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West Virginia Northern Community College, Project BEST Announce Partnership

Photos by Scott McCloskey High school students from throughout the Ohio Valley listen in on a discussion about educational and job opportunities in the construction trades during the Construction Job and Career Fair Thursday at the Wheeling Park Ice Rink. During the fair, representatives from West Virginia Northern Community College and Project BEST announced a partnership allowing those pursuing careers in the construction trades to work in the trades as they obtain course credit.

WHEELING — West Virginia Northern Community College and Project BEST want to work together to create interest in construction trades and build a pool of skilled craftsman to meet anticipated needs in the Ohio Valley.

WVNCC and Project BEST announced the extension of a partnership Thursday allowing those participating in Project BEST’s apprenticeship programs to earn college credit at WVNCC as part of their apprenticeship training. The move permits the apprentice to move toward achieving an eventual associates degree in occupational development from WVNCC if they so desire, explained Mike Koon, interim president at WVNCC.

The announcement came during the Construction Job and Career Fair sponsored by Project BEST Thursday at the Wheeling Park Ice Rink.

The partnership will allow apprentices to achieve up to 15 hours of credit in general education classes at WVNCC, Koon explained. Students could earn up to six hours of credit in communications classes, another six in laboratory science classes and three hours from an elective class.

“It helps you later on — maybe not right now as you want to get a job right off the bat,” Koon said. “But later on, it gives you a chance for advancement. It’s a great opportunity, and we’re excited about it.”

High school students from throughout the Ohio Valley were among those present for the fair, which gave youths interested in construction careers a chance to speak and meet with those already working in the industry.

A large crane was set up in the White Palace parking lot outside the rink, as were other pieces of heavy equipment. The students got to see demonstrations, and in some instances got to take the controls of some of the equipment.

One display even allowed the students to work smoothing out wet concrete.

In total, there were 16 trade unions represented at the fair, as well as about six contracting businesses and 12 vendors, said Bengy Swanson, co-chairman of Project BEST.

It wasn’t just the everyday field trip for the youths, who seemed especially interested in what they were seeing.

“This is really cool,” said Kyle Johnson, a junior at Brooke High School. “They really are here to get out what opportunities there are for kids.”

Johnson said he has plans to go in to the electrical trades.

His classmate at Brooke High School, Chase Hundagen, said he also had plans to work in construction.

“For sure, I want to join the carpenter’s union,” he said. “I don’t like college. I’m not a college guy.”

Swanson said the partnership announced Thursday gives the students and young apprentices the opportunity to get a degree while they work and learn in construction.

“It takes the pressure off the kid to try and decide whether he wants to be a college kid, or a guy who goes straight to work out of high school,” he said. “This way, you get the best of both worlds.”

He agreed more trades workers are going to be needed in the future. A proposed project to build an ethane cracker plant in Belmont County in itself would require about 4,000 skilled tradesmen, according to Swanson.

“I’m not saying we’re struggling, but we’re all looking for manpower right now,” he said.

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