CRAIGSVILLE, W.Va. (Hinton News) – Gov. Jim Justice spoke Tuesday to students about career opportunities in the state’s growing tourism industry during a visit to Nicholas County Career and Technical Center.
The event marked the beginning of hospitality and tourism education programs statewide, developed as a part of a new workforce development initiative, Tourism Works. This program was launched by the Department of Tourism earlier this year to prepare for the projected growth of more than 21,000 annual job openings in the state’s tourism industry through 2025.
“We’re going to start teaching and training our students to be prepared for the jobs that are on the way, and this is just the tip of the iceberg,” Justice said. “We’ve got tourism jumpstarted like you can’t even imagine. We might go from 21,000 to 210,000 job openings in the blink of an eye. West Virginia is the most special place on the planet. We are absolutely the diamond in the rough the world has missed. Keep it going.”
As the governor told students during the event, these are good paying jobs. Of the projected 21,000 annual openings, 10,000 are expected to be management-level positions with salaries approaching $60,000, according to data from the Higher Education Policy Commission. The education component of this federally funded program focuses on educating the state’s next generation in tourism-related fields, preparing for the substantial increase in job openings projected for the industry, and connecting students with viable career opportunities.
The location of the announcement at Nicholas County Career and Technical Center also highlights the Department of Tourism’s ongoing workforce training partnerships with schools across the state. Nicholas County CTC students have constructed the one-of-a-kind Almost Heaven swings that the Department has placed at the most iconic scenic spots across the state, and the Center is planning to train other high school programs to complete similar tourism-related projects.
“The experiences our career technical center students are gaining from this partnership and others like it are invaluable,” State Superintendent of Schools David L. Roach said. “The skills that the Nicholas County CTC students acquire as part of this project are second-to-none. Thousands of people will use these swings each year, and this gives us an opportunity to display the quality of work our students are capable of providing. Beyond that, these young people are extremely excited to create these beautiful installations and be a part of such a worthy cause. It is great for their development and for their portfolios.”
The tourism industry in West Virginia is poised to employ more and more West Virginians in the coming years, with jobs that range from seasonal employment to executive and management level positions. Tourism brought in approximately $5 billion in visitor spending last year – a record for the state – along with nearly $300 million in recent private tourism investment and tourism tax credit applications, which will expand tourism infrastructure in the state.
“Thanks to the Governor’s historic investment in West Virginia State Parks and tourism as a whole, we’re seeing an incredible return already,” West Virginia Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby said. “With so much growth in the industry, it’s vital that we focus on developing a solid workforce, and that work begins in our schools. I’ve really enjoyed working with the students in Nicholas County over the past couple of years and look forward to developing more relationships with students across the state. This program is an opportunity to really invest in the younger generation of West Virginians, as well as the folks currently working in the industry, to better equip them for the great things ahead for the Mountain State.”
