CHARLESTON, W.Va.– An over $5 million grant is helping the Department of Tourism expand workforce development in West Virginia, grow tourism jobs, and bolster the 53,000 jobs in the state the tourism industry already directly supports.
West Virginia Department of Tourism Director of Destination Development, Ennis Barbery Smith said during a recent tourism update that they plan to keep utilizing the $5.1 million grant awarded to them from the U.S. Economic Development Administration last year to continue expanding various workforce initiatives throughout the state.
Barbery Smith said so far the five-year grant has helped them bring K-12 tourism and hospitality-related curriculum to schools across all 55 counties after the Tourism department divided it between themselves, West Virginia Department of Education, state community and technical colleges, and the Department of Economic Development.
In addition, she said they have also expanded the high…
