By Josephine E. Moore, The Register-Herald
BECKLEY, W.Va. — When it comes to the future of West Virginia, its success lies in its people.
From job opportunities to workforce participation to growing the population, the director of the Bureau of Business & Economic Research at West Virginia University said these are expected to trend downward in West Virginia.
During an economic summit Thursday hosted by the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority at Historic Black Knight Municipal Park, John Deskins told a room full of businesspeople and community leaders that while these numbers seem grim, they are not set in stone.
While he spoke about the trends he’s seen in the economy for the entire state of West Virginia, he also spoke specifically about the New River Gorge region, which encompasses Raleigh, Fayette, Summers and Nicholas counties.
For the New River Gorge economy to improve, Deskins said investments need to be made in enticing workforce participation through education and health initiatives. He added that the region should funnel more resources into its outdoor economy as well as manufacturing related to chemicals, plastics and aerospace…
