April 5, 2023
Morgantown Marriott at Waterfront Place | Morgantown, WV
The fifth annual Focus Forward featured conversations with topline innovators, education leaders and government officials on important issues shaping West Virginia's future and why they matter. This year's emerging issue was diversifying our energy portfolio to prepare for a competitive workforce in a globalized economy.
Watch all panels and speakers on our YouTube playlist here.
Over the next decade, global demand will be mostly driven by population growth, middle class growth and the transition to clean energy.
We can transition to a more energy efficient society by designing an affordable, marketable system while strengthening supply chains to provide stable access to materials and skilled labor.
Securing land access and investing in transmission development to deploy renewables must include fast-track permitting and adapt to transmission alternatives.
Invest in technology advancements, which will ensure timely deployment of new clean technologies.
If West Virginia invests in this emerging energy economy, we must set a strategy, develop a plan, drive capital efficiency, and find the right talent while working with regulatory agencies, legislative leaders and stakeholders to align incentives.
New industry leaders in West Virginia cite meeting workforce demands as their biggest concern but remain optimistic thanks to the state’s intentionality to attract top talent by creating an innovative place to live and work.
Economic development incentives, new legislation and public policy focused on business attraction and retention help bolster West Virginia as an optimal workforce destination.
New West Virginia companies can nurture a positive workplace climate through on-site daycare centers, a focus on diversity, substance recovery programs, and a flat working environment where all employees are considered owners.
Companies rely on a strong education system to produce students who will become curious, creative, problem-solvers as employees.
Employers also look for individuals who are open to feedback and bring a sense of gratitude to the workplace.
The energy sector was responsible for 79% of U.S. global greenhouse gas emissions in 2020. The world must reduce global greenhouse gas emissions while making sure all impacted communities can still thrive.
Businesses, government and communities must invest in: 1) Technologies that lower greenhouse gas emissions. 2) Infrastructure that enables multiple sectors to transform. 3) Policy that generates clarity and rewards early movers. 4) Jobs and community benefits that last.
To make this work, we must strengthen all stages of education and training pipelines.
Preparing the workforce for decarbonization will require a better understanding of evolving job skills and worker preferences. This requires a stronger connection between education, business and community outreach.
Stronger university collaborations and multi-sector, multi-stakeholder partnerships will also help produce more opportunities in the energy economy.
Legislation informed by both environmentalists and industrialists can lead to opportunities for innovation in clean energy.
As a small state, West Virginia’s leading higher education institutions and policymakers can collaborate on research and policy to make decisions quickly and efficiently.
Innovation requires inspiration and execution. Using the design thinking model, universities must work with private industry to commercialize ideas and transfer technology.
The development, retention and recruitment of talent in West Virginia will attract investors and contribute to the clean energy transition.
West Virginia’s strong talent pipeline, unique geography and business-friendly policies position us to lead the nation in the areas of data, cybersecurity, health sciences, advanced manufacturing, clean energy and entrepreneurism.
Our future workforce must be competent in literacy and numeracy as well as interpersonal skills, such as communication, teamwork, leadership and design thinking.
Meeting students’ social and emotional needs are paramount, but we also need rigorous academic goals to prepare students for enrollment, employment, enlistment or entrepreneurship.
We must redefine higher education as continuous learning, including dual enrollment for high school students, baccalaureate and advanced degree programs, and workforce training.
Stronger collaboration between school and business is needed to expose students to potential careers and engage students in real-world learning.
An unprecedented amount of federal funds are available to help West Virginia invest in future business and economic growth.
Bold ideas, strategic partnerships and efficient grant management systems will help West Virginians successfully pursue and secure funding.
Resources, teams and talent are limited, so being strategic about how and what we invest in is critical. Acting in collaboration to identify partners, sites, technologies and innovation will set West Virginia apart.
The Rural Partners Network helps identify funding, offer technical resources and provide boots-on-the-ground support that can help create jobs, build infrastructure and foster opportunities to build resilient communities in rural areas.
The West Virginia Grant Center is available to help write strong proposals that will bring federal and private funding into West Virginia to support economic and workforce development.
Led by the West Virginia Public Education Collaborative, Focus Forward brings together business, government, and education leaders to explore forward thinking ideas and how they can be adapted in West Virginia to help strengthen its workforce and economy in a rapidly evolving world.
Building on past events that focused on future jobs impacted by artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, and supercomputing assets, it’s clear there’s opportunity to transform West Virginia’s education system, the economy and workforce if we harness our resources and talent.
Focus Forward with Big Energy will explore how we can leverage new opportunities through public-private sector collaboration, advanced technologies, innovation and innovative thinking, federal funding and community leadership.
