Internet & Technology

West Virginians looking to code have a new opportunity

07.23.19

BY EMMA PEPPER, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS, THE HUB

Working with support from the West Virginia Department of Education, Southwest Corner Workforce Development Board in Pennsylvania and Appalachian Regional Commission, the Huntington-based tech company CentralApp is issuing a challenge: go through the tech training to earn your Salesforce Administrator certification in 100 days or less, and they’ll pay for it.

CentralApp connects companies with skilled tech workers in Appalachia. They are working to mobilize tech talent and cultivate opportunities in high-tech fields within rural communities.

The training is self-paced and available online.

Participants need to: 1) be a U.S. citizen; 2) be a resident of one of these 312 counties in the Appalachian region; 3) and be 18 years or older at the conclusion of the 100-Day Challenge.

The deadline to sign up is August 15.

Head to the CentralApp site for more information: https://centralapp.us/centralapp-100-day-salesforce-certification-challenge/

WVNews: Facebook bringing 275-mile broadband network to WV

03.11.19

BY JAKE JARVIS FOR WVNEWS

Gov. Jim Justice announced Monday that a Facebook subsidiary plans to build a fiber-optic network across the state, stretching from Virginia to Ohio.

The project, which should begin sometime this year, will stretch about 275 miles across West Virginia. The project will take about a year and a half to two years to complete. It will be a part of a larger, 600-mile “long-haul” project.

“Broadband development is absolutely critical to moving West Virginia forward,” Justice said in a news release. “An investment of this magnitude in our state is really big news and will help us continue to show the world how great West Virginia truly is…”

Read the full article on the WVNews site »

Broadband development workshop coming up in Buckhannon

02.11.19

BY EMMA PEPPER, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS, THE HUB

The West Virginia Broadband Enhancement Council, the U.S. Department of Agriculture West Virginia – Rural Development, and the West Virginia Department of Commerce are hosting a USDA ReConnect Broadband Workshop on Wednesday, February 20, from 10am-3pm at the Event Center in Buckhannon, West Virginia.

The workshop will featuring the following topics and speakers:

USDA ReConnect Program
- Kris Warner, State Director, U.S. Department of Agriculture West Virginia Rural Development
- Richard E. Jenkins, Field Representative, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development
Project and Financial Structuring
- Robert Hinton, Chairman, West Virginia Broadband Enhancement Council
WVEDA Broadband Infrastructure Loan Insurance Program
- Steven J. Webb, Loan Officer, West Virginia Economic Development Authority
Broadband Mapping Tool Navigation
- Tony Simental, State GIS Coordinator

Visit the event registration page for more information »

CentralApp has a new CEO, leading efforts to support WVians learning to code

11.20.18

BY JESSICA VODDEN, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS, CENTRALAPP

Todd Cope was raised in West Virginia, but he cut his professional teeth in Silicon Valley. Todd, the new CEO of the West Virginia-based firm CentralApp, has spent the past 25 years leading high-growth tech companies on both coasts and around the world.

Now he’s working to bring tech jobs back home to the Mountain State.

Todd was recently named CEO of CentralApp, a firm that connects companies in need of tech talent with qualified workers from the Appalachian region.

“CentralApp has a mission that is very important to the region and to me personally — to grow the technology sector and generate high-wage jobs throughout Appalachia,” Todd said. “The need for workers with technical skills is growing by the day, and there’s enormous potential for people in our Appalachian communities to fill that demand.”

Todd envisions a future where tech companies across the country outsource tech work to remote workers in Appalachia instead of countries offshore.

“India and Eastern Europe have become the go-to hubs for U.S. companies in need of tech talent,” Todd said. “We want them to start thinking of Appalachia instead. We have a lot to offer with no major time zone lags, no language barriers, no significant legal hurdles and no need to worry about sensitive data leaving the country. Plus our low cost of living allows us to provide all the advantages of hiring onshore workers — without having to charge the sky-high hourly rates of workers in places like San Francisco. Any company employing tech labor offshore or in high-priced domestic regions can achieve a competitive advantage by hiring their contractors or employees through CentralApp.”

