Last month, the Parkersburg-Marietta Building Trades hosted representatives of Wood County Economic Development Office (WCED) at craft apprenticeship training centers throughout the county.
The meeting will lead to a partnership between WCED and the Trades for the purpose of jointly focusing on workforce development in the region.
During the meeting, representatives Lindsey Piersol and Kate Marlow from WCED were taken to the IBEW, Pipefitters, Carpenters, Laborers, Ironworkers, Sheet Metal Workers, and Millwrights JATC facilities in Wood County.
According to Parkersburg-Marietta Building Trades Council Business Manager Buddy Malone, the meeting was of the utmost importance to working together in the future.
“I believe it was educational to both the Economic Development Office and the Building Trades to see and discuss what each of us offer and the challenges we face in bringing jobs to our area and staffing those jobs once they are here,” said Malone.
Lindsey Piersol of the WCED confirmed that the tours were informative and helpful when considering how to approach workforce development in Wood County.
“The Wood County Economic Development Office had a wonderful tour of several trade halls…I was very impressed with the halls and the extensive training apprentices go through to get prepared for the workforce,” said Piersol.
The tours, hosted by the Parkersburg-Marietta Building Trades Council, are part of a larger, ongoing effort by the Trades to educate lawmakers, public officials, and the general public about the benefits of apprenticeship programs throughout the state.
“Days like this help us strengthen our relationships and work better together, providing an advantage for both of our organizations,” said Malone.
