CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today partnered with Google to host West Virginia business owners, startups, and jobseekers for a Grow with Google event at the Clay Center. More than 400 participants attended the two digital training sessions, which connected them to resources and information to help them gain skills and grow their businesses online.
“Making sure West Virginians have the skills and the technical knowledge they need to succeed in the workforce and expand their businesses is critical as we work to grow and diversify our economy. Not only is it important to helping prepare individuals for success both today and in the future, but it’s also important to creating new and innovative opportunities that can improve our state’s economic potential,” Senator Capito said. “This initiative provides a chance for West Virginians to learn and grow in ways that will empower them to take full advantage of the growth, the opportunity, and the progress we are creating in our state. Joining with Google and their community partners to bring this event to Charleston was an exciting experience, and I was glad to see how many individuals and small businesses jumped at the opportunity. Combined with the success we have seen through my Capito Connect plan, as well as legislative solutions and other efforts to improve connectivity in West Virginia, programs like this one will lead to a brighter future for West Virginians.”
The day’s workshops focused on topics such as online marketing, introductions to Google’s Search and Maps applications, email basics, and search engine optimization, as well as 1:1 G Suite coaching sessions with Google staff.
The Grow with Google initiative was started to help create economic opportunity through skills training to help individuals prepare for work, find a job, or grow a business. Charleston was chosen as a stop on the nationwide tour because of its reputation as a regional center for manufacturing, government, education, and health care, as well as its vibrant small business community.
Twenty local organizations also partnered to help bring the tour to Charleston—including Charleston Area Alliance, Charleston Main Streets, Generation West Virginia, Goodwill Industries of Kanawha Valley, West Virginia Broadband Enhancement Council, West Virginia Community and Technical College System, West Virginia University Institute of Technology, and others.
“Grow with Google’s goal is to help create economic opportunities for Americans,” said Tia Bethea, community engagement manager for Grow with Google. “Moving forward, we are excited to continue working with all our local partners so that more West Virginians can have the digital skills trainings we provided today.”
“We are proud to be working with Google to bring this incredibly valuable program to West Virginia,” said Matt Ballard, president and CEO of the Charleston Area Alliance. “This is a way for our small businesses to learn more about expanding their online presence to grow bigger and stronger, while also arming job-seekers with the digital tools they need to be successful. That’s an incredible opportunity for our community, and we are grateful to Google for making it possible.”
"Charleston Main Streets is excited to partner with Google for Grow with Google Charleston. We believe it is a great opportunity to showcase our social media savvy businesses and for other East End and West Side businesses to polish their digital skills,” said Adam Stollings, director of Marketing & Promotions of Charleston Main Streets.
“According to America's Small Business Development Center, 68% of Millennials have owned or been part of a start-up business. Young people have the potential to play a major role in West Virginia’s entrepreneurial growth as they have the drive and desire to get small businesses off the ground. We're proud to partner with Google to equip the next generation with the digital skills they need to succeed here in the Mountain State,” said Natalie Roper, executive director of Generation West Virginia.
“The West Virginia Broadband Enhancement Council is proud to join Grow with Google to demonstrate the many ways that broadband connectivity and digital learning can create new economic opportunities for West Virginians. The Council is committed to the expansion of broadband connectivity throughout West Virginia. We echo Grow with Google’s inspiring message of inclusion and share the belief that everyone deserves the chance to join the digital economy. We look forward to continuing this partnership and sharing this powerful message,” said Robert Hinton, Chairman of the West Virginia Broadband Enhancement Council.
“We hope that by attending the event, people across the state who are interested in business development and Information Technology programs can jumpstart their careers and propel their futures. We partnered with Grow with Google to allow us to reach out to West Virginians and provide follow up events at our colleges so more people will have access to the incredible opportunity to learn from the experts at Google and to showcase the expertise in these areas available to them through our community and technical colleges,” said Dr. Sarah Tucker, chancellor of the West Virginia Community College System.
”WVU has been leading an effort to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship believing those concepts will spread into communities across the state. Grow with Google is based on these same principles. We’re absolutely thrilled and honored to be part of a project that is empowering the small business owners and the big dreamers of West Virginia,” said Jen Wood Cunningham, director of University Relations at West Virginia University Institute of Technology.
According to a study by the National Middle Skills Coalition in 2015, 57 percent of positions in the state were middle-skills jobs, jobs that require some training beyond high school but not a four-year degree. The same study found that only 49 percent of the state’s workforce is trained in middle skills, leaving an 8 percent middle-skills gap.
A study found that less than half of 18- to 25-year-olds are reported to believe their education gives them the skills that they need to even enter the country’s workforce, and one-third of jobs will require skills that aren’t common in today’s workforce by 2020. Google hopes to address these education demands nationwide through partnerships with cities and organizations that can develop ongoing training programs for young people and new entries into the workforce.
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