CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WBOY) — The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources announced that a new work training program is looking to improve women representation in skilled trade jobs in West Virginia.

The release said that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment & Training and West Virginia Women Work (WVWW) are partnering to offer pathways for “non-traditional employment” for women. The partnership will offer tuition-free job training through the WVWW Step Up program.

“Women and girls are often encouraged to explore careers in traditional roles, such as caregiving or service industry positions,” said WVWW Executive Director Carol Phillips in the release. “By providing creative education paths that provide the skills necessary to obtain high paying careers and a support system for those early in their career, our programs can move women from unemployment or underemployment to a living wage in a short period of time.”

The WVWW Step Up class cohort is now accepting applications for its Morgantown and Charleston locations; the classes will begin in August 2023, the release said. To apply for the construction class, click here, and to apply for the manufacturing class, click here.