Through grant administrator Workforce West Virginia, the state is offering as much as $5000 each to miners, their spouses and other family members for training in other high-demand fields in the region, including diesel technology, chemical processing, truck driving, welding, electrical engineering, healthcare and other areas.

Some participants are also eligible for an allowance of $20 per day to assist with fuel, food and childcare costs while attending classes.

The program initially was limited only to those miners included in mass layoffs, but has now opened up to include families. Eligible individuals are those who were displaced by a shutdown or layoff after March 1 of this year.

A series of meetings about the grant opportunity have been scheduled for this week, including Summersville on November 5, Beckley on November 7 and Chesapeake on November 8.

Furloughed workers can also contact the United Mine Workers of America Career Center or Workforce West Virginia directly to determine eligibility.

All dislocated coal miners determined not to be eligible under this grant, WWV said, may access retraining and reemployment services through Workforce Investment Act funding by registering with its office.