Training & Certification

The West Virginia University Department of Mining and Industrial Extension provides on-site technical assistance and training to manufacturers and to the coal mining industry throughout West Virginia and the region. Working together with industry and government, the department offers two distinct programs, Mining and Industrial Extension, are making continued progress toward our joint goal of service to our state and its industries and people.

Higher Education

Southern WV Community and Technical College Mine Management A.A. program.

Minimum 61 Credit Hours
Purpose

This program is designed to prepare and to educate individuals for front-line or mid-level positions in the mining industry, both surface and underground. A degree in Mine Management will provide graduates a diverse range of opportunities which include a high salary, career progression, and the ability to be employed in a global profession. This mining program is applicable to all energy resource concepts, including coal, oil, gas, and iron ore. The associate in applied science program encompasses a wide variation and correlation of people, financial resources, equipment, community, environmental, and regulatory agencies providing the management team with marketable skills and an education workforce in today’s competitive landscape.

Military to Mines Program

The coal industry is always in need of skilled mechanics, diesel mechanics, heavy equipment operators, electricians, truck drivers and other positions. We urge those of with military experience in these job categories to contact your local mine training center for more information about how to convert your military MOS into a lucrative position within the mining industry. 

Jobs for Vets
http://www.vetjobs.com/

Mine Apprenticeships

Before a person can work in an in-state underground mine or surface mine they must first complete the West Virginia Mine Apprenticeship Course and successfully complete the course examination.

Upon successfully completing the program, you will be issued the appropriate “West Virginia Mine Apprenticeship Certificate” which is required by all mining companies.  For prospective underground miners, the underground course is eighty (80) hours long and for prospective surface miners, the course is forty (40) hours in length. 

Both courses are given by a variety of approved training facilities around the state including the state’s two “Mine Training Academies” located at West Virginia University and Southern WV Community and Technical College. For a complete listing of approved facilities offering either of the mine apprenticeship programs, please contact the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety & Training.  You must be at least eighteen (18) years old before being employed by a mining company.