Mississippi’s workforce development task force, Accelerate MS, is working with a community college on the Gulf to help train more students for skilled labor jobs.
In a new report, the task force found that many jobs in nursing, engineering, and computer science have more job openings per year than students graduating college.
The report, which took six months for the agency to complete, lays out some goals that Mississippi can use to address the state’s labor shortage. But officials say they are focused on fostering jobs that have higher wages and can sustain careers.
Executive Director Ryan Miller says training more workers for these roles could help meet the needs of employers in the state.
“Not to mention the fact that those jobs are jobs that pay incredibly well for the limited amount of training. Two years at Hinds Community College. Two years at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Two years at East Mississippi Community College will get you an opportunity to make really good wages, great jobs, and have a meaningful and impactful career.”
A $1,000,000 dollar grant has been awarded to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College to create a diesel maintenance program. Officials say there are more than 500 jobs available each year in this field, however only around 100 workers finish their education annually. Mary Graham, President of the community college, says there will be no tuition and 40 positions are available.
“The real purpose of all of this is to lift up Mississippians, bring employers to Mississippi, satisfy that pipeline of maybe an aging market. A lot of folks are aging out of these craft positions so we have to resupply that pipeline. We intend to do it at Gulf Coast, all the community colleges intend to do it.”
Other programs that aim to improve education access for trade jobs have been developed in Mississippi, such as a nursing program at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. However, this is the first project under the state’s new workforce development agency.
Officials say filling job vacancies that have higher wages could help stimulate the state’s economy, and help residents have more career opportunities.
