Beaver, WV (WOAY) On Wednesday afternoon, Governor Patrick Morrisey came to New River Community and Technical College to sign Senate Bills 402 and 490, which expand Pell grant eligibility and create other support for students of short-term training and vocational programs.
Morrisey says the new bills are investments in West Virginia’s people, meant to help prepare the state’s economy for the future:
“The legislation we’re seeing is going to open more doors for West Virginians by connecting students and workers with more immediate support for these short-term programs: these kind of programs that you’re going to be training 8 to 15 weeks in. But they’re going to develop that extra expertise… This bill is going to unlock some of that Pell grant eligibility, and it’s going to make sure that workers who already hold a bachelor’s degree but need new skills can also take advantage of it.”
The new legislation also establishes a statewide micro-credential program, among other streamlined paths to professional licensure for contractors, military professionals, and apprentices.
“This Senate Bill 402 creates a skills-based credentialing initiative, and it’s going to work together with the Higher Education Policy Commission, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of Education, and many other folks as well. We want to make sure that our state infrastructure is ready for a lot of these really critical manual labor jobs, and they’re going to pay very, very well into the future.”
New River Community and Technical College President Bonny Copenhaver says the new legislation will be great for students with hardships who want to better themselves:
“They all carry something. And the more quickly we can get them and get them a skill and get them out, the better it is for them.”
