Although major mine disasters last year caught national attention one instructor at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College believes the future of mine safety starts with better education, not just technology.

James Bryant worked in the mining industry for three decades, among other things before being contacted about being an instructor at the college's new Mining Academy.

Bryant struggled with his own education when he was working in the mines and taking college classes. He said a better educated workforce is the future of safety for the mining industry and noted that Southern's Mining Academy focuses on education, mining technology, economics and the community. He said he wants to see graduates from the courses come back for more education to become better prepared for the workforce. Bryant said luck often boils down to when an opportunity comes along that a person is prepared for.

Bryant, who was special guest speaker on Oct. 3 for the Rotary Club of Logan, said he was interested in the academy when contacted because he "knew the quality of the people they have."

Bryant said the mining program filled up with students rather quickly and that the first graduating classes had been successful in finding gainful employment quickly.

"We had a lot of people coming out of the program and going right into mining, but now, it is getting a bit harder," Bryant said. He pointed out that more than just technology and techniques are taught in the classes, pointing out that he often explains basic finances to students as it can be a staggering life change to go from making $5.15 an hour to $16 an hour after taking the courses, and that dealing with such a drastic income change can be a challenge in and of itself for many young miners.

"I try to talk with them about intelligently managing their money," Bryant said.

Bryant said that various accidents such as Aracoma and Sago had caught national attention and that Southern is trying to push ahead in making mining safer by focusing on developing safe work habits in new miners.

"If you can educate people in safe habits, right off the bat, it can help," he said. It helps that the colleges’ instructors are experienced with all facets of mining from getting coal out of the ground to doing rescues.

"They did not take just anybody off the street and make an instructor out of them," Bryant quipped.

Educated miners are safer and more productive, Bryant said.

"Southern is on the ball and it feels good to be associated with something so progressive and knowledgeable," Bryant added.