Grant Summary: $1.8M WIOA Award to Strengthen EMS Workforce in West Virginia
We are excited to announce that the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission has been awarded a $1.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). This significant investment will support the development and expansion of West Virginia’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) workforce over the next three years, addressing critical healthcare and emergency response needs across the state.
Through this initiative, we will collaborate with local partners to provide training, certification, and job placement support to individuals seeking careers in EMS — helping to build a stronger, more resilient emergency response system throughout our communities.
Target Population
This program will primarily serve:
- Unemployed or underemployed individuals
- Young adults (ages 16–24) not currently in school or working
- Individuals living in rural and high-need areas
- Veterans and military-connected individuals
- Low-income adults
- Career changers interested in healthcare and public safety roles
We are particularly focused on reaching populations that face barriers to education and employment and live in areas where access to EMS services is limited or declining.
Key Benefits of the Grant Program
- EMS training and certification programs
- Supportive services for uniforms, and licensing fees
- Career coaching, job readiness workshops, and placement assistance
- Connection to long-term employment with EMS providers and healthcare systems
- Increased access to EMS careers for rural, underserved, and economically disadvantaged residents
Eligibility Requirements for WIOA Programs
To qualify for WIOA-funded services, individuals must meet general criteria such as:
- Age 18 or older for adult programs; youth services available for those aged 16–24
- U.S. citizen or authorized to work in the U.S.
- Registered for Selective Service (if male and born after 1960)
- Must face one or more barriers to employment, such as:
- Low income or public assistance recipient
- Lacking a high school diploma or basic skills
- Long-term unemployed
- Homeless or at risk of homelessness
- Justice-involved
- Individuals with disabilities
Eligibility for specific EMS training programs may also include health screenings or physical ability requirements, based on industry standards.
Eligibility Training Sites
The program is being offered tuition-free through participating Community & Technical Colleges in West Virginia.
BlueRidge Community & Technical College (Martinsburg)
Colin Graham MBA, NRP, MCCP
EMS Program Director & Clinical Coordinator
Blue Ridge Community and Technical College
13650 Apple Harvest Drive
Martinsburg, WV 25403
Office location: Room 3201
Phone: 304-260-4380 x2309
Cell: 304-703-1998
cgraham@blueridgectc.edu
BridgeValley Community & Technical College (Charleston)
Jon Fannin NRP, FP-C, MCCP
EMS Program Director
(304) 417-5611 (cell)
(304) 205-6661 (office)
jonathan.fannin@bridgevalley.edu
Mountwest Community & Technical College (Huntington)
Edward L. Bays, BS, NRP
EMS Education Director
One Mountwest Way, Room 431
Huntington, WV 25701
Office 304.710.3528
Fax 304.710.3188
bays@mctc.edu
Pierpoint Community & Technical College (Fairmont)
John Hitchens, MBA, FACPE
HVI Surgical Services Administrator II
WVU Medicine Heart and Vascular Institute
1 Medical Center Drive, PO Box 8003
Morgantown, WV 26506
Office: 304-598-4000 / Ext 61685
Cell: 304-719-5071
Fax: 304-285-1917 (internal 51917)
john.hitchens1@wvumedicine.org
Southern West Virginia Community & Technical College (Logan)
Mike Smith MS, NREMT-P, WV-MCCP
Director of Emergency Management Services
Logan Campus -Building C, Room 226
100 College Drive
Logan, WV 25601
304-896-7316
albert.smith@southernwv.edu
West Virginia Northern Community College (Wheeling)
Michael Freeman, BS, NRP, FP-C
EMS Program Director
1704 Market Street, Wheeling WV 26003
304-214-8980 | www.wvncc.edu
mfreeman2@wvncc.edu