The West Virginia Development Office shall develop a business and industrial training program, the purpose of which is to provide assistance for new or expanding businesses for the training, retraining or upgrading of the skills of potential employees. The program shall emphasize employee training specifically designed to accommodate the needs of individual employers. The program shall encourage the expansion of existing businesses and industries within the state, promote retention of businesses and industries within the state, promote retention of existing jobs within the state, prevent economic and industrial out-migration, and assist in the relocation of out-of-state businesses and industries in the state. Under this program, the West Virginia Development Office may pay up to one hundred percent or $2,000 per employee, whichever is less, of training costs of new employees in firms creating at least ten jobs in a one-year period. Training assistance may also be provided to existing businesses in cases in which training, retraining or upgrading services will result in the retention of existing jobs or the creation of additional jobs, or both: Provided, That the West Virginia Development Office may pay up to one hundred percent or $10,000 per employee, whichever is less, for the training, retraining or upgrading. Training costs associated with this program will be paid directly by the training provider.

Terms Used In West Virginia Code 5B-2D-3

  • Employer: means an individual, partnership, corporation, or other legal entity that employs or plans to employ skilled workers. See West Virginia Code 5B-2D-2
  • Program: means the West Virginia Guaranteed Work Force Program established pursuant to section three of this article. See West Virginia Code 5B-2D-2
  • State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
  • Training: means custom-designed training given to employees or prospective employees of new or expanding businesses and industries within the state. See West Virginia Code 5B-2D-2
  • Training provider: means any persons, public or private educational institutions, agencies, companies or other entities that may be utilized for training or consultative services for an employer. See West Virginia Code 5B-2D-2

Provision of training services will depend upon the employer meeting program requirements as set forth by the West Virginia Development Office and this article. The state of West Virginia guarantees if employer satisfaction is not achieved, the West Virginia Development Office will carefully review the effectiveness of the recently completed training plan and program with the employer and the training provider. After such review, if the West Virginia Development Office determines that the training program was inadequate to meet the employer's specifications and satisfaction as originally agreed to, then those employees so trained shall be eligible for retraining under the guarantee provision except when the training program curriculum or provider were selected solely at the discretion of the employer, then no such additional training shall be considered or approved: Provided, That in no instance may the cost of training and retraining an employee exceed $4,000.