Mountwest Community And Technical College

Mountwest Community and Technical College, doing business as Allied Health and Life Sciences, is a state government entity and fully accredited institution of higher learning located in Huntington, West Virginia. The college offers over 50 associate degree and certificate programs and serves as a regional workforce development hub, particularly focused on preparing students for high-demand careers in allied health, life sciences, information technology, manufacturing, and related technical fields. Through its federal contract and grant awards, Mountwest provides specialized training programs, curriculum development, and educational infrastructure enhancements that support both regional economic development and national workforce needs.

Mountwest's federal contract activity has been minimal, consisting of a single prime contract award from the Department of the Army. On June 26, 2024, the Army issued a $2,200 firm fixed price purchase order (W912L824P0014) for Emergency Medical Technician – Basic training services, with a completion date of June 27, 2024. This purchase order did not utilize any set-aside designation and represented a straightforward training delivery engagement. The contract reflects Mountwest's capability to provide specialized medical and emergency response training to federal agencies and their personnel.

Mountwest has demonstrated substantial capacity as a prime federal grant recipient, securing multiple significant awards totaling over $6 million across diverse educational and workforce development initiatives. The college received a $4,549,125 Project Grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission under the Appalachian Area Development program (CFDA 23.002) awarded on October 2, 2023, to fund specialized workforce training and curriculum development in allied health and life sciences careers, with completion targeted for September 30, 2026. Additionally, Mountwest secured a $593,889 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education (CFDA 84.031) awarded October 1, 2025, to implement a holistic approach to improving student retention through enhanced academic offerings and student support services. The college also received a $195,000 Project Grant under the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (CFDA 84.116) awarded September 1, 2024, in partnership with Cabell County Career Technology Center and Mason County Career Center to offer joint technical Associate of Applied Science degree programs titled "Trading Up to a Degree." An $850,000 grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (awarded August 1, 2023, with completion January 31, 2025) supported the establishment of a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity, including curriculum strengthening, facility development, and EC-Council certifications. The National Science Foundation's Division of Undergraduate Education awarded $552,031 (August 1, 2022, through July 31, 2025) to Mountwest in partnership with the Robert C. Byrd Institute at Marshall University to expand welding technician programs with specialized aerospace welding credentials and stackable certifications. As a sub-grantee, Mountwest has participated in several initiatives: receiving funding from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources for TANF client guidance services across five counties (awards dated June 28, 2021, August 15, 2022, October 26, 2023, and December 10, 2024); obtaining cybersecurity enhancement funding from the Division of Emergency Management (August 26, 2024); participating in a Marshall University Research Corporation cybersecurity and critical infrastructure workforce development initiative as a prototype site under the direction of college president Dr. Joshua Baker (April 29, 2024); and supporting the development of forensic sciences Associate of Applied Science degrees through Marshall University Research Corporation funding (December 1, 2023).