Of its kind built in the United States since the 1970s. Projects of this size and scope strengthen our economy, create new jobs, and serve as investment in both our state and our people. This factory located in the eastern panhandle will create 1,000 jobs during the initial construction phase. Once fully operational, it is projected to employ the companys fifth largest workforce in the entire country. Weve worked hard to bring these jobs to West Virginia for West Virginians. And now they need to be filled. Thats why more than a year before production begins, p g has partnered with Blue Ridge Community and Technical College to create specialized Training Programs to meet workforce needs. These certificate and degree programs are preparing students for careers in engineering, Computer Science and electronics, and training students to become skilled check chemical operator technicians. Blue ridge president and his team are working hard to make sure our students can compete for these good paying jobs. And p G Construction manager Luis Guttierez is already working with crews on the ground as part of the companys initial construction efforts. He and his family love calling West Virginia home. So please join me in thanking dr. Jek vich and welcoming luis and his family to West Virginia. Would you please stand. [ applause ] in 2012, we launched the new Workforce Training Program called learn and earn. This Program Helps students receive classroom instruction and handson experience while earning a competitive salary. And it gives employers a Cost Effective way to recruit and train new employees. We know this program is incredibly successful and companies are taking advantage of these training opportunities. Since gestan first opened, the South Charleston plant has tripled production and more than doubled its total workforce. Today it employs more than 700 West Virginians. And these are real jobs. And the company is already seeing a real return on investment. Through a partnership with Bridge Valley community and Technical College, students can get handson training and earn a one year certificate, an associates degree, and a journeymans card. Tonight with us is paul lazanlick, the plants new plant manager. Im still learning, but anyway, hes here with hes the new plant manager, and jamie thompson, a learn and earn graduate who is already training 12 new students. So please join me in welcoming paul to West Virginia and congratulating jamie on his success. [ applause ] these partnerships are essential to helping those investing here train the workforce that they need to grow. And tonight im introducing legislation to expand the learn and earn program statewide by redirecting nearly 300,000 of the current budget to create new valuable learning experiences for our students. We know we must do more to improve our states workforce participation rate. Im proud that today there are more job Training Programs in place than ever before. With the help of more than 40 million in federal grant funding, workforce West Virginia is helping coal miners and their families and those who have exhausted their Unemployment Benefits find careers in growing industries. These programs help employers train employees their way at their work sites. And provide up to 5,000 in Tuition Assistance for classroom instruction and on the job training. As we recognize these efforts to train our workforce, i ask that you remember those who call our states southern coal fields home. As a son of these coalfields, ive dedicated my life and my years of Public Service to supporting their miners and their families. And despite the difficult times we find ourselves in, West Virginia remains the fourth largest producer of electricity in the country. And i believe our coal industry will continue to support our families well into the future. However, we cannot ignore the unprecedented shift that has taken place in our state and in our nation. Forces beyond our control have severely damaged our coal industry and even the most optimistic among us realize it is unlikely coal will ever reach production levels of the past. For generations our miners unearthed the coal used to produce the low cost electricity that fueled this countrys industrial revolution, one that remains unmatched anywhere in the world. This nation owes these West Virginians a debt of gratitude and were ready to cash in on that substantial iou. [ applause ] this fall, we submitted an application to the National Disaster resilience competition, seeking more than 140 million in funding from the United States department of housing and urban development. This competition has the potential to help six counties in our southern coal fields adjust, adapt and advance their communities. If were successful, these federal funds will help us rebuild aging infrastructure, promote Land Use Planning and Hazard Reduction efforts and stimulate housing and Economic Development in areas outside of these regions flood plains. Were also proposing to develop the largest Industrial Site in West Virginia history at the former hobet surface mine in boone and lincoln counties. [ applause ] with 12,000 acres located just off corridor g, this site is large enough to fit virtually every major Economic Development project in recent history, including toyota, procter gamble, gestan, macys, amazon and more with thousands of acres left over. We know this is a major undertaking and with the help of local landowners, Marshall University, West Virginia university, and the virginia conservation legacy fund, we are working together to find new uses for this site while mining activity continues. So please join me in welcoming this outstanding team. Interim Marshall University president gary white, e. Gordon gee and tom clark and ken mccoy of the virginia conservation legacy fund. Lets give the team a round of applause. [ applause ] tom and his team also are helping us develop new and innovative ideas to include a clean power plant submission. While the dep continues to work on the feasibility study, we anticipate our final plan may include ideas such as reforestation and replacement boulders to increase power plant efficiency. So tom, thank you again for your assistance on both of these very important projects. We appreciate it. This is just the beginning of what we can do to help diversify the economy. Not only of this region, but our entire state. When pursuing large scale projects, our talented team runs into one major obstacle, a lack of flat land. Redeveloped surface offer endless opportunities for residential, industrial, and commercial development, and in many cases, all three. As part of our federal grant application, we have identified at least five sites in boone, lincoln, logan, mingo, mcgao and wyoming, which are all strong candidates for similar redevelopment efforts. [ applause ] much like the country owes West Virginia for our contributions over the years, we as West Virginians ownership the people wro call this region home the opportunity to do better for themselves and their families
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