Issue Position: Jobs

Issue Position

Investing in our own

It has been said that our greatest export is our people … it's time we change that. In recent years we have focused our attention on attracting businesses to relocate to West Virginia, and - in doing so -we have neglected to acknowledge our own intellectual capital. We have many bright individuals in West Virginia who just lack the arsenal to implement their ideas. Thus, we need a system that provides aspiring entrepreneurs with the basic infrastructure to develop their ideas. Business incubators, like the one in Morgantown, West Virginia, provide basic services such as Marketing, IT, and Accounting to aspiring entrepreneurs whose ideas would otherwise be nonexistent without these essential services.

The Incubator in Morgantown, which utilizes West Virginia University, should be used as an example for state universities throughout West Virginia. In 2009, Morgantown was named as the # 7 city in the country for business startups by CNN Money. The use of Incubators is a way of building from within by providing the environment, resources, and entrepreneurial necessities to maximize growth potential while at the same time reducing the risks commonly found in starting a business.

While we must never waiver in our effort to attract new people and new businesses to the area, and to provide incentives for that to occur, we must also realize that it is a difficult task that requires more than a slogan on a billboard. By focusing on areas that have proven to be successful within our own state and embracing our past while adapting for the future, we will be able to attain the goal of improving our local economy through sustainable job growth.

Source