot of variables, including who you ask. It could be measured by a passing grade, quality performance or simply completion.

West Virginia Executive is highlighting several student success stories in state programs aimed at getting individuals paired with a career. These programs vary from scholarships and apprenticeships to on-the-job training. The concept of success here is getting each student to a point of self-sufficiency in the workforce. Each of the highlighted students benefitted from, or will soon benefit from, a program offered to help them reach their professional career goals and help West Virginia’s workforce grow stronger. No matter their personal challenges or struggles, each one overcame something to gain meaningful employment.

West Virginia Invests

By Katie Jarrell

West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, Communications Coordinator

Jacob Ouimet, a computer network engineer technologies (CNET) student at Blue Ridge Community and Technical College in Berkeley County, says the West Virginia Invests grant program has allowed him to achieve his career goals by alleviating the stress of paying for college. Ouimet has an expected graduation date of fall 2024.

“The West Virginia Invests grant has helped me achieve my goals by providing the necessary funding for my CNET coursework, including the Network+ course,” Ouimet says. “The West Virginia Invests grant has taken immense financial pressure off of me and allowed me to focus more on my classes and less on paying for them.”

Along with his CNET degree, Ouimet plans to pursue additional certifications, including CompTIA Network+, Cloud Essentials+, Cloud+, Amazon Web Services Cloud Practitioner and CISCO Certified Network Associate.
He currently works as a part-time support desk administrator. After graduation, he plans to pursue a more networking-focused position, such as a CISCO Switch administrator.

The West Virginia Invests grant program is a last-dollar-in financial aid program designed to cover the cost of tuition, mandatory fees and academic program fees for certificate or associate degree programs in specific high-demand fields, as determined by the West Virginia Department of Commerce, at a participating West Virginia public two- or four-year institution. With 75% of jobs in the current economy requiring postsecondary education or training, West Virginia Invests is designed to help more West Virginians earn the credentials they need to land a rewarding career right here at home. The program is managed by the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education.

Jobs & Hope WV

By Matthew Holstein

Jobs & Hope WV, Strategic Relations Agent

West Virginia is facing ongoing struggles with substance use, but Jobs & Hope WV is taking action against this crisis. Jobs & Hope WV was established by Governor Jim Justice and the West Virginia Legislature to address the substance use disorder crisis in the state. The program works with different agencies to provide West Virginians with education and career training opportunities that can lead to meaningful employment.

Jimi Braswell is a Jobs & Hope WV graduate who joined the program as a participant in recovery. With the help of various organizations that partner with Jobs & Hope WV, Braswell was able to get his driver’s license back and gain access to materials, tools, education and training that enabled him to start his own business.

In 2022, he launched Clean NRG Solar Recovery, a solar design and installation company in the Mid-Ohio Valley. Braswell uses the training he received as a Jobs & Hope WV participant and his experience as an electrician and contractor to offer clean, sustainable and affordable energy solutions and electrical work to his community.

As a member of the recovery community, Braswell has first-hand experience of the importance of a meaningful career. This influences him and his company to offer prevailing wages and flexible work hours. Braswell hired two other Jobs & Hope WV participants, Randy Peffer and Jacob Mason, to his company and allowed them to have a rewarding career and contribute to their community too. Braswell’s story shows how Jobs & Hope WV can create a cycle of opportunity and recovery for West Virginians.

As an employer, Braswell has access to multiple incentives Jobs & Hope WV offers, including the Jobs & Hope WV WorkForce Employment Program. This collaboration between Jobs & Hope WV, WorkForce West Virginia and the West Virginia Military Authority offers subsidized job placement for West Virginia employers who hire Jobs & Hope WV participants. Benefits of the program include salary reimbursement for wages up to 1,040 hours up to $25,000 per employee, free drug screening and additional support services through a Jobs & Hope WV transition agent.

Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars

By Katie Jarrell

West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, Communications Coordinator

Teachers are more than educators. They are beacons of inspiration and trusted mentors for their students.