CentralApp was founded in 2016 by a team of individuals who share Todd’s vision. The firm started by connecting companies with workers who are experienced in developing on the Salesforce platform, one of the world’s largest business solutions technology providers.

“Silicon Holler is going to be the new Silicon Valley,” said Patrick Farrell, one of CentralApp’s co-founders.

The company seems to be off to a good start. Already CentralApp has secured clients across the U.S. including big-name groups like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (MIT CSAIL).

CentralApp has also partnered with the West Virginia Department of Education, the EdVenture Group and the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP) to launch classes teaching West Virginia and Kentucky workers Salesforce skills.

“People in Appalachia have the ingenuity and work ethic to do these jobs,” Patrick said. “If we continue to expand tech training and build this community, I know we can become a viable hub for tech talent.”

Details about the training program and work opportunities through CentralApp are available at www.centralapp.us.

Herald Dispatch: Tuition-free coding school NewForce comes to Huntington

10.16.18

Huntington Mayor Steve Williams at Mountwest Community and Technical College press conference to announce NewForce. Image via Generation WV Facebook page.

BY TAYLOR STUCK FOR THE HERALD DISPATCH

Move over, Silicon Valley. Silicon Holler is ready for its debut into the technology world.

With the addition of a brand-new, tuition-free coding school in the city, Huntington Mayor Steve Williams is not joking when he says Appalachia is poised to be the next Silicon Valley.

“It’s in our DNA,” Williams said Thursday at the program launch.

“What we’ve got to do is create the system as we are, so we are certainly excited to fast-track these students’ careers to be able to move into something. … Make no mistake about it — we won’t run second fiddle to anyone. Just because they started at Silicon Valley and advanced to Boston and New York doesn’t mean we can’t ramp up very quickly and show we are providing a competitive edge.”

New Force is a new six-month intensive technology training program developed in partnership by Mountwest Community and Technical College and Generation West Virginia, with support from the West Virginia Technical College System and Jobcase…

Read the full story on the Herald Dispatch site »

Celebrating southern WV’s path forward at the Small Communities, BIG Solutions Conference

09.24.18

Photo from Coalfield Development Corporation Facebook page

BY STEPHANIE TYREE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE HUB

At The Hub, our goal each week is to share with you the incredible stories of resilience, leadership, innovation, grit and creativity that we see underway in communities across the state.

There is a seemingly endless amount of under-sung leaders, new projects and partnerships with huge potential, and models of action demonstrating impact that we try to turn a spotlight on. We are only ever able to showcase a portion of it.

That is why we are so excited to co-host the Small Communities, BIG Solutions Conference on October 22-23 at BridgeValley’s Advanced Technology Center in South Charleston, WV. Partnering with the Alliance for Economic Development of Southern West Virginia and Coalfield Development, the conference gives us a chance to celebrate a few of our heroes on a larger stage – we hope with you.

Will you be there with us?

You’ll hear about federal action on broadband and addiction recovery services from Senator Capito and Senator Manchin. Major General Hoyer will be speaking to the myriad of economic development and disaster recovery projects that the National Guard is leading. And dozens of speakers will be sharing resources, models and success stories straight from southern West Virginia on topics ranging from supporting children recovering from trauma, to workforce development, stem and manufacturing, and agricultural development programs.

We’re especially excited about the two community revitalization sessions we’re helping with – and we think you might be too.

Our first session is focused on innovative models of community revitalization based in healthy lifestyles initiatives. Have you heard how the mayors of Smithers and Montgomery started a program to provide free YMCA membership to every person in town? Or how about the $250,000 in mini-grants that the Try This program has distributed to hundreds of projects across the state? Just a couple of examples of innovation focused on building healthy lifestyles as a core element of community development and revitalization.

