CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — Hope Gas officials welcomed fifteen Robert C. Byrd High School students into the Pathways program Tuesday.
Pathways is a two-year vocational program that mixes classroom and hands-on instruction at the company’s Safety City to prepare future workers for the energy industry.
“Today was really an opportunity to celebrate this group of students and to acknowledge they are making a commitment to be a part of this program and to better themselves for the future,” Laura Seybold, senior vice president of culture and talent development at Hope Gas, Inc., said.
The students will start their training in the fall of 2026 which, includes four days in the classroom and one day each week at Safety City. It’s an important part of the company strategy to create educational opportunities for the next generation of energy workers and expand the availability and use of natural gas.
“They filled out applications, went through an interview process, and were selected from there,” Seybold said. “There is a nice mix of students; we have young men and young women in the program together.”
All 15 students participated in an application and interview process to win the available spots. Seybold said many of the young people accepted into the program have already faced challenges, and this gives them an opportunity to learn a trade that pays a living wage.
“Many of them have incredibly compelling stories in terms of some tough things they’ve already encountered in their lives,” Seybold said. “They are very dedicated, focused, and excited to be a part of this program.”
When these 15 students graduate with a high school diploma with the Pathways achievement, the students will have more job market options than their peers. The lesson plan, developed with a Robert C. Byrd High School teacher and Hope Gas, Inc., plus the hands-on work at Safety City, will give them much more practical experience than any other high school students.
“They are going to have an edge over other individuals who haven’t had a chance to go through the program,” Seybold said. “They will have skills they can apply day one as they start their career.”
Seybold said this is a program they want to roll out in other areas of the state. Because other counties don’t have a Safety City nearby, she said they could work with vocational learning centers or even bus nearby students to the Harrison County location to increase enrollment in the program.
“We can partner with technical schools to build something that’s on a smaller scale as well as potentially bus students to our training center depending on where their location is.”