By Roger A. Decanio
According to a recent Gazette story, Dow Chemical’s plan to lay off 150 researchers threatens to drain millions of dollars and hundreds more jobs from the state economy.
These higher paying jobs are what we need to attract in West Virginia, not lose. How do we stem the flow? Here is what I propose.
The high paying jobs of tomorrow are in high technology and biotechnology and that’s where we ought to be focusing a greater share of our precious development dollars.
With WVU and Marshall University expanding in the Kanawha Valley, we should invest in university research and development programs to develop high-technology, intellectual property and partner with the private sector to help develop start-up companies. This private-public partnership will spark investment in the high-tech area and job growth.
We need better ways to develop coal-burning technologies. We need to develop new high-tech products that we can manufacture in West Virginia. The Silicon Valley got its start this way. Other states such as Michigan are also implementing a similar plan.
West Virginia has the lowest per capita production of college graduates among the states. We can, we must, do better. We need to invest more in tuition assistance in return for a promise to stay in West Virginia.
Let’s strengthen the Promise Scholarship Program by making higher education more affordable or even free. We can offer tuition to every student with a certain GPA in areas that will develop future economic growth such as science, computer sciences, medicine, mathematics, engineering and education. We also need to shore up our teacher salaries to retain and attract more teachers.
In return, students need to do a year of service in West Virginia or promise to stay and work in West Virginia.
Marshall University has taken the lead on product research and development. It has made a commitment to the economic development of the region. Marshall established the Technology Transfer Office. Its primary focus is to make the unique products and services generated by their faculty, staff and students available to the public for commercialization.
We need WVU and other in-state institutions to do the same.
We also should not forget the growing retirement of our skilled work force. I propose we develop an apprentice program and work with our technical and community colleges like Ben Franklin to help further increase our skilled work force.
There is work to do. Let’s find a way to keep moving forward.
Decanio, a Charleston lawyer, is a Democratic candidate for the House of Delegates in Kanawha’s 30th District.
