will bring 123 new jobs; Infor, a global technology company,
opening a location in Charleston and creating hundreds of
jobs; and Intuit, a business and software company, opening a
prosperity hub in Bluefield with plans to create up to 500 jobs.
West Virginia’s Community and Technical
Colleges Create $1.2 Billion in Economic Impact
The West Virginia Community and Technical College System
(CTCS) recently unveiled a new independent economic impact
study that surveyed the value of the state’s public two-year
higher education system. According to the study, conducted by
Emsi, West Virginia’s community and technical colleges realize
a $1.2 billion total economic impact in the state. The study
also found that graduates of CTCS institutions earn $9,900
more each year compared to those with a high school diploma.
“We’re immensely proud of the work we do every day to
equip West Virginians for the jobs employers are working
to fill right now across the state,” says CTCS Chancellor Dr.
Sarah Tucker. “There is enormous value in a community and
technical college education in West Virginia, and there is an
increasingly positive impact our graduates realize for the state’s
economy. During this time of ongoing economic shifts and
discussions around public higher education, these findings
underscore the genuine promise of a community college edu-
cation in the Mountain State.”
Broken down, the economic impact of CTCS alumni totals
$1.1 billion in added income in West Virginia; the impact of
institutional operations, including annual payroll and other
spending, represents $98.2 million; and the impact of student
spending totals $8 million. Altogether, this income supports
more than 17,000 jobs across the state.
In addition to direct economic impact, the study found high
returns on investments by students who earn an associate
degree from a CTCS institution. The findings show that these
students earn an average $40,300 salary compared to $30,400
for those with a high school diploma or equivalent working
in the state.
The study measured the economic impact created by CTCS
on the business community in Fiscal Year 2016-2017 and the
benefits the nine colleges generate in return for investments
made by students, taxpayers and society. During that year,
CTCS institutions served 26,337 credit students and 6,548
non-credit students while employing 1,950 staff, faculty and
administrators.
West Virginia 811 Prepares for
Future Growth with a New Location
West Virginia 811 (WV 811), the state’s call-before-you-dig
notification center, recently held a grand opening for its new
location in Charleston.
“In light of recent and more aggressive federal and state laws
mandating penalties, including civil penalties, for violation of
the dig laws, our board saw this as an opportunity to have the
room to provide training and education for our members and
users of the 811 system,” says Courtlandt Smith, WV 811’s
board president. “We were very fortunate that this property
became available at this time and that WV 811 was in a position
to make the move.”
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www.womensenergynetwork.org/westvirginia/
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE