MGCCC leaders discuss new workforce funding proposal
PERKINSTON, Miss. (WXXV)- Community college leaders across Mississippi are supporting a new workforce funding proposal known as the Jobs Promise Performance Program.
The proposal comes as the state faces a growing demand for skilled workers in industries like healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and aerospace.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College could soon receive additional resources to help train workers for some of the state’s most in-demand careers.
The Jobs Promise Performance Program is designed to add more than 5,000 workers each year to Mississippi’s high priority industries. MGCCC President Dr. Mary Graham said, “So, we’ll look at everything from shipbuilding to automated manufacturing. The energy industry has a huge demand right now with linemen training and data logistics. A lot of those different things that we’re already doing, but the challenge for us is a lot of those programs are full, and so we want to expand those offerings.”
If approved by lawmakers, the plan would invest over $41 million into workforce training programs across the state.
The program is designed to support students as they complete training, earn certifications, and move into the workforce. “Every employer that we work with has such a demand right now. We could have over three or 400 nurses could be employed locally, and so we’re cranking them out as quickly as we can. But this will allow us to enhance what we’re already doing, add some more short-term programming to get people, you know, in the workforce very quickly. People who need to reskill or upskill.”
The proposal will now be included in the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges’ 2027 Legislative Agenda, where it will need approval from lawmakers before moving forward.