We have a second session focused on creative placemaking as a core strategy for community revitalization. There are the dozens of large-scale murals they’ve put in place in Princeton, only one small part of a multi-layered innovative strategy for economic development based in creative placemaking. From maker spaces to renovated factories to all types of arts-based events that could be replicated anywhere, the amount of ideas you’ll take from this session can’t be understated.

And we can’t forget the 6 Power of Performance awards we’ll be giving during both days of the conference to groups, individuals and businesses who are blowing everyone’s socks off in southern West Virginia.

The categories are focused on putting people to work, revitalizing communities and changing lives. We had dozens of nominees, just another example of how much innovative work there is to celebrate in southern West Virginia that is solving persistent community challenges.

So join us on the 22nd of October!

Herald Dispatch: MU professor’s Clio app featured as a top humanities project in US

09.04.18

BY TAYLOR STUCK FOR THE HERALD DISPATCH

A mobile app developed and run by a Marshall University professor and his students is being touted as the gold standard for what collegiate humanities projects should be by the National Humanities Alliance.

The Clio app picks up a user’s location anywhere in the United States and tells him or her about the history and culture that surrounds him or her. A growing database includes information on museums, art galleries, monuments, sculptures and historical sites. The app has been used in every state in the country, and entries are added every day.

David Trowbridge, associate professor of history and director of African and African-American studies at MU and developer of the app, said between 5,000 and 10,000 people use the app every day.

After completing a Mellon Foundation-funded project called Humanities for All to identify humanities projects that are impacting the public in meaningful ways, the National Humanities Alliance chose Clio to feature out of 1,400 projects from across the country.

Daniel Fisher, project director at NHA, said choosing Clio was an easy decision…

Read the full article on The Herald Dispatch site »

ART26201 Young Filmmakers Camp

04.24.18

Filmmaking

BY ART26201

ART26201’s YOUNG FILMMAKERS CAMP is back for a third year in a row June 25th – 29th!

We’re looking for around 15 interested students to take part in our five-day workshop at Lascaux Micro-Theater with Jamie Johnson.

Place: LASCAUX Micro-Theater

Age: 10-15 +/-

Time: 9am – 4pm Daily

Seats: 6(min) -12(max)

Fee: $100

Please contact info@ART26201.com to reserve your child’s seat!

For more information about ART26201 »

CentralApp apprentices earn in-demand coding certification

01.30.18

via CentralApp

BY CENTRALAPP TEAM FOR CENTRALAPP

For Beth Fanning Taylor, a mother and wife living in Raleigh County, the holidays were busier than usual. “I was wrapping presents while watching lectures online… I carried my laptop with me pretty much everywhere” Beth said. “It was all worth it, though, when I passed my certification test.”

Beth is one of seven individuals from throughout southern West Virginia who recently completed the first phase of the CentralApp apprenticeship program, a rigorous eight-month course of study focused on helping residents of coal-mining communities transition to careers in the tech industry.

The program, which is funded by grants from the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Southwest Corner Workforce Development Board in Pennsylvania, is designed to help participants become experts in configuring and developing tools for the Salesforce platform — the fourth largest software system in the world…

Read the article on the CentralApp site »

CBS: Coding program targeted to out-of-work coal miners awarded 80 certificates in coding

12.04.17

BY WEIJIA JIANG FOR CBS NEWS

The coal industry has lost more than 40 percent of its workforce in recent years. Out-of-work miners have had to find jobs in other fields.

Former miners are heading to the classroom, using many of the same skills they used underground.

In Boone County, West Virginia, coal mining has provided work for seven generations of Billy Jack Buzzard’s family. He became a miner when he was 18, right after graduating high school.

Three years ago, Buzzard lost his job.

“It was horrible. I got laid off, lost my vehicle, lost my house,” he said. “There was no Plan B.”

But the 29-year-old found one in June, swapping his hard hat for a laptop.

He was accepted into a free training program called “Mined Minds” that teaches former coal miners to become computer coders, creating apps, websites, and games…

Read the full article on the CBS site »