For the second year, Explore the New Manufacturing is hosting the Manufacturing Innovation Challenge for high school career and technical education students. Partnering with West Virginia businesses, Manufacturing Innovation Challenge projects give high school teams the opportunity to find solutions to real-world manufacturing problems. Teams tackl...

The past year has been a whirlwind of uncertainty and adaptability for the Explore the New Manufacturing Program and our manufacturing and educational partners. Our main concern quickly became what we could do to support teachers and their students when normalcy was no longer something that anyone could take for granted.In reflection, the Explore t...

Over the past three years, as the Explore the New Manufacturing Program has expanded to new regions, our team has worked with students and educators to increase the understanding of manufacturing across the state. We have been amazed by student talent and poise. The educators, who participate in our programs, are steadfast champions for their stude...

On September 20, 2017, during its 14-day run, Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico, leaving destruction and devastation in its wake. Afterward, the hurricane's impact reverberated far beyond Puerto Rico's borders, and its ripples continued well after it made landfall. Three months later, in late December, my dad had a heart attack, a catalytic event ...

2020. Pandemic. Shutdowns. School closures. Last January, if someone would have suggested that a pandemic would strike, halting all in-person activities and yet the Explore Program would cap the year in a stronger position than when 2020 began, I would have said, "Of course, we will." Truly, what other options are there? Manufacturers need skilled ...

Virgin Hyperloop's recent announcement that construction will soon begin on its 800-acre c ertification c enter in Grant and Hardy counties has created much excitement across the Mountain State .  Additionally, the latest news that DST Innovations and Blue Rock Manufacturing ha ve agreed to establish a new Morgantown-based facility for develop...

During National Manufacturing Month, a s we continue forging ahead through the unprecedented reopening of schools this fall, we are excited about developing virtual connectivity between industry and education so that earlier efforts are not lost. We anticipate the new virtual platforms will expand outreach efforts to more areas around the state. La...

In General Stanley McChrystal's book Team of Teams , the author shares the importance of adaptability and having the  capacity to respond swiftly and effectively as situations arise . As a former educator, I experienced the constant need to adjust to new curriculums or adapt current one s to fit students' needs . More recently, as a process im...

EMERGING ELITE IN MANUFACTURING AND INDUSTRY EDUCATOR AWARDS Launched in 2020, the Emerging Elite in Manufacturing & Outstanding Industry Educator Awards celebrate the skills and dedication of students and educators across West Virginia. A s the Explore Team worked with students and educators through a myriad of programs , we quickly noticed ma...

" Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness . " - Desmond Tutu Even in areas less impacted by the COVID - 19 pandemic, its reverberations have been felt. From broadband limitations to supply chain constraints , restricted accessibility , and unfamiliar ways of interfacing, in addition to the worries and concerns about t...

An essential part of creating a link between education and industry is building relationships between manufacturers and educator s, parents, community partners, and students. Explore the New Manufacturing programs are designed to facilitate interaction and engagement through hands-on, minds-on labs, workshops, competitions, and challenges. One of t...

   Today is National Manufacturing Day, but we'll be highlighting the importance of manufacturing with multiple events across the state throughout the month. For starters, National Manufacturing Day celebrates what is made in America as well as the hardworking men and women who are the backbone of any manufacturer. Today also is a day to ...

It's no secret there is a skills gap at both the national and state levels that is ever-broadening due to technological advancement, among other factors . Speaking specifically to our state, there are West Virginians who ne e d skills in order to acquire sustainable employment and yet there are jobs – good paying jobs - in our state right now that ...