February 28, 2025
Retention of youth talent is a common topic in West Virginia’s conversation on economic development. As is the development of our future workforce. One effective strategy for both are collaborations through school business partnerships. Companies and schools in our region are finding great ways to invest in education and skill development that engages kids, elevates soft skills and ultimately benefits the community.
In this month’s blog, we’ll talk about school business partnerships, cool examples, and how they contribute to plugging the state’s brain drain.
As an economic development organization, we often hear conflicting statements from our workforce and our employers. “There are no jobs here.” “There isn’t anyone who wants to work”. Of course, we know that both of these statements are FALSE. But we also know that we need to do better in highlighting career paths right here, in the Greenbrier Valley, as well as investing time in young people to develop skillsets and confidence to thrive in those opportunities.
When businesses engage with schools, they help create a stronger, more educated workforce, which ultimately benefits the community and local economy. Businesses can give back to the community by investing in education and supporting the next generation of workers, leaders, and entrepreneurs.
Your business may already partner with our schools and students or participate in a program that directly connects you to the future Greenbrier Valley workforce. Or your school may already have great programs in place to promote a mutually beneficial relationship with businesses. And if so, thanks! If not, we hope to inspire you to reach out and see how we can help connect the dots.
School Business Partnerships
Relationships between schools and businesses are not new, but we have seen decreased participation between communities and schools since the pandemic. Businesses have long supported schools financially and academically. And we know these ties create significant benefits for both the students and the broader community.
Business partnerships provide benefits to students and businesses. They provide:
- Career Exploration: Partnerships with businesses give students the opportunity to explore industries and careers in the region, helping them make informed decisions about their future. Businesses can also mentor students, providing valuable guidance, career advice, and insight into the skills and qualifications needed for specific jobs or industries.
- Network Building: Collaborations provide opportunities for students to interact with professionals and other organizations, expanding their professional networks early on. More positive experiences with local businesses can have a positive effect on that student staying or returning to the region for work.
- Workforce Development: Businesses can help ensure that education systems prepare students with the skills that are in demand in the modern job market. By working with businesses, students can acquire the leadership skills needed to be future business leaders and innovators.
- Increased Career Readiness: Students who engage with businesses gain valuable insights into workplace culture, making their transition from school to the workforce or higher education smoother. These hands-on experiences not only enhance resumes and college applications but also demonstrate their readiness and commitment to life beyond school.
Fortunately, there are some great programs and models to inspire:
Explore: the New Manufacturing: Explore: The New Manufacturing is an organization that connects manufacturers with middle and high school students through a number of programs with varying levels of involvement for companies. From investing a few hours with students in their graphic design challenge, to hosting high school students to help solve real company programs in their student design challenge, each program is designed to make that critical real world workforce industry connection.
We are proud to sponsor an Explore Academy this April, bringing together 100 students from four local middle schools with three manufacturers in the Greenbrier Valley for a fun day of activities at the New River Community and Technical College campus. Seventh and eighth graders will have the opportunity to interact with teams from Collins Aerospace, Architectural Wood, and Almost Heaven Saunas through STEM activities.
Explore is currently recruiting manufacturers in our region to become part of these programs, email us or Chrissy Haney for more information.
Meadow River Rail Trail Project: A unique school business partnership example can be found surrounding the construction of another fantastic recreation asset for the region – the Meadow River Rail Trail. Greenbrier Environmental Group, Inc. is spearheading that partnership with Greenbrier West High School that engages students with the ongoing design and construction of the trail project. Students have met with other businesses and partners including Meadow River Valley Association, Weyerhaeuser, E.L. Robinson Engineering, and more to learn and contribute to a number of related projects like drone imagery capture, GIS mapping, environmental review, design engineering, marketing and more. This collaboration gives the students a unique learning opportunity and combats the perception that there is “nothing happening” in their hometown. It also explores different career fields that they can pursue within the region which benefits local employers.
Pocahontas County’s Nature’s Mountain Classroom: Nature’s Mountain Classroom is a curriculum designed to expose students to outdoor and tourism adventures in Pocahontas County like skiing, hiking, biking and kayaking. While this not only promotes physical activity, but a a love for the county’s number one industry: tourism and recreation. Major employers like Snowshoe Mountain Resort, Green Bank Observatory, and organizations including WVU Extension and Pocahontas County CVB provide support. This program started in 2021 and grows every year thanks to the commitment of the organizers, the recreation industry, and the Pocahontas County School system.
Education Alliance: A Toolkit for Schools and Businesses
A must-read resource for any business or educator in West Virginia is provided by the Education Alliance. This organization recognizes that these partnerships help bridge the gap between the school curriculum and the evolving needs of the workforce and so offer best practices and resources specific to school business partnerships – in an effort to encourage more of these collaborations.
In this tool kit, you’ll find need assessments, a full menu of how business and education institutions can collaborate to jump start ideas, how to recruit partners and find the right fit. It even shares agreement templates to formalize your school business partnership.
The Education Alliance announced their Hope for the Future: School Business Partnership of the Year Awards of more than $40,000 in regional and statewide prizes to recognize WV school partnerships. If you register your partnership on their site by March 7th, your team could win a regional or statewide cash prize. Get all the info you need here.
It’s clear that school business partnerships are a vital component in fostering a robust future workforce in West Virginia. By investing in these collaborations, businesses not only support the educational development of students but also ensure a steady pipeline of skilled and motivated individuals ready to contribute to the local economy. We encourage all businesses and educational institutions to explore and engage in these partnerships – let us know how the Greenbrier Valley EDC can help. Together, we can create a thriving environment where both students and businesses flourish.
