Event focuses on growth and remaining challenges in West Virginia’s economy

Wheeling, W.Va. (WTRF) – Hundreds of people turned out Wednesday for the Annual Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Outlook Conference.

John Deskins, Director of the WVU Bureau Of Business and Economic Research, said Ohio County is the only county in West Virginia where the per capita  personal income is higher than the national average.

“So we’re doing something right here in Ohio County!” Deskins said.

But he said the state has its challenges.

“One issue is poor education outcomes,” Deskins said. “We have a lot of people  in West Virginia I think who want to be in the economy, who want to contribute, but they haven’t been able to get the right education or training.”

He said bad health outcomes are another challenge, as well as drug addiction.

“Drug abuse is very much an economic problem,” Deskins said. “In West Virginia, the core is we don’t have enough people in the workforce. Too many people are on the sidelines. Another reason for that is drug abuse.”

He also said research now shows that people move where they want to live, and jobs follow.

“We have to make West Virginia a place where people  want to live,” Deskins said. “We have to improve quality of life amenities, make West Virginia the place where people want to live. And research shows that if we can achieve that, a lot of jobs will follow.”

Low workforce participation is the challenge they say that is being faced and addressed.

“As we think about the ways we can Improve that, through education, addressing drug abuse, child care, there’s a variety of factors, and frankly I’m pleased to report the State of West Virginia is actually working on these,” said David McKinley, president of McKinley Carter Wealth Services. “It took decades to reach these levels of challenge, and it may take another decade or two to work our way back out.”

Panelists on the topic of tourism say the momentum is already here and the attractions are diverse, from sports to history to entertainment.

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