Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College Receives $1.4M Grant for New Heavy Equipment Operators Program

Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College received a $1.4 million grant from Congress. This funding will support a new heavy equipment operators’ program. The money will go towards buying more land and various heavy equipment like simulators, a mini excavator, dozer, dump truck, backhoe, forklift, and more.

Dr. Tom Striplin, the President of Eastern, thanked Senator Shelley Moore Capito for her support. He stressed the need for heavy equipment operation training. He also noted that workforce training and development are key for many community colleges.

The college is planning to request more funding from Congress in FY2025. This will be used to build a training center with classrooms and enough space for the program. The goal is to meet the increasing demand for trained operators and offer alternatives to students not interested in a college degree.

Lauren Arbaugh, the Workforce and Continuing Education Program Coordinator, pointed out the chance for people to learn valuable skills. The program also plans to give high school students the opportunity to gain heavy equipment operator skills and certification.

For more details about Eastern and its programs, visit www.easternwv.edu.

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