U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) congratulated the eight graduates at the first Mined Minds graduation in West Virginia in Charleston on Friday, Jan. 27.

Manchin was instrumental in bringing the foundation to West Virginia, which brings software development education, training, and jobs to communities affected by the decline in coal.

“I was glad to participate in the first Mined Minds graduation today in Charleston and congratulate the graduates on this great accomplishment,” Manchin said. “With every segment of industry becoming more and more dependent on technology, training programs and organizations like Minded Minds are more important than ever before. Mined Minds has already changed the lives of eight graduates who now have jobs because of their training through the program. I applaud Mined Minds for helping these miners access new job opportunities and I wish the graduates good luck and success in their new careers.”

Last fall, Manchin invited Mined Minds to participate in his Regional Job Fair in Logan, an invitation the group readily accepted.  Since that time, Mined Minds started a class that met at BridgeValley Community and Technical College, and all eight graduates will be offered jobs following this first graduation.