Maintaining Appalachia’sReady, Steady Workforce

Johnny M. Moore, Ph.D.September 13, 2018

Partnering to support clear and accessible pathwaysto jobs in energy and advanced manufacturing

in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia

A cooperative agreement among the governors of Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia to coordinate supports for the

growing regional economy.

Four areas of focus for this regional effort:Transportation and infrastructureResearch & innovationWorkforce development (TEAM Consortium)Marketing

TEAM Consortium area:

The TEAM Consortium’s area covers 27 counties that are rich with natural gas resources.

TEAM Consortium is a workforce development initiative.

Goal: Develop new, seamless systems for companies and workers to:• Recognize what knowledge and skills employers will need for in-

demand occupations;• Share that information in a timely way among education & training

partners;• Share the development and delivery of relevant curricula across state

and institutional boundaries;• Raise awareness and understanding of the types of jobs that will be

available, and• Connect students and trainees with internships, apprenticeships and

jobs.

TEAM is all about partnerships:Industry Partners include (but are not limited to):Chevron, Shell, BASF, Nova Chemical, c3 Controls, Hamill Manufacturing, MarkWest Energy, Oberg Industries, First Energy, Precision Kidd Steel Co.

Educational Partners include (but are not limited to):PA College of Technology, Stark State College (OH), Pierpont Community & Technical College (WV), Westmoreland County C.C. (PA), C.C. of Beaver County, Butler C.C. (PA), Eastern Gateway C.C. (OH), C.C. of Allegheny County (PA), West VA Northern C.C. (WV), Kent State Univ. (OH), Youngstown State Univ. (OH), Robert Morris Univ. (PA), Univ. of Pittsburgh (PA), Carnegie Mellon Univ. (PA), West Virginia Univ. (WV)

TEAM is all about partnerships:Also across 3 states:14 Workforce Development Boards (WDBs); 3 Manufacturing Extension Partnerships (MEPs); Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute

Multiple intermediaries; a representative sample: The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation; TeamNEO in Ohio; Vision Shared in WV; Appalachian Regional Commission; American Assoc. of Community Colleges.

Why collaborate?There is a skills gap between what these companies need and what workers are ready to do.

Students and trainees need strong STEM knowledge and skills;

There is a dramatic pending age gap, between imminent retirements and young people coming into the workforce.

This makes retraining the core working age population very important.

It takes time to grow a sustainable pipeline of skilled workers.

Why collaborate?Educators and trainers need to respond quickly to needs in the market.

Speed up approval of curriculumEnsure the knowledge and skills are recognized and valued in marketplaceBe nimble enough to respond to changes in technology or processes

Economies of scaleWhy replicate curriculum development across 20 institutions?Why insist on presence in the classroom when many more students could be served through distance learning?

Stackable Credentials

The stackable credential model allows multiple entry and exit points to those seeking an education, and the standardized curriculum will enable this mobile workforce to continue and finish their education wherever the curriculum is offered.

What types of jobs, and when?Biggest question: What types of jobs will there be and when will they be available?

Construction (Shell 6,000 – 9,000 over 5-7 years, then other cracker plants and manufacturing plants, pipelines)Process Technology, Plant Maintenance, etc. (600 at Shell plant)Advanced ManufacturingBusiness & Professional ServicesTransportation and LogisticsServices, housing, retail, healthcare, educationEntrepreneurship opportunities

Marketing to a new generation: correcting perceptions

• Energy and advanced manufacturing jobs are cleaner and safer than the jobs their grandfathers had

• Some of these companies are taking the lead in advancing environmentally friendly energy options (it makes good business sense)

• Providing hands-on activities that show relevance of what they are learning demonstrates to students that STEM knowledge and skills are within their capabilities

Goal of TEAM Consortium:

Create systems for education & training that are: Flexible (entry and exit)

Accessible (distance learning)

Affordable (economies of scale)

Leading to employment

Each set of partners doing their part:• Employers

• Informing curriculum• Supporting internships, apprenticeships, school programming• Supporting workforce programs with equipment• Hiring graduates

• Workforce Development Boards• Work across state lines to identify and support workers• Engage companies• Provide data and information on employment

Each set of partners doing their part:• Educators and Trainers

• Standardize and share curriculum• Allow other institutions to take the lead / expertise• Engage non-traditional students• Help connect students to the workplace

• Intermediaries – vision, leadership, funding and networks• Gov’t agencies, state and federal (policy)• Philanthropic and other organizations (ec and comm dev)• MEP’s, Trade Unions, Trade Assoc’s, Chambers, other industry-

related entities

WVNCC, Pierpont Partner With Murray Energy

• Provided

• May 21, 2018

• Pierpont Community and Technical College and West Virginia Northern Community College (WVNCC) have formed apartnership with Murray Energy Corporation to offer a new associate degree program, Mine Maintenance. The two-yearprogram also includes opportunities to gain experience with Murray Energy. The program will begin with the fall 2018Semester, and students can enroll now at either school. Informational sessions will be held at Pierpont’s Fairmont Campuson Saturday, June 9, and at WVNCC’s Wheeling Campus on Saturday, June 16.

• Anyone interested in the new Mine Maintenance Program must apply by July 9 for the fall semester byvisiting www.pierpont.edu or www.wvncc.edu. Once accepted, students will be required to complete a two-week trainingoffered by Murray Energy. Upon acceptance into the program at either college, students will also have the opportunity towork part-time with Murray Energy. After successfully completing the program students will have the potential to be hiredby Murray Energy full-time.

• “In recent years, we have seen and have forecasted an increased need for talented maintenance personnel within ourbusiness,” said Ryan Murray, Murray Energy vice president, operations. “This program will allow us to recruit and train theproper individuals for unprecedented career growth opportunities in the maintenance fields. The partnership will be ourNo. 1 conduit for hiring maintenance personnel. We encourage applications to the program starting today.”

• “This innovative partnership with Murray Energy Corporation is another successful model of how business and educationcan work together to create opportunities for our local residents. Pierpont is one of the most versatile higher educationinstitutions in North Central West Virginia, and we are an integral part of the solution to help our state out of the currenteconomic hardship,” said Pierpont President Johnny M. Moore