WV Senate President Mitch Carmichael: Amazing Things Await When We Invest in All West Virginians

Guest Column by West Virginia Senate President - Lt. Governor Mitch Carmichael
January 28, 2018

You’ve certainly heard the old proverb: “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”

I know one of the strongest lessons instilled in me from both my parents and my teachers is that learning is a process that should never stop. An education is something that can truly change a person’s life for the better, and I’ve always believed that the more opportunities we create to make learning available to everybody, the better. There’s just no question that an educated society is happy, healthy, and productive.

WEST VIRGINIA LRIC

For everything great about this beautiful state we call home, sadly, West Virginia has one of the lowest educational attainment rates in the country. In many families, the thought of paying for college is daunting discouraging, and our young people don’t go.

In other cases, men and women went to work right after high school into good-paying jobs that we’ve seen disappear over the years – chemical plants, factories, and coal mines. Some women didn’t feel like they could go to college because of an obligation to their families, or because they were busy with being full-time moms and taking care of their households.

But what if there was a way we could help eliminate that financial barrier to obtaining an education for just a small financial commitment from the state, and give people a second chance to get a first-class education?

Senate Bill 284 proposes to do just that. I believe this plan – the West Virginia Invests Grant Program – will make it possible for our citizens to realize their dreams and goals of attaining a community or technical college degree and advance their education.

This is tremendous news for our state’s displaced workers and older citizens. By removing the financial barrier to educational opportunities, we are opening doors for an entirely new generation of students. This grant program will make it possible for men and women to retrain for a new career and gain a stackable skill set that can be used in any number of good-paying jobs. With a degree in hand, our newly trained, drug-free workforce can step into any number of careers that are in demand.

This is an opportunity for which so many of our older West Virginians have been waiting a lifetime. The thought of a college degree and a better future was always something that would come “some day.” Folks, I could not be more proud that it appears some day has finally arrived.

West Virginia is a major contender for billions of dollars in economic development, and with that development will come jobs, jobs, jobs. If West Virginians want jobs, West Virginians must be ready to fill those jobs. Education is economic development, and we cannot afford to leave that tool out of our toolbox. These opportunities are ready for the taking, and I know there are thousands of people just waiting for the chance.

It’s my sincere hope as this bill makes its way through the Legislature that you’ll contact your Senators and Delegates to support the idea of quality education and workforce training for all West Virginians. Let’s become a shining example what positive things await when you invest in your people.

 

• West Virginia Senate President Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson, represents the Fourth Senatorial District, which includes Jackson and Mason counties, and parts of Putnam and Roane counties.