West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin traveled to Fairmont, WV yesterday to announce the establishment of the Appalachian Petroleum Technology Training Center. The new program will offer students either a one-year certificate or a two-year associates degree in Petroleum Technology at both Pierpont Community and Technical College (in Fairmont) and at WV Northern Community College (in Wheeling). According to officials at the ceremony announcing the new center, people can earn starting annual salaries ranging from $60,000-$100,000 for working in natural gas drilling fields. This new program will help make that happen.
A “key feature” of the program are both indoor and outdoor drilling simulation laboratories, to give students hands-on field training…
