HUNTINGTON- A new career path is open for enrollment at Mountwest Community and
Technical College thanks to a collaboration with CJ Hughes Construction Company. The Utility
Construction Program is a new program that will offer students the opportunity to learn about the
utility construction industry and receive paid on the job training. The program will begin this fall
and will consist of an 11-month certificate with the option to continue on to receive an Associate
of Applied Science degree in the second year.
MacKenzie Morley, Director of Marketing for CJ Hughes, has been a part of the development of
the program. “CJ Hughes is growing, our industry has been brought to the forefront thanks to
the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and we need individuals who are ready and excited to work in a
field that is not just a job, but a career.” The bipartisan infrastructure bill is allotting billions of
dollars for West Virginia roads and bridges, broadband development, utility infrastructure repair
and replacement, water quality improvement, and transportation. “The work that needs to be
done with this money is work that we do every single day. We need enough qualified workers to
handle the workload, so that we can keep this work for our local businesses and employees. We
are elated to partner with Mountwest and keep these jobs close to home.”
Mountwest offers an array of programs that span numerous industries. The concept of a
partnership with a local business isn’t new to Mountwest; a maritime academy is offered through
Mountwest thanks to a collaboration with our local coast guard. “This is what we love to do,
create solutions for our community and our partners that will ultimately have a greater impact on
our region”, Dr. Joshua Baker, President of Mountwest comments. “State funding and grant
resources are what make this work, and we are fortunate to have these opportunities available to
us.”
Mountwest, originally established in 1975 as Marshall Community College, has been an
accredited institution since 2003 and has provided high quality learning for students in the
community. CJ Hughes is a pipeline construction contractor that has been in the industry for 75
years.
A press conference announcing the partnership is scheduled for Thursday, March 3rd at 3pm at
Mountwest with remarks from Senator Manchin, Senator Capito, as well as Mountwest and CJ
Hughes Leadership