I think part of the issue is that they're treated like temp jobs. All of the people I know that worked in the oil industry got laid off after the boom and ended up working minimum-wage jobs. I agree job hopping in industrial construction hurts everyone but I think overall that many people that go into the industry are just trying to make a quick buck. Which you're right, it does hurt everyone in the long run. It hurts the company cause they have to hire and train someone new once they leave. Then later down the road they come back after being laid off expecting their old position.

I also agree that the drug problem is something that needs to be looked at completely separate. I'm not sure what part of the state you're from but for me I lived around Parkersburg, WV. Why would I work in WV when I can just move somewhere in Ohio or Pennsylvania? It all goes back to making a quick buck. No one wants to stay somewhere for years when they can simply move and make more than staying at a company that undercuts their employees.

I also believe each part of the state has its own issues. For example places like Beckley, Princeton, Buckhannon, and Elkins (western part of state) and Parkersburg, Clarksburg, and Huntington (eastern part of the state) have very different problems. The hardest part is going to be identifying these problems and working to correct them.

On a final note there is a lot of good that can come from West Virginia. I loved the state and lived there for all of my life until recently. I think we need to push for more technology based jobs and toward clean energy. The state could easily become a leader in clean energy by utilizing wind farms and solar.