Jobs don t have to disappear. Young adults don t have to move in search of work. West Virginia already has a base of high-tech jobs. Fairmont is home to the West Virginia High Technology Consortium Foundation, which supports fledgling high-tech companies. At the core of all of these efforts is high-tech wiring.
Fiber optics are thin, flexible glass strands that transmit voice, data and images as light.
They are faster and more powerful than traditional copper or cable lines and are a must for most high-tech enterprises. Business leaders say West Virginia s system is now one of the best in the nation and a good lure for high-tech companies. It doesn t guarantee companies will come in, but it s a basic foundation. Without it you wouldn t be able to get anything. Charleston expects to add to that foundation.