“As someone who was born and raised in West Virginia, I have seen firsthand the way our amazing teachers can impact the lives of students,” says Meredith Litton, an aspiring educator from Nicholas County High School with plans to study elementary education at West Virginia University (WVU). “That’s exactly why I want to be a great West Virginia teacher.”

Litton is a 2023 Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholar. The Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars program is designed to help West Virginia address ongoing teacher shortages in the fields of math, science, special education and elementary education. Recipients commit to teaching in one of these high-demand fields in West Virginia for at least five years after graduation. To give students the greatest chance at success, each is paired with a practicing classroom teacher mentor, who provides guidance throughout their college careers.

“West Virginians are dedicated, proud and selfless, and our teachers exhibit all of these characteristics. West Virginia teachers are passionate, and my passion for teaching began at a young age and sprouted into a dream to be the best teacher I can be,” Litton says. “I plan to carry this dream with me throughout my time at WVU and beyond. I want students to be excited to come to class and interact with me and their classmates. I want students to know their voices matter inside and outside the classroom.”

Project SEARCH

By Omar Ibraheem

WVU Purpose2Action Student

At PACE Enterprises, the mission is to help people with disabilities find meaningful employment. Under PACE, there are many programs dedicated to achieving this goal. Project SEARCH is a nationwide program focused on providing education and training to young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The program employs a creative approach to workforce and career development, benefiting the participants, their workplaces and the overall community. The main objective of Project SEARCH is to prepare participants with the skills needed to secure competitive employment after completing a year-long training program. Originating from a single program at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Project SEARCH has expanded to encompass more than 200 programs across 43 states and four countries.

In West Virginia, Project SEARCH works in conjunction with WVU Medicine and the West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services to provide PACE interns with professional experience. Each participant completes up to three diverse rotations in the hospital to explore their interests and strengths. Project SEARCH in West Virginia caters to high school graduates in Monongalia, Marion, Preston and Taylor counties. The program recruits interns from local high schools in each county.

Ethan Copenhaver, a Project SEARCH graduate, is a prime example of the program’s success. Initially, Copenhaver was quiet and introverted and didn’t feel comfortable with anyone. Coming into the program, he was already enrolled in a trade school for learning coding apps and game design.

During his first rotation, Copenhaver worked in central transportation. There, he transported patients wherever they needed to go around the hospital. During this rotation his mentors saw significant improvements in his communication skills and time management. In his second rotation, Copenhaver worked in emergency management. There he completed tasks such as assisting in building a database and building safety manuals and distributing them to different departments. It was during his third rotation that Copenhaver was hired into the central transportation department.

Besides a sustainable job, Copenhaver says the most important thing he has gained from the program is a new mindset. The program pushed him to be more social, created self-confidence and gave him a positive outlook that led to a dedication to his career and passion for his hobbies.

“If I never went through the program, I would never have achieved as much,” he says.

WVABLE

By Roxanne Clay

WVABLE, Savings Program Director

When Logan Campbell of Elkins, WV, was 3 years old, he was diagnosed with autism. This diagnosis didn’t slow him or his parents down as they set out on a journey of ensuring Campbell received the educational and career training opportunities needed for achieving success and living a life of greater independence. He and his parents, as well as hundreds of West Virginians with disabilities, give credit to WVABLE, a savings and investment program that helps West Virginians achieve greater independence and financial security. WVABLE is a program of the West Virginia Treasurer’s Office that allows eligible individuals to save and invest tax-free, without jeopardizing eligibility for critical public benefits such as Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid.

When the WVABLE program launched in February 2018, Campbell was the first to enroll. Just three years prior, his mother, Denise Campbell, a delegate in the West Virginia House serving in the 43rd district, was the lead sponsor for the WVABLE Act, or House Bill 2902. Over the last five and a half years, Logan and his parents built up savings in his WVABLE account by rolling over funds from a SMART529 education savings account. Additionally, Logan is currently working 20 hours a week at the Elkins U.S. Forest Service through the Buckhannon-Upshur Work Adjustment Center. Logan is saving his employment earnings in his WVABLE account to help pay for his expenses. Leading up to Logan’s employment, it has been a long road of hard work and dedication, earning many accomplishments along the way.

