Parkersburg, W.Va. (Oct. 8, 2025) — WVU Parkersburg has received the full amount requested of $45,000 in support of its Forging Futures welding initiative through the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) and the Ratcliffe Foundation’s Pitch for the Skilled Trades competition.

The Forging Futures project will bring mobile, industry-certified welding training directly into correctional facilities in the Mid-Ohio Valley. Using state-of-the-art mobile welding units, the program delivers hands-on, American Welding Society–aligned instruction to incarcerated individuals, providing them with marketable skills and credentials that prepare them for high-demand jobs in the skilled trades upon release.

“This project represents what community colleges do best, which is bringing education to those who need it most,” said Dr. Torie Jackson, WVU Parkersburg President. “With this funding, we can create pathways from incarceration to employment, transforming both lives and communities through opportunity and education.”

The program will provide wraparound services that not only teach a trade, but also provide soft skills and basic literacy and math credentials as needed. The program plans to reduce recidivism while solving a workforce shortage.

“Forging Futures is about restoring dignity through skill. We believe education is the most powerful form of rehabilitation, and this project gives students a tangible way to rebuild their futures. When we hand someone a welding torch, we’re not just teaching them a trade, we’re handing them hope, stability, and the chance to belong again,” said Vice-President of Institutional Advancement Olivia Reeder.

The participants included President Dr. Torie Jackson, Vice-President of Institutional Advancement Olivia Reeder, and C.O. and Charles F. Erickson Distinguished Faculty Chair in Entrepreneurship Andrew Rochus. To compete in the live pitches, the team had to complete an application detailing the program and its potential funding as well as participate in live-online semi-finals.

Forging Futures embodies WVU Parkersburg’s mission to deliver innovative, accessible education that strengthens West Virginia’s workforce, reduces recidivism, and expands opportunity through skill, compassion, and second chances.

For more information, visit www.wvup.edu.