Throughout his teen years, Logan completed classes at the Randolph Technical Center working on small engines and graduated with a modified diploma from Elkins High School, earning membership in the National Honor Society. Logan also worked with the West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services in Randolph County to assess and develop career goals, including working with a rehabilitation specialist to obtain a driver’s license prior to graduation. This was a proud moment and a key aspect toward Logan obtaining independence and employment, especially given the challenges of living in a rural area. Along with his employment, Logan is currently auditing courses and experiencing college life through the D&E Naylor Center at Davis & Elkins College. Throughout his journey, his WVABLE savings account has provided him and his family with a vehicle to save funds to pay for a variety of qualified disability expenses including transportation, training and everyday living expenses such as food and clothing.

SPOKES

By Heather Bayne

Marion County SPOKES, Instructor

Haley Cosner entered Strategic Planning in Occupational Knowledge for Employment and Success (SPOKES) in February 2020 and since that time she has been on track to improve her life in and out of the workplace. When Cosner entered SPOKES, she had a list of obstacles she needed to overcome. A single mother living with her own mother and children, she was at the beginning of her journey to recovery, had no driver’s license, no job and had to find the money to pay for her DUI classes—all while learning to live life sober. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic happened and left Cosner working on SPOKES and trying to teach her children from home.

Cosner admitted that she had terrible time management, could not stay organized and desperately needed structure. She started the learning process so that she could better help her children and herself when she gained employment. She learned to set small goals for herself that would boost her confidence and encourage her to set bigger goals for her family. Through SPOKES, she learned how to create a routine for herself and for her children. She devoted herself to change.

Cosner completed multiple certifications through SPOKES, including the WorkKeys Assessment, Work Essentials, Money Essentials, CSM Certification, Computer Essentials Gold Level, Customer Service and WV Welcome, and she earned her food handlers card. She had to learn how to budget money with the help of Money Essentials, and after saving, she had the money to complete the course in November 2021 that made her eligible for a car from the Good News Mountaineer Garage.

Cosner then set her big goal to give back what she learned through SPOKES to others who are facing the same struggles she had. Cosner was hired as an economic service caseworker at the Fairmont Department of Health and Human Resources office and in 2023 was promoted to senior economic service caseworker. She left SPOKES with a career, and she continues to celebrate her recovery and is able to look at herself and see how she has accomplished it all.

Goodwill Paid Training

By Jamon Schmidt

Goodwill Industries of Kanawha Valley, Inc., Content Manager

Dustin McDonald grew up in Richie County where he would travel back and forth from Parkersburg to visit his mother and siblings. Growing up with his aunt and uncle, he was the only kid in the household. At 16, he became a father and made the decision to drop out of school to take care of his new family. When his aunt passed away in 2015, McDonald fell into an addiction that would change his life forever. After a divorce and losing custody of his children, he was left feeling hopeless and lived on the streets after selling everything he owned for drugs.

While in rehab in 2021, McDonald was visited by representatives from Goodwill who talked to him about employment opportunities for individuals in recovery.

At Goodwill, Dustin got a job at the Parkersburg store through Goodwill’s Paid Training Program. The 90-day program helps individuals get back into the paid workforce while allowing them to rebuild or develop the necessary skills they need to succeed in today’s workforce.

As the program was nearing the 90-day mark, McDonald decided to fill out job applications after meeting again with Goodwill representatives. He received multiple job offers and took a position with Eagle Pointe Healthcare Center. Within one month of employment, he was able to get his own apartment and within two months, he obtained his own vehicle.

“Goodwill helped me grow my confidence with all the support they offered,” he says. “They allowed me to be more comfortable in my own skin. It’s a big adjustment to go from the streets to normal society. Goodwill really helped me with that. Goodwill will give you the tools to better yourself—to have a better life.”

McDonald was recently hired to work at St. Joseph’s Recovery Center as a behavioral health technician. He will be helping individuals going through the same struggle that he went